Abstract: An air conditioner includes: an air passage extending from a suction port to a blowout port, a heat exchanger at the upstream side of the air passage, a cross flow fan in the air passage on the downstream side of the heat exchanger, and an air passage wall provided in a downstream area of the cross flow fan to reach the blowout port. A restricting section that restricts an air passage sectional area is provided at a corner section of the side wall of the air passage wall. The restricting section has a shape by which the air passage sectional area has a rectangular cross section expanding from the upstream side to the downstream side and is restricted to reduce an enlargement ratio of the air passage sectional area. Further, the restricting section has a smooth restricting surface crossing the corner section of the cross section of the air passage.

Abstract: An environmental control system (ECS) for providing conditioned air to a cabin of an aircraft at a desired rate may include a bleed-air driven primary air treatment unit configured to produce pack supply air and to recirculate a portion of the pack supply air into a compressor of the primary air treatment unit. The ECS may also include a bleed-air driven secondary air treatment unit configured to compress ram air at a rate that corresponds to the rate of recirculation. The ECS may be configured to selectively deliver conditioned air from both the primary and the secondary air treatment units to the cabin.

Abstract: Dehumidifying cooling apparatus and method are provided for an electronics rack. The apparatus includes an air-to-liquid heat exchanger disposed at an air inlet or outlet side of the rack, wherein air flows through the rack from the air inlet to the air outlet side. The heat exchanger is positioned for air passing through the electronics rack to pass across the heat exchanger, and is in fluid communication with a coolant loop for passing coolant therethrough at a temperature below a dew point temperature of the air passing across the heat exchanger so that air passing across the heat exchanger is dehumidified and cooled. A condensate collector, disposed below the heat exchanger, collects liquid condensate from the dehumidifying of air passing through the electronics rack, wherein the heat exchanger includes a plurality of sloped surfaces configured to facilitate drainage of liquid condensate from the heat exchanger to the condensate collector.

Abstract: A system pressure actuated charge compensator for use with a heat pump having a liquid service valve and a vapor service valve. The charge compensator comprises a holding tank having first and second ports, a first pressure tap coupled to the first port and removeably coupleable to the vapor service valve, and a second pressure tap coupled to the second port and removeably coupleable to the liquid service valve. A heat pump system and a method of manufacturing a charge compensator are also provided.

Abstract: A heat pump includes a valve system that connects a receiver tank in fluid communication with an indoor heat exchanger, wherein the valve system, operating under a novel control scheme, works in conjunction with the receiver to control the heat pump's effective refrigerant charge. To avoid suction or discharge pressure faults and to help prevent slugs of liquid refrigerant from entering the heat pump's compressor as the heat pump switches between heating and cooling modes or switches between heating and defrost modes, the control scheme provides momentary periods of transition between those modes of operation. In some embodiments, the valve system comprises a check valve connected in parallel flow relationship with a two-position receiver valve, wherein the check valve has an appreciably higher flow coefficient than that of the receiver valve.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a centrifugal compressor. In a first example, the compressor includes a first impeller provided in a main refrigerant flow path, a second impeller provided in the main refrigerant flow path downstream of the first impeller, and a recirculation flow path. In the first example, the recirculation flow path is provided between a first location and a second location along the main refrigerant flow path. The first location is downstream of the second location, and the second location is downstream of the first impeller. In a second example, the compressor includes an impeller provided in a main refrigerant flow path, and a recirculation flow path provided between a first location and a second location along the main refrigerant flow path. In the second example, the recirculation flow path includes a recirculation volute. Further disclosed is a method for operating a centrifugal compressor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for automatically changing between heating and cooling in an HVAC system. In one example, an HVAC controller may monitor the temperature of an inside space of a building, and may switch the HVAC system to cooling when the temperature of the inside space rises above a high switch-point temperature, and may cool the inside space to at least below the high switch-point temperature. The HVAC controller may also switch the HVAC system to heating when the temperature of the inside space falls below a low switch-point temperature and may heat the inside space to at least above the low switch-point temperature. In some cases, after switching to heating or cooling, the HVAC controller may cause the HVAC system to heat or cool the inside space, respectively, to substantially the set-point temperature.

Abstract: A method of operating an evaporator assembly in which a refrigerant is circulatable to transfer heat out of air in a housing. The evaporator assembly includes a thermostat that completes a solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air in the housing is above a predetermined cut-in temperature, and opens the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air is below a predetermined cut-out temperature. The thermostat completes a fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is open, and opens the fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is completed. A fan controller detects a signal voltage when the fan control circuit is completed, and provides a first predetermined drive voltage to a fan motor drive. Upon the fan controller failing to detect the signal voltage, a second predetermined drive voltage being greater than the first predetermined drive voltage is provided to the motor drive.

Abstract: A data center cooling system is operated in a first mode; it has an indoor portion wherein heat is absorbed from components in the data center, and an outdoor heat exchanger portion wherein outside air is used to cool a first heat transfer fluid (e.g., water) present in at least the outdoor heat exchanger portion of the cooling system during the first mode. The first heat transfer fluid is a relatively high performance heat transfer fluid (as compared to the second fluid), and has a first heat transfer fluid freezing point. A determination is made that an appropriate time has been reached to switch from the first mode to a second mode. Based on this determination, the outdoor heat exchanger portion of the data cooling system is switched to a second heat transfer fluid, which is a relatively low performance heat transfer fluid, as compared to the first heat transfer fluid.

