Abstract: A refrigeration unit for storing items to be refrigerated. The refrigeration unit includes an insulated enclosure defining a compartment, and has a top wall, a rear wall, and opposing side walls. An evaporator is disposed within the compartment and is secured to the rear wall. An evaporator cover has a top portion and a rear portion. The rear portion covers the evaporator and has a sloping rear face that slopes rearwardly and downwardly toward a drain trough. The sloping rear face directs condensate from the evaporator into the drain trough. A drain plate covers the drain trough and the sloping rear face. An angled grate is secured to the drain plate and covers an inlet to an air flow channel formed by the rear wall, and the evaporator cover and the drain plate. A fan is secured over an angled opening formed in the top portion of the evaporator cover and is operable to draw air through the air flow channel.

Abstract: Numerous embodiments and related methods for generator-absorber heat exchange (GAX) are disclosed, particularly for absorption heat pump systems. Such embodiments and related methods use, as the heat transfer medium, the working fluid of the absorption system taken from the generator at a location where the working fluid has a rich liquor concentration.

Abstract: A refrigerant metering charge board that accurately meters a refrigerant and an associated synthetic compressor oil into a product, preferably a refrigerator, is provided. Metering is accomplished by way of servo motors coupled to ball screws which are in turn connected to hydraulic cylinders. Calibration of the refrigerant, preferably R134a, is maintained using a temperature sensor