The integrated expander and motor-compressor assembly comprises a compression section mounted between the two radial bearings on a trans-mission shaft, an expander cantilevered at a free end of the transmission shaft, a gas diffuser and a duct between the expander and a first radial bearing, the first radial bearing been the closest radial bearing to the expander. The gas diffuser diffuses a gas barrier which is sucked up by the duct.

The integrated expander and motor-compressor assembly comprises a compression section mounted between the two radial bearings on a trans-mission shaft, an expander cantilevered at a free end of the transmission shaft, a gas diffuser and a duct between the expander and a first radial bearing, the first radial bearing been the closest radial bearing to the expander. The gas diffuser diffuses a gas barrier which is sucked up by the duct.

An air turbo-refrigeration unit includes a compressor on die same shaft as a turbo-expander, an electric motor, a two-cavity heat exchanger, a recuperator, a water trap, and a refrigeration chamber with a cooler and a fan. The unit has a two-cavity heat exchanger/cooler and second and third water traps. The compressor is connected by its outlet to the first cavity of the heat exchanger, which connects to the first cavity of the heat exchanger/cooler. The first cavity of the heat exchanger/cooler is connected via the second water trap to the first cavity of the recuperator, which communicates with the inlet of the turbo-expander via the first water trap. The turbo-expander is connected by its outlet via the third water trap to the second cavity of the heat exchanger/cooler, which communicates with the cooler and, via the cooler, with the second cavity of the recuperator, which communicates with the compressor inlet.

An air turbo-refrigeration unit includes a compressor on die same shaft as a turbo-expander, an electric motor, a two-cavity heat exchanger, a recuperator, a water trap, and a refrigeration chamber with a cooler and a fan. The unit has a two-cavity heat exchanger/cooler and second and third water traps. The compressor is connected by its outlet to the first cavity of the heat exchanger, which connects to the first cavity of the heat exchanger/cooler. The first cavity of the heat exchanger/cooler is connected via the second water trap to the first cavity of the recuperator, which communicates with the inlet of the turbo-expander via the first water trap. The turbo-expander is connected by its outlet via the third water trap to the second cavity of the heat exchanger/cooler, which communicates with the cooler and, via the cooler, with the second cavity of the recuperator, which communicates with the compressor inlet.

The invention relates to a refrigeration method and equipment for cooling the inside of a container, or a coolant circulating in a refrigeration circuit of a vehicle and/or of a supercharger, which uses an air current as a working fluid and comprises the steps of: compressing; cooling in coolers coupled to an ejection cycle; expanding, to reduce the temperature of the air current and obtain mechanical energy from same; refrigerating, to allow an exchange of thermal energy between the air current resulting from the expansion step and the coolant of the refrigeration circuit or the inside of the container; and regenerating, to allow an exchange of thermal energy between the air current resulting from the compression step, reducing the temperature thereof, and the air current resulting from the regenerating step, increasing the temperature thereof.

The invention relates to a refrigeration method and equipment for cooling the inside of a container, or a coolant circulating in a refrigeration circuit of a vehicle and/or of a supercharger, which uses an air current as a working fluid and comprises the steps of: compressing; cooling in coolers coupled to an ejection cycle; expanding, to reduce the temperature of the air current and obtain mechanical energy from same; refrigerating, to allow an exchange of thermal energy between the air current resulting from the expansion step and the coolant of the refrigeration circuit or the inside of the container; and regenerating, to allow an exchange of thermal energy between the air current resulting from the compression step, reducing the temperature thereof, and the air current resulting from the regenerating step, increasing the temperature thereof.

Low-temperature refrigeration device arranged in a frame and comprising a working circuit forming a loop and containing a working fluid, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism, the device comprising a refrigeration heat exchanger intended to extract heat from at least one member by exchanging heat with the working fluid, the mechanisms for cooling and reheating the working fluid comprising a common heat exchanger in which the working fluid transits in counter-flow in two separate transit portions of the working circuit, the compression mechanism comprising at least two compressors and at least one motor for driving the compressors, the working fluid expansion mechanism comprising at least one rotary turbine, the device comprising at least one drive motor comprising a drive shaft, one end of which drives a compressor and the other end of which is coupled to a turbine, the motor being attached to the frame at at least one fixed point, the common heat exchanger being attached to the frame at at least one fixed point, the two counter-flow transit portions of the common heat exchanger being orientated in a longitudinal direction of the frame, the drive shaft of the drive motor being orientated in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction and the turbine and the compressor being arranged relatively longitudinally such that the turbine is located longitudinally on the side corresponding to the relatively cold end of the common heat exchanger when the device is being operated and the compressor is located longitudinally on the side corresponding to the relatively hot end of the common heat exchanger when the device is being operated.

Low-temperature refrigeration device arranged in a frame and comprising a working circuit forming a loop and containing a working fluid, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism, the device comprising a refrigeration heat exchanger intended to extract heat from at least one member by exchanging heat with the working fluid, the mechanisms for cooling and reheating the working fluid comprising a common heat exchanger in which the working fluid transits in counter-flow in two separate transit portions of the working circuit, the compression mechanism comprising at least two compressors and at least one motor for driving the compressors, the working fluid expansion mechanism comprising at least one rotary turbine, the device comprising at least one drive motor comprising a drive shaft, one end of which drives a compressor and the other end of which is coupled to a turbine, the motor being attached to the frame at at least one fixed point, the common heat exchanger being attached to the frame at at least one fixed point, the two counter-flow transit portions of the common heat exchanger being orientated in a longitudinal direction of the frame, the drive shaft of the drive motor being orientated in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction and the turbine and the compressor being arranged relatively longitudinally such that the turbine is located longitudinally on the side corresponding to the relatively cold end of the common heat exchanger when the device is being operated and the compressor is located longitudinally on the side corresponding to the relatively hot end of the common heat exchanger when the device is being operated.

Disclosed is a low-temperature refrigeration device which is arranged in a frame and comprises a working circuit that forms a loop and contains a working fluid, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, connected in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism, wherein the mechanisms for cooling and heating the working fluid comprise a common heat exchanger in which the working fluid flows in opposite directions in two separate transit portions of the working circuit, the device further comprising a refrigeration heat exchanger for extracting heat from at least one member by exchanging heat with the working fluid flowing in the working circuit, the compression mechanism comprising two separate compressors, the mechanism for cooling the working fluid comprising two cooling heat exchangers which are arranged respectively at the outlet of the two compressors and ensure heat exchange between the working fluid and a cooling fluid, wherein the frame extends in a longitudinal direction and comprises a lower base intended to be mounted on a support, the cooling heat exchangers are located in the frame about the common heat exchanger, i.e. the cooling heat exchangers are not located below the common heat exchanger between the common heat exchanger and the lower base of the frame.

A refrigeration unit with dynamic air cooling is described. It includes a centrifugal compressor with an electric drive, whose outlet is connected to a working element, whose outlet is connected to the inlet of a turbine. The turbine is connected to an electrical energy generator, where the outlet of the turbine is directed towards a wall-pipe heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is connected to a pump. Between the centrifugal compressor and the working element there is a pipe-wall exchanger of the air-air type, to which a fan is connected. The working element of the unit has a cylindrical hollow profile comprising helical recesses with a substantially oval shape.