In some embodiments, an air-cooled ammonia refrigeration system comprises: an air-cooled condenser comprising a heat exchanger and at least one axial fan; an evaporator coupled to the air-cooled condenser; a subcooler positioned between the air-cooled condenser and the evaporator; a compressor coupled to the evaporator; an oil cooler coupled to the compressor; a water system coupled to the air-cooled condenser, the water system comprising a water source, a water pump, and a plurality of spray nozzles positioned below the air-cooled condenser; and a control circuit coupled to the air-cooled condenser and the water system, the control circuit configured to pulse atomized water through the plurality of spray nozzles to a surface of the air-cooled condenser when a head pressure of the air-cooled condenser is higher than a predetermined value.

A cooling system and a related method is presented. The cooling system includes a reservoir configured to selectively supply a cooling fluid; a circulation loop fluidly coupled to the reservoir, and configured to circulate the cooling fluid to and from the reservoir, and a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the circulation loop and configured to exchange heat with the cooling fluid. The reservoir includes a refrigerant and an anti-freeze additive. The anti-freeze additive is characterized by a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) such that when an operating temperature of the reservoir is greater than the LCST, the reservoir is configured to supply a cooling fluid including the refrigerant to the circulation loop; and when the operating temperature of the reservoir is lower than the LCST, the reservoir is configured to supply a cooling fluid including the refrigerant and the anti-freeze additive to the circulation loop.

In some embodiments, an air-cooled ammonia refrigeration system comprises: an air-cooled condenser comprising a heat exchanger and at least one axial fan; an evaporator coupled to the air-cooled condenser; a subcooler positioned between the air-cooled condenser and the evaporator; a compressor coupled to the evaporator; an oil cooler coupled to the compressor; a water system coupled to the air-cooled condenser, the water system comprising a water source, a water pump, and a plurality of spray nozzles positioned below the air-cooled condenser; and a control circuit coupled to the air-cooled condenser and the water system, the control circuit configured to pulse atomized water through the plurality of spray nozzles to a surface of the air-cooled condenser when a head pressure of the air-cooled condenser is higher than a predetermined value.

A liquid absorption refrigeration system and a tube and channel heat exchanger include: an absorber section to contain a saturated strong solution; a pump connected to an outlet of the absorber section to receive saturated strong solution therefrom; a regenerator section connected to an outlet of the pump to receive a flow of pressurized saturated strong solution therefrom; an expansion device connected to an outlet of the regenerator section to receive a flow of subcooled strong solution therefrom; an evaporator section connected to an outlet of the expansion device to receive the subcooled strong solution therefrom, the evaporator section connected to the absorber section to return strong solution thereto; and a condenser section connected to the evaporator section to receive a refrigerant evaporated from the subcooled strong solution in the evaporator, the condenser section connected to the absorber section to return liquid refrigerant thereto.

The present invention provides a heat pump that includes an absorber/evaporator module having a solution channel and a refrigerant channel along with first and second liquid channels. A porous membrane is positioned between the refrigerant channel and the solution channel; the porous membrane permits flow of vapor molecules therethrough while restricting flow of absorbent molecules. A membrane-based generator/condenser module with a similar structure is in fluid communication with the absorber/evaporator module. The membrane-based modules offer a large specific surface area with integrated solution/refrigerant flows, which enables formation of a highly compact heat pump exhibiting strong heat/mass transfer.

An adsorption refrigerator comprising a first adsorber containing a first adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing a first adsorbent refrigerant, a second adsorber containing a second adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing the first adsorbent refrigerant, a first evaporator capable of evaporating the first adsorbent refrigerant under reduced pressure to cool a first working fluid, a first condenser capable of condensing the first adsorbent refrigerant in gaseous state, a third adsorber containing a third adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing a second adsorbent refrigerant, a fourth adsorber containing a fourth adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing the second adsorbent refrigerant, a second evaporator capable of evaporating the second adsorbent refrigerant under reduced pressure to cool a second working fluid, a second condenser capable of condensing the second adsorbent refrigerant in gaseous state, a first heat exchanger capable of applying heat absorbed from a first heat source to a first heating medium, a second heat exchanger capable of removing and releasing heat from a second heating medium, and a heat recovery path where a third heating medium performs recovery of adsorption heat generated by adsorption-driving of the first adsorber or the second adsorber and performs heat application of regeneration-driving of the third adsorber or the fourth adsorber.

This invention relates to using a eutectic mixture of two ionic liquids, as an absorbent material in an absorption chiller. The invention provides an absorption chiller comprising a mixture of a refrigerant and an absorbent, and the absorbent is a eutectic mixture of two ionic liquids.

An adsorption refrigerator comprising a first adsorber containing a first adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing a first adsorbent refrigerant, a second adsorber containing a second adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing the first adsorbent refrigerant, a first evaporator capable of evaporating the first adsorbent refrigerant under reduced pressure to cool a first working fluid, a first condenser capable of condensing the first adsorbent refrigerant in gaseous state, a third adsorber containing a third adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing a second adsorbent refrigerant, a fourth adsorber containing a fourth adsorbent capable of adsorbing and desorbing the second adsorbent refrigerant, a second evaporator capable of evaporating the second adsorbent refrigerant under reduced pressure to cool a second working fluid, a second condenser capable of condensing the second adsorbent refrigerant in gaseous state, a first heat exchanger capable of applying heat absorbed from a first heat source to a first heating medium, a second heat exchanger capable of removing and releasing heat from a second heating medium, and a heat recovery path where a third heating medium performs recovery of adsorption heat generated by adsorption-driving of the first adsorber or the second adsorber and performs heat application of regeneration-driving of the third adsorber or the fourth adsorber.

A liquid absorption refrigeration system and a tube and channel heat exchanger include: an absorber section to contain a saturated strong solution; a pump connected to an outlet of the absorber section to receive saturated strong solution therefrom; a regenerator section connected to an outlet of the pump to receive a flow of pressurized saturated strong solution therefrom; an expansion device connected to an outlet of the regenerator section to receive a flow of subcooled strong solution therefrom; an evaporator section connected to an outlet of the expansion device to receive the subcooled strong solution therefrom, the evaporator section connected to the absorber section to return strong solution thereto; and a condenser section connected to the evaporator section to receive a refrigerant evaporated from the subcooled strong solution in the evaporator, the condenser section connected to the absorber section to return liquid refrigerant thereto.

A carbon dioxide/co-fluid mixture is provided for use in a refrigeration cycle in which the carbon dioxide is alternately absorbed and desorbed from the co-fluid. Suitable co-fluids are selected from the class of alkoxylated carboxylic amides, wherein the amides are cyclic or non-cyclic. It has been discovered that N-2,5,8,11-tetraoxadodecyl-2-pyrrolidinone and its homologs exhibit an advantageous property of a high rate of desorption at lower temperatures.