A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system may include a refrigerant loop to circulate refrigerant, a first valve, a second valve, a sensor to measure parameters of the refrigerant, a refrigerant tank fluidly coupled to the refrigerant loop via the valves, and control circuitry communicatively coupled to the sensor, the first valve, and the second valve. The control circuitry may determine environmental conditions and detect whether an undercharge or overcharge condition is present in the refrigerant loop based at least in part on the environmental conditions and the measured parameters. The control circuitry may also instruct the first valve to open when the undercharge condition is detected to facilitate flowing refrigerant from the refrigerant tank into the refrigerant loop and instruct the second valve to open when the overcharge condition is detected to facilitate flowing refrigerant from the refrigerant loop into the refrigerant tank.

A dynamic receiver is included in parallel to an expander of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system. The dynamic receiver allows control of the refrigerant charge of the HVACR system to respond to different operating conditions. The dynamic receiver can be filled or emptied in response to the subcooling observed in the HVACR system compared to desired subcooling for various operating modes. The HVACR system can include a line directly conveying working fluid from compressor discharge to the dynamic receiver to allow emptying of the dynamic receiver to be assisted by injection of the compressor discharge.

A dynamic refrigeration system may automatically, at pre-determined time periods on-the-fly, adjust a refrigerant system's refrigerant pressures to predetermined optimal efficiency pressures as the internal and external heat loads change over a range. This may result in the refrigerant system pressures closely operating within a range of predetermined optimal efficiency pressures. This system may automatically instantaneously fine tune and balance on all air conditioning, heat pump, and refrigeration systems as the internal and external heat loads are continuously changing dynamically. The system may include a small liquid refrigerant pump and refrigerant storage tank, one or more wired or wireless pressure transducers and temperature sensors, and a brain to make decisions to keep the system instantaneously set at factory specs all the time. The system may include a wireless communication means so it can instantaneously report its operating condition, loads, and cost of operating.

A refrigeration cycle system includes a refrigeration cycle apparatus and a refrigerant storage portion. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, a gas-side connection pipe, and a liquid-side connection pipe. The refrigerant storage portion stores the refrigerant present inside a refrigerant circulation path. The refrigerant storage portion communicates with the refrigerant circulation path through a first storage portion pipe and a second storage portion pipe. The first storage portion pipe causes a first refrigerant pipe of an outdoor refrigerant flow path and the refrigerant storage portion to communicate with each other, or causes the gas-side connection pipe and the refrigerant storage portion to communicate with each other. The second storage portion pipe causes the second refrigerant pipe of the outdoor refrigerant flow path and the refrigerant storage portion to communicate with each other.

A refrigeration apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit including: a compressor, a radiator, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator that are connected. The refrigerant circuit encloses a refrigerant that contains a fluorinated hydrocarbon that causes a disproportionation reaction. The refrigerant circuit further includes: a discharged refrigerant recovery receiver that is branch-connected to a path between a discharge side of the compressor and a gas side of the radiator through a discharged refrigerant branch pipe; and a discharged refrigerant relief mechanism that is disposed in the discharged refrigerant branch pipe and that connects discharge side of the compressor with the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver when the refrigerant on the discharge side of the compressor satisfies a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition includes at least one of a first condition under which the refrigerant does not yet cause the disproportionation reaction and a second condition under which the refrigerant causes the disproportionation reaction.

In a heat pump device in which a compressor, a gas cooler, a refrigerant heat exchanger, a refrigerant expansion valve, and an evaporator are connected to configure a refrigerant circulation circuit, the heat pump device includes a buffer tank, one end being connected to the high-pressure side of the refrigerant expansion valve and arranged to store a refrigerant, and a first refrigerant pipe, one end being connected to the high-pressure side of the compressor and the other end connected to the low-pressure side of the evaporator and arranged to exchange heat with the buffer tank. The first refrigerant pipe includes a first control valve arranged between the high-pressure side of the compressor and the buffer tank to control opening and closing of the first refrigerant pipe, and a first flow rate regulator arranged between the buffer tank and the low-pressure side of the evaporator to control the refrigerant flow rate.

A method for controlling a vapour compression system (1) including a compressor unit (2) including one or more compressors (3, 12), a heat rejecting heat exchanger (4), a receiver (6), an expansion device (7) and an evaporator (8) arranged in a refrigerant path. A pressure value indicating a pressure prevailing inside the receiver (6) is obtained, and the obtained pressure value is compared to a first threshold pressure value. In the case that the obtained pressure value is below the first threshold pressure value, the compressor(s) (3, 12) of the compressor unit (2) are controlled in order to reduce a suction pressure of the vapour compression system (1).

Cooling systems and methods of operation are provided. The cooling system may include a two-phase pumped loop (TPPL). The two-phase pumped loop may include, a receiver, a pump downstream from the receiver, a heat load downstream from the pump, a TPPL tee downstream from the heat load, a TPPL check valve downstream from the TPPL tee, and a heat exchanger downstream from the TPPL check valve and upstream from the receiver. The cooling system may further include a vapor cycle system (VCS) loop. The vapor cycle system loop may include the receiver, a compressor downstream from a vapor outlet of the receiver, a compressor check valve downstream from the compressor and upstream of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger, and the heat load downstream from a liquid outlet of the receiver.

A refrigerator according to the present invention includes: a cooling part for cooling an object to be cooled through heat exchange with a refrigerant; an expander-integrated compressor including a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and an expander for expanding the refrigerant integrated therein; and a refrigerant circulation line configured to circulate the refrigerant through the compressor, the expander, and the cooling part. The compressor includes a low-stage compressor, a middle-stage compressor, and a high-stage compressor disposed in series in the refrigerant circulation line. The expander-integrated compressor includes: the middle-stage compressor; an expander for adiabatically expanding and cooling the refrigerant discharged from the high-stage compressor; a first motor having an output shaft connected to the middle-stage compressor and to the expander; at least one non-contact type bearing, disposed between the middle-stage compressor and the expander, for supporting the output shaft of the first motor without being in contact with the output shaft; and a casing for housing the middle-stage compressor, the expander, and the at least one non-contact type bearing.

The present disclosure relates to a passive refrigerant charge management system including a charge vessel configured to fluidly couple to a refrigerant circuit. The charge vessel includes a first portion having a compressible fluid and a second portion configured to contain refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit, wherein an amount of the refrigerant contained in the second portion is based on a first pressure of the refrigerant within the refrigerant circuit and a second pressure of the compressible fluid.