A supply-water warming system includes a steam compression heat pump circuit, a heat recovery heat exchanger, a heat source fluid line in which heat source fluid flows in the heat recovery heat exchanger and the evaporator in this order, a water supply line in which supply water flows in the heat recovery heat exchanger and the condenser in this order, a refrigerant flow rate adjustment section controlled based on the superheat degree of gas refrigerant flowing into the compressor and configured to adjust a refrigerant flow rate, a supply water flow rate adjustment section controlled based on the tapping temperature of the supply water flowing out of the condenser and configured to adjust a supply water flow rate, and a control section configured to control the refrigerant flow rate adjustment section and the supply water flow rate adjustment section.

The present invention describes a vapour compression apparatus wherein an intermediary located heat battery is capable of releasing charge (i.e. discharging) and/or charging and thereby controlling the temperature of a heat source or heat sink temperature in a vapour compression cycle. More particularly, the present invention describes vapour compression apparatus wherein an intermediary located heat battery comprising Phase change material (PCM) is capable of releasing charge (i.e. discharging) energy and/or charging and thereby controlling the temperature of a heat source and/or heat sink temperature in a vapour compression cycle in a range of refrigeration and/or heating systems including: air conditioning in both domestic and industrial uses; transportation of food/materials in vehicles, trains, air, etc. The present invention also relates to a methodology for selecting phase change materials (PCMs) and/or refrigerants for a vapour compression apparatus.

A sorption heat pump having an evaporator containing a working fluid to evaporate the fluid to produce a gas, a sorber containing a sorption material to sorb the gas during a sorption phase, a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and sorber, and a thermal control unit controlling the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and sorber through the pathway, and being selectively operable to permit, stop and restart the flow of gas through the pathway. The pump may be used with a compartment storing temperature sensitive material. The evaporator may be positioned inside and the sorber outside the compartment, or the sorber may be positioned inside and the evaporator outside the compartment. The pump may be used in an apparatus including both cool and warm compartments, with an insulation layer in each. A method is disclosed for reusing the pump after the sorption material has been sorbed.

An absorption cooling system that includes a plurality of solar collectors, a generator containing a dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a heat exchanger located between the generator and the absorber, first, second, and third storage tanks, a first temperature control valve located between the solar collectors and the first storage tank, a second temperature control valve located between the first storage tank and the generator, and a plurality of additional valves, wherein the first temperature control valve and the second temperature control valve are configured to regulate a flow of a heating fluid into the generator by automatically toggling between an open mode or a closed mode in response to a controller signal indicating a presence or an absence of a set point of a solid absorbent content in the dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution of the generator.

An absorption cooling system that includes a plurality of solar collectors, a generator containing a dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a heat exchanger located between the generator and the absorber, first, second, and third storage tanks, a first temperature control valve located between the solar collectors and the first storage tank, a second temperature control valve located between the first storage tank and the generator, and a plurality of additional valves, wherein the first temperature control valve and the second temperature control valve are configured to regulate a flow of a heating fluid into the generator by automatically toggling between an open mode or a closed mode in response to a controller signal indicating a presence or an absence of a set point of a solid absorbent content in the dilute absorbent-refrigerant solution of the generator.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus causes refrigerant to circulate through a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, a heat storage body, a first expansion valve, and a second expansion valve. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a bypass path and a first on-off valve provided in the bypass path. The bypass path branches off from a first portion that connects the indoor heat exchanger and the first expansion valve in a first refrigerant pipe, and leads to a fourth refrigerant pipe that connects a suction port of the compressor and a four-way valve. The first on-off valve is opened in a defrosting operation.

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for determining refrigerant charge level. In one aspect, a refrigeration system includes: (1) a compressor to compress a refrigerant; (2) a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor to condense the refrigerant; (3) an evaporator disposed downstream of the condenser to vaporize the refrigerant; (4) refrigerant lines fluidly connecting the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator in series to form a refrigerant circuit for circulating the refrigerant; (5) at least one sensor configured to measure temperature and pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit; and (6) a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to: (a) determine a sub-cooling level or super-heating level based on the temperature and/or pressure measured by the at least one sensor; and (b) facilitate operation of the refrigeration system based on the sub-cooling level or the super-heating level.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and controller therefor to operate with thermal energy reservoirs are provided to set a four-way valve to route a refrigerant through a refrigerant circuit in a first direction when the HVAC system is set to a cooling mode or in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, when the HVAC system is set to a heating mode; and set bypass valves in the refrigerant circuit based on a temperature of a temperature holding material in a thermal energy reservoir and which of the heating mode and the cooling mode the four-way valve is set to, wherein the bypass valves route the refrigerant through the thermal energy reservoir to transfer thermal energy between the refrigerant and the temperature holding material.

A method for controlling a refrigerating device of a water dispenser. The method includes: S1, controlling a refrigerating module to cool water in a cold water tank; S2, when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to a first preset temperature, stopping the refrigerating module at the first preset time; S3, controlling the refrigerating module to work again to continue cooling the water in the cold water tank; S4, when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to an n.sup.th preset temperature, stopping the refrigerating module at the n.sup.th preset time; and S5, determining whether the temperature of the water in the cold water tank reaches a target temperature, and if not, repeating steps S3 and S4 after reaching a predefined number. Through multi-stage refrigeration, an ultra-low temperature refrigeration is achieved.

A refrigerator (2) comprising a refrigeration system (4) being at least intermittently flowed through by a refrigerant and a first compartment (6) cooled by the refrigeration system (4) is provided. System components comprise a single compressor (10), a condenser (12), a first expansion arrangement (14), a second expansion arrangement (16), a first evaporator (18), and a sub-cooler (20) comprising a first refrigerant channel (22) and a second refrigerant channel (24). The refrigeration system (4) comprises a first conduit path (26) and a second conduit path (28), the first conduit path (26) comprising the first refrigerant channel (22), the first expansion arrangement (14), and the first evaporator (18), and the second conduit path (28) comprising the second expansion arrangement (16) and the second refrigerant channel (24). A flow control device (30) for alternately directing refrigerant through the first conduit path (26) and the second conduit path (28) is arranged in the refrigeration system (4). Further a method of controlling a refrigerator is provided.