A system (20; 300) has: a compressor (22) having a suction port (40) and a discharge port (42); an ejector (32) having a motive flow inlet (50), a suction flow inlet (52), and an outlet (54); a separator (34) having an inlet (72), a vapor outlet (74), and a liquid outlet (76); a first heat exchanger (24); an expansion device (28); and a second heat exchanger (26; 302). Conduits and valves are positioned to provide alternative operation in: a cooling mode; a first heating mode; and a second heating mode. In the cooling mode and second heating mode, a needle (60) of the ejector is closed.

A heat exchange system and a method for determining whether flow of cooling medium passing through a heat exchanger is too low. The heat exchange system includes a refrigerant flow path in which refrigerant circulates; a cooling medium flow path in which cooling medium circulates; and a heat exchanger connected to both the refrigerant flow path and the cooling medium flow path so that the refrigerant and the cooling medium exchange heat in the heat exchanger. The heat exchange system includes a first temperature sensor arranged at a cooling medium inlet of the heat exchanger, a second temperature sensor at a cooling medium outlet of the heat exchanger, and a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor. The controller is configured to determine whether the flow of cooling medium in the heat exchanger is too low based on a temperature difference.

A monitoring and/or control device for an environmental control unit such as a heat pump determines the performance status and whether maintenance is required of a component of the unit for example a compressor during operation of the component. The device includes sensors configured to be situated relative to the compressor so as to receive and signal data from the compressor during operation of the component. In some embodiments, the device includes a vibration detector and a controller coupled to the vibration detector. The controller is configured to (i) receive electrical signals from the vibration detector, (ii) compare the electrical signals to a reference signal, (iii) determine the performance characteristic of the component based on the results of the comparison, and (iv) output a signal corresponding to the performance characteristic of the component to a user display. The controller may also request maintenance and/or order parts automatically.

An HVAC system includes an evaporator. The evaporator includes a sensor configured to measure a property value (i.e., a saturated suction temperature or a saturated suction pressure) associated with saturated refrigerant flowing through the evaporator. The system includes a variable-speed compressor configured to receive the refrigerant and compress the received refrigerant. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the variable-speed compressor. The controller monitors the property value measured by the sensor and detects a system fault, based on the monitored property value. In response to detecting the system fault, the controller operates the compressor in a freeze-prevention mode, which is configured to maintain the property value above a setpoint value by adjusting a speed of the variable-speed compressor. This prevents or delays freezing of the evaporator during operation of the system during the detected system fault.

A portable cooler container with active temperature control, comprising: a container body having a chamber configured to receive and hold one or more containers of medicine; a lid operable to access the chamber; and a temperature control system comprising one or more thermoelectric elements configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber, circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more thermoelectric elements to heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber to a predetermined temperature or temperature range; and a display screen disposed on one of the container body and the lid, the display screen configured to selectively display one or more of information associated with the operation of the portable cooler, information associated with the containers of medicine in the portable cooler, information associated with scheduled taking of the containers of medicine, and advertisements.

A refrigeration cycle device includes: a switching valve configured to switch between a battery mode in which refrigerant flows to a battery heat exchanger and a non-battery mode in which the refrigerant bypasses the battery heat exchanger; and a controller controlling a compressor and the switching valve. The controller includes an estimation unit configured to estimate an oil stagnation amount, which is an amount of lubricating oil accumulated in the battery heat exchanger in accordance with execution of the non-battery mode. The controller includes a determination unit configured to determine whether lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger needs to be recovered on the basis of the oil stagnation amount. The controller includes an execution unit configured to execute an oil recovery mode for recovery of lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger when the determination unit determines that lubricating oil needs to be recovered.

A refrigerator configured to detect excessive condensation in a condenser based on a temperature difference between evaporators provided in each storage compartment, and configured to control an operating time of a heat dissipation fan configured to cool the condenser, and a control method thereof are provided. The refrigerator includes a plurality of storage compartments, a plurality of evaporators arranged in series with each other and provided to correspond to each of the plurality of storage compartments, a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant evaporated by the plurality of evaporators, a condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant, a heat dissipation fan configured to cool the condenser, a plurality of evaporator temperature sensors configured to detect a temperature of each of the plurality of evaporators, and a controller configured to determine whether excessive condensation occurs in the condenser based on a temperature difference between the plurality of evaporators, and configured to control an operating time of the heat dissipation fan based on whether the excessive condensation occurs or not.

Air conditioner units and methods of operating the same are provided. A method of operating an air conditioner unit includes determining a fan speed as a function of a compressor speed of a variable speed compressor of the air conditioner unit. The method also includes activating a variable speed fan of the air conditioner unit at the fan speed. An air conditioner unit may include a controller, and the controller may be configured for performing the method.

A method for operating a refrigeration appliance includes the steps of running a compressor and opening at least one of a first branch and a second branch, where the first branch has a first evaporator, the second branch has a second evaporator, and the first branch and the second branch are connected in parallel at inlets thereof. The method further determines, according to an ambient temperature, whether the first branch is open after the compressor is turned off and determines, based on the ambient temperature, whether the second branch is open after the compressor is turned off.

An ejector refrigeration cycle includes a compressor, a radiator, a branch portion, an ejector, a suction side decompressor, a windward evaporator, and a leeward evaporator. The ejector includes a nozzle portion and a pressure increasing portion. The windward evaporator and the leeward evaporator include at least one outflow side evaporation portion. The leeward evaporator includes a suction side evaporation portion. An outflow side evaporation temperature is a refrigerant evaporation temperature in the at least one outflow side evaporation portion of the leeward evaporator. A suction side evaporation temperature is a refrigerant evaporation temperature in the suction side evaporation portion of the leeward evaporator. At least one of the nozzle portion or the suction side decompressor is configured to adjust a refrigerant passage area such that a temperature difference between the outflow side evaporation temperature and the suction side evaporation temperature is at or below a predetermined reference temperature difference.