Abstract: In a refrigeration cycle device, a design volume ratio, obtained by dividing a stroke volume of a sub-compressor by a stroke volume of an expander, is set to be smaller than (DE/DC)×hE?hF)/(hB?hA). With an operating efficiency being the maximum in an operating range allowed to be set of the refrigeration cycle device, DE is a density of a refrigerant, which has flowed out from a radiator, DC is a density of the refrigerant, which has flowed out from an evaporator, hE is a specific enthalpy of the refrigerant flowing into the expander, hF is a specific enthalpy of the refrigerant, which has flowed out from the expander, hA is a specific enthalpy of the refrigerant sucked by a main compressor, and hB is a specific enthalpy of the refrigerant at an intermediate position of a compression process of the main compressor.

Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers performing the same function (as a condenser or an evaporator) and allows each intermediate heat exchanger to exchange heat between a refrigerant heated or cooled in a refrigeration cycle on a heat source side and a heat medium flowing through a heat medium circuit on a use side such that heat energy produced on the heat source side is transmitted to use side heat exchangers. A controller calculates the difference between a heat medium inlet temperature and a heat medium outlet temperature Two of the use side heat exchanger which is operating to obtain a heat medium temperature difference for the use side heat exchanger, and controls a heat medium flow control device such that the heat medium temperature difference reaches a target heat medium temperature difference.

Abstract: There are provided a plurality of use-side heat exchangers, inter-heat-medium heat exchangers, heat medium flow path switching devices, which switch flow paths, and pumps, which feed heat media to these paths; the inter-heat-medium heat exchangers heat or cool a heat medium by exchanging heat between the heat medium and a heat source fluid fed from a heat source apparatus. About half of the plurality of use-side heat exchangers are preheated or precooled, and the remaining use-side heat exchangers which are not preheated or precooled exchange heat media with use-side heat exchangers that have been preheated or precooled and that are not yet started to operate, suppressing energy consumed for preheating or precooling.

Abstract: A first cycle, in which a first medium is circulated, employs a compressor, a first heat exchanger structured with an air heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger. A second cycle, in which a second medium is circulated and heat is exchanged with the first medium through the second heat exchanger, employs indoor units, each having a fan. A third cycle, in which the second medium is circulated and heat is exchanged with the first medium through the third heat exchanger, shares the indoor units with the second cycle. Flow path switching valves switch flow paths between the second cycle and third cycle. Before the first heat exchanger is defrosted, a halted indoor unit is filled with the second medium in the third cycle with its fan being halted. The third heat exchanger functions as an evaporator during a defrosting operation.

Abstract: A printed matter, wherein a line latent image and a digital watermark are printed in a predetermined region in an overlapping manner, the line latent image becoming visible when a line filter provided with a line pattern formed on a transparent film is superimposed thereon.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus increases the cooling capacity even under overload conditions in a refrigeration cycle apparatus that uses a refrigerant which undergoes transition to a supercritical state and in which the high-pressure side enters a supercritical state. A refrigeration cycle apparatus adjusts a high-pressure-side pressure of a refrigerant flowing through a main refrigerant circuit by causing a controller to control an opening degree of a second expansion valve and a heat transfer area of a radiator.

Abstract: In an air-conditioning apparatus that uses a refrigerant, which operates in a transcritical cycle, and refrigerating machine oil, which has low miscibility with the refrigerant, in a refrigerant circuit for a refrigeration cycle connected to a compressor, a radiator, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator, the air-conditioning apparatus includes a flow regulating mechanism provided in the refrigerant circuit, and flow control means that controls the flow regulating mechanism. If a refrigerant flow velocity at an outlet side of the radiator is lower than a predetermined threshold value, the refrigerant flow velocity at the outlet side of the radiator is increased by the flow control means so that oil-return operation that returns the refrigerating machine oil discharged from the compressor to the compressor is performed for at least a predetermined time period.

Abstract: Disclosed is a positive displacement expander equipped with an expansion mechanism in which power is generated using fluid energy produced while a high-pressure fluid, supplied to a plurality of expansion chambers partitioned by an orbiting scroll or a rolling piston, is being expanded and decompressed. The expander includes a communicating pipe that allows each of the expansion chambers to communicate with an expander discharge side and an opening and closing device disposed on the communicating pipe. When supply of the high-pressure fluid is stopped, the opening and closing device is opened by the time when high and low pressures between each of the expansion chambers and the expander discharge side are equalized, thus stopping the orbiting scroll or the rolling piston at a predetermined position so that an expander obtains sufficient driving force when resuming.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus achieves efficient operation by constantly recovering power in a wide operating range. The refrigeration cycle apparatus regulates a pressure of a high pressure side by changing either one or both of an opening degree of the intermediate-pressure bypass valve and an opening degree of the pre-expansion valve on the basis of a density ratio that is obtained from an inflow refrigerant density of the expander and an inflow refrigerant density of the sub-compressor in an actual operating state and a design volume ratio that has been expected at the time of design and that is obtained from a stroke volume of the sub-compressor, a stroke volume of the expander, and a ratio of a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing to the sub-compressor.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigeration cycle formed by a first compressor, a radiator, an expander that expands a refrigerant that has passed through the radiator, and an evaporator. A bypass piping has one end connected to a discharge piping of the expander and the other end connected to a suction piping of the first compressor. A pressure sensor and a temperature sensor detect the suction pressure and suction temperature of the expander as physical quantities of the refrigerant to be sucked into the expander. A bypass valve controls the flow rate of the refrigerant. A control device determines the appropriate discharge pressure of the expander on the basis of the suction pressure and suction temperature of the expander, and opens the bypass valve when the pressure at which the expander discharges the refrigerant is higher than the determined appropriate discharge pressure.

Abstract: In a refrigeration cycle apparatus that recovers power in an expander, obtaining a refrigeration cycle apparatus that is capable of reliably starting up the expander compared to conventional refrigeration cycle apparatuses. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit having a first compressor, a radiator, an expander and an evaporator connected in series with a piping; and a second compressor disposed between the first compressor and the radiator, the second compressor being driven by power recovered by the expander. The second compressor being a positive displacement compressor. The refrigeration cycle apparatus, further including a pressure regulating device (a bypass and an on-off valve) that maintains a pressure on a discharge side of the second compressor to be lower than a pressure on a suction side of the second compressor at least until the second compressor is started up.

Abstract: Energy saving of a refrigerating cycle device is achieved by equalizing heat-medium inlet temperatures of a plurality of use-side heat exchangers.

Abstract: A first cycle, in which a first medium is circulated, employs a compressor, a first heat exchanger structured with an air heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger. A second cycle, in which a second medium is circulated and heat is exchanged with the first medium through the second heat exchanger, employs indoor units, each having a fan. A third cycle, in which the second medium is circulated and heat is exchanged with the first medium through the third heat exchanger, shares the indoor units with the second cycle. Flow path switching valves switch flow paths between the second cycle and third cycle. Before the first heat exchanger is defrosted, a halted indoor unit is filled with the second medium in the third cycle with its fan being halted. The third heat exchanger functions as an evaporator during a defrosting operation.

Abstract: In a first cycle, a first heat exchanger, in which a first medium exchanges heat with the outside air, a second heat exchanger and a third heat exchanger, in which heat is exchanged between the first cycle and a second cycle and between the first cycle and a third cycle, respectively, are connected in series with a first reducing valve and a second reducing valve. In the second cycle and the third cycle that convey cooling energy and heating energy, the flow rates of a second medium in respective branches are adjusted by flow-rate-adjusting valves in accordance with the entrance and exit temperatures of indoor units, and the total flow rate is determined by controlling the rotation speed of a pump by a minimum resistance method. Therefore, even if there are a plurality of loads and the loads change significantly, a stable controlling operation is realized, enabling a highly efficient operation.

Abstract: There are provided a plurality of use-side heat exchangers, inter-heat-medium heat exchangers, heat medium flow path switching devices, which switch flow paths, and pumps, which feed heat media to these paths; the inter-heat-medium heat exchangers heat or cool a heat medium by exchanging heat between the heat medium and a heat source fluid fed from a heat source apparatus. About half of the plurality of use-side heat exchangers are preheated or precooled, and the remaining use-side heat exchangers which are not preheated or precooled exchange heat media with use-side heat exchangers that have been preheated or precooled and that are not yet started to operate, suppressing energy consumed for preheating or precooling.

Abstract: Use side heat exchangers, an intermediate heat exchanger that heats a heat medium flowing to the use side heat exchangers, an intermediate heat exchanger that cools the heat medium flowing to the use side heat exchangers, three-way valves that switch between a flow path connecting the intermediate heat exchanger to the use side heat exchangers and a flow path connecting the intermediate heat exchanger to the use side heat exchangers, and three-way valves and bypasses that control the flow rate of the heat medium flowing into the use side heat exchangers are included. When at least one of the use side heat exchangers is switched from a stop state to an operation state or switched to another operation mode, the flow rate of the heat medium flowing into this use side heat exchanger is suppressed, and a change in air output temperature in the use side heat exchangers other than this use side heat exchanger is suppressed.

Abstract: To provide a refrigerating cycle apparatus capable of improving cooling ability by water spray to perform an efficient operation while suppressing decrease in collected power by an expander. The refrigerating cycle apparatus includes: a first compressor that compresses the refrigerant; an expander that decompresses and expands the refrigerant to collect power for expansion; a second compressor that is driven by the power collected by the expander to further compresses the refrigerant compressed by the first compressor to transmit it to a main radiator; a heat exchanger having an intercooler that cools the refrigerant compressed by the first compressor and a main radiator that cools the refrigerant compressed by the second heat exchanger to transmit it to the expander; indoor heat exchangers that heat the refrigerant decompressed by the expander; and a water spray apparatus that sprays water onto the outer surface of the intercooler and the main radiator.

Abstract: A laminated ceramic electronic component includes a plurality of conductor pattern layers for a coil arranged to overlap each other to form substantially U-shaped conductors for the coil. The conductors for the coil are electrically connected in series through via holes for inner layer connection provided in ceramic green sheets to form a spiral coil. A plurality of lead conductor pattern layers also overlaps each other to form lead conductors. One lead conductor pattern layer is disposed per a predetermined number of conductor pattern layers for the coil. An end of each lead conductor pattern layer is in contact with the corresponding conductor pattern layer for the coil. In other words, the thickness of the lead conductors is less than the thickness of the conductors for the coil.

Abstract: A laminated ceramic electronic component includes a plurality of conductor pattern layers for a coil arranged to overlap each other to form substantially U-shaped conductors for the coil. The conductors for the coil are electrically connected in series through via holes for inner layer connection provided in ceramic green sheets to form a spiral coil. A plurality of leading conductor pattern layers also overlaps each other to form leading conductors. One leading conductor pattern layer is disposed per a predetermined number of conductor pattern layers for the coil. An end of each leading conductor pattern layer is in contact with the corresponding conductor pattern layer for the coil. In other words, the thickness of the lead conductors is less than the thickness of the conductors for the coil.

Abstract: A printed matter, wherein a line latent image and a digital watermark are printed in a predetermined region in an overlapping manner, the line latent image becoming visible when a line filter provided with a line pattern formed on a transparent film is superimposed thereon.