An evaporator comprises: a housing with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; heat transfer tubes that are contained in the housing, in which chilled water for heat exchange with refrigerant inside the housing flows; at least one distribution tray that is placed apart from the heat transfer tubes and has a plurality of holes for distributing refrigerant over the underlying heat transfer tubes; a vapor-liquid separator that is placed apart from the bottom of the distribution tray and separates an introduced refrigerant into a vapor refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant; and a pair of support frames that are fixed to either side of the width direction of the housing, wherein the vapor-liquid separator comprises: a chamber that has an inlet port communicating with the refrigerant inlet, a vapor refrigerant exit communicating with the refrigerant outlet, and a plurality of holes formed in the bottom to distribute the liquid refrigerant to the distribution tray; and a plurality of side arms that are formed on either side of the chamber and arranged in the length direction of the chamber and supported by the support frames. Through the present disclosure, it is possible to keep the vapor-liquid separator horizontal and stable and achieve stable heat exchange performance.

A refrigeration system includes a main fluid loop and a secondary fluid loop. The main fluid loop includes a compressor and a heat exchanger that circulate a first working fluid. The secondary fluid loop circulates a second working fluid. The secondary fluid loop is in thermal communication with the main fluid loop at the heat exchanger. The secondary fluid loop includes a pump, a thermal energy storage, and a coil fluid line. The secondary fluid loop includes a multi-position valve configured to move between positions that selectively fluidly connect the heat exchanger, the pump, the thermal energy storage, and the coil fluid line.

A refrigerator includes a cabinet that defines a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, and an evaporator installed in the freezing compartment. The evaporator includes: an evaporator case that defines a food storage space formed therein; a cooling tube located at the evaporator case in a predetermined pattern and configured to receive a coolant; and a sheath heater disposed outside of the evaporator case to be adjacent to at least one surface of the evaporator case, the sheath heater being configured to generate heat such that heat for defrosting is transferred to the evaporator case. The sheath heater reduces the defrosting time to maintain the freshness of food, increases the cooling efficiency, and reduces power consumption. The defrosting efficiency by the sheath heater is improved by a reflection member, and an inflow of heat, generated when defrosting, into the refrigerating compartment is reduced by a heat insulation member.

An evaporator comprises: an evaporator case having first and second case sheets coupled to each other and bent such that both sides of the evaporator case are open, thereby forming a box shape, a food storing space being formed inside the evaporator case; a cooling tube provided as an empty space between the first and second case sheets, thereby forming a cooling channel through which a refrigerant flows; and a heating tube formed as an empty space between the first and second case sheets so as not to overlap with the cooling tube, thereby forming a heating channel for defrosting, wherein the cooling tube and the heating tube are shaped to protrude to the outside of the evaporator case, and the evaporator case has an inner surface formed to be flat.

An evaporator comprises: a housing with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; heat transfer tubes that are contained in the housing, in which chilled water for heat exchange with refrigerant inside the housing flows; at least one distribution tray that is placed apart from the heat transfer tubes and has a plurality of holes for distributing refrigerant over the underlying heat transfer tubes; a vapor-liquid separator that is placed apart from the bottom of the distribution tray and separates an introduced refrigerant into a vapor refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant; and a pair of support frames that are fixed to either side of the width direction of the housing, wherein the vapor-liquid separator comprises: a chamber that has an inlet port communicating with the refrigerant inlet, a vapor refrigerant exit communicating with the refrigerant outlet, and a plurality of holes formed in the bottom to distribute the liquid refrigerant to the distribution tray; and a plurality of side arms that are formed on either side of the chamber and arranged in the length direction of the chamber and supported by the support frames. Through the present disclosure, it is possible to keep the vapor-liquid separator horizontal and stable and achieve stable heat exchange performance.

An outdoor heat exchanger of an outdoor unit includes a main heat exchanger portion and an auxiliary heat exchanger portion. In the main heat exchanger portion, refrigerant path groups are formed. In the auxiliary heat exchanger portion, refrigerant paths are formed. The refrigerant path in the auxiliary heat exchanger portion, which is located closest to the main heat exchanger portion, is connected to the refrigerant path group in the main heat exchanger portion, which is disposed in a region where a wind velocity of the outdoor air passing through the main heat exchanger portion is relatively high. In addition, the refrigerant path is connected to the refrigerant path group. The refrigerant path is connected to the refrigerant path group. The refrigerant path is connected to the refrigerant path group.

A roll-bonded evaporator is formed from a first sheet and a second sheet roll bonded together in face to face relationship with a conductive heater located between the sheets. A refrigerant passageway system is formed in unwelded areas where the first and second sheets are not roll bonded to one another thereby defining a refrigerant channel, a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet. A heater is preferably formed with a first end and a second end located between the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet at a proximate end of the evaporator. Alternatively, the conductive heater is formed in a path having the second end located at the distal end of the evaporator and passing through the first sheet at the distal end.

A roll-bonded evaporator is formed from a first sheet and a second sheet roll bonded together in face to face relationship with a conductive heater located between the sheets. A refrigerant passageway system is formed in unwelded areas where the first and second sheets are not roll bonded to one another thereby defining a refrigerant channel, a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet. A heater is preferably formed with a first end and a second end located between the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet at a proximate end of the evaporator. Alternatively, the conductive heater is formed in a path having the second end located at the distal end of the evaporator and passing through the first sheet at the distal end.

The present invention provides an evaporator comprising: an evaporator case having first and second case sheets coupled to each other and bent such that both sides of the evaporator case are open, thereby forming a box shape, a food storing space being formed inside the evaporator case; a cooling tube provided as an empty space between the first and second case sheets, thereby forming a cooling channel through which a refrigerant flows; and a heating tube formed as an empty space between the first and second case sheets so as not to overlap with the cooling tube, thereby forming a heating channel for defrosting, wherein the cooling tube and the heating tube are shaped to protrude to the outside of the evaporator case, and the evaporator case has an inner surface formed to be flat.

A refrigerator includes a cabinet that defines a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, and an evaporator installed in the freezing compartment. The evaporator includes: an evaporator case that defines a food storage space formed therein; a cooling tube located at the evaporator case in a predetermined pattern and configured to receive a coolant; and a sheath heater disposed outside of the evaporator case to be adjacent to at least one surface of the evaporator case, the sheath heater being configured to generate heat such that heat for defrosting is transferred to the evaporator case. The sheath heater reduces the defrosting time to maintain the freshness of food, increases the cooling efficiency, and reduces power consumption. The defrosting efficiency by the sheath heater is improved by a reflection member, and an inflow of heat, generated when defrosting, into the refrigerating compartment is reduced by a heat insulation member.