Abstract: Methods of operation for refrigerator appliance configurations with a controller, a condenser, at least one evaporator, a compressor, and two refrigeration compartments. The configuration may be equipped with a variable-speed or variable-capacity compressor, variable speed evaporator or compartment fans, a damper, and/or a dual-temperature evaporator with a valve system to control flow of refrigerant through one or more pressure reduction devices. The methods may include synchronizing alternating cycles of cooling each compartment to a temperature approximately equal to the compartment set point temperature by operation of the compressor, fans, damper and/or valve system. The methods may also include controlling the cooling rate in one or both compartments. Refrigeration compartment cooling may begin at an interval before or after when the freezer compartment reaches its lower threshold temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus with a passage therein to introduce the cool air from a cooling space into a non-freezing apparatus to cool a lower space of the non-freezing apparatus. A cooling apparatus includes a cooling space supplied with the cool air, a non-freezing apparatus installed in the cooling space and storing food in a non-frozen state, a cooling passage for introducing the cool air from the cooling space into the non-freezing apparatus, and a discharge passage for discharging the flow from the non-freezing apparatus to the cooling space.

Abstract: A casing includes an engine support which is fixed to a main body of the casing and on which an engine generator is mounted. The engine support is drawable from the main body of the casing in a forward direction relative to the front side of the trailer.

Abstract: A magnetocaloric heat generator (1) in which a driving mechanism is (26) in fluidic connection with first and second ends (3 and 4) of a thermal module (2), via at least one heat exchange mechanism (7, 27), so that the heat transfer fluid circulates in a closed constant-volume fluidic circuit through the magnetocaloric heat generator (1).

Abstract: A refrigerant circuit is configured, which includes an electric compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, an evaporator, a hot gas introduction path connecting the electric compressor and the evaporator together, and a switching valve for controlling a flow of refrigerant in the hot gas introduction path. In addition, a fan is provided. In a defrosting cycle for introducing refrigerant into the evaporator through the hot gas introduction path to defrost the evaporator, if the pressure of the condenser is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold, the fan forms an air flow from a radiator to the condenser.

Abstract: An atomizing electrode includes: a trunk unit made to be tabular-shaped and almost rectangular-shaped for receiving water dropped from water supply means in a direction of gravitational force and delivering the water; and a top end atomizing unit which is a plate-shaped projection formed so as to be projected from a side surface of the trunk unit and formed unitedly with the trunk unit. The trunk unit of the atomizing electrode extends a long-side direction in a horizontal direction, is provided below the cooling unit with a space of a predetermined distance so as not to contact the cooling unit, and is arranged so that when the cooling unit is projected in the direction of gravitational force, a width of the cooling unit in a horizontal direction should be included in a width of a long-side direction of a top surface of the trunk unit exposed to the cooling unit.

Abstract: A refrigeration appliance includes a storage compartment. An evaporator cools the storage compartment. A defrost heater is associated with the evaporator. A temperature sensor senses an evaporator temperature and generates a temperature signal based on the evaporator temperature. A controller receives the temperature signal and generates a defrost heater power control signal. A power supply receives the defrost heater power control signal and controls a power level supplied to the defrost heater based on the defrost heater power control signal. A first power level is supplied to the defrost heater during a first heating interval of a defrosting operation, and, based on an evaporator temperature rise occurring during the first heating interval, the controller adjusts the defrost heater power control signal such that an adjusted power level is supplied to the defrost heater during a second heating interval of the defrosting operation.

Abstract: A system for the drying of exhaust gases from a fuel cell system includes two heat exchangers alternately exposed to an exhaust gas, which ice and accumulate water vapour from the exhaust gas by cooling through a coolant. A valve arrangement with a number of valves is adapted in such a manner that it operates one of the heat exchangers in an icing phase, in which the icing of water vapour is conducted, and the other heat exchanger in a regeneration phase, in which the accumulated ice melts and is extracted, in an alternating manner. This system is especially suitable in aircraft for drying an oxygen depleted exhaust gas from a fuel cell system for inerting a tank.

Abstract: An air-conditioner capable of suppressing increase in the suction temperature of a compressor is provided. The air-conditioner according to the present invention has a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, an oil separator, a heat source side heat exchanger, a throttle device, and a use side heat exchanger are connected in series, an oil returning circuit that connects the oil separator with the suction side of the compressor, and a decompression mechanism provided in the oil return circuit. The oil return circuit is installed by piping so as to exchange heat with a part of the heat source side heat exchanger at the upstream side of the decompression mechanism.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a shell adapted to hermetically store liquid water, a heat exchanging structure adapted to receive a substance to cool down, and a vacuum pump. The heat exchanging structure has one or more heat transfer walls, each of the heat transfer walls having a first surface in contact with the liquid water stored in the shell, and a second surface in contact with the substance to cool down. The vacuum pump is operable to create a partial vacuum on a surface of the liquid water, whereby causing a decrease in a temperature of the liquid water in the shell. In other embodiments, methods of cooling a substance are also described.

Abstract: A refrigerator is described that includes a slim refrigerator door. The refrigerator includes a storage compartment, a refrigerator door to open and close the storage compartment, and an ice maker to generate ice cubes. The refrigerator further includes an ice bin—at the refrigerator door to receive the ice cubes generated in the ice maker and having a discharge opening—for discharging the ice cubes. The refrigerator further includes a motor—at the refrigerator—and at least one blade—within the ice bin and connected to the—motor. The at least one ice cube directly drops onto the at least one blade. The at least one blade moves the at least one ice cube to the discharge and discharges the at least one ice cube from the ice bin by an operation of the motor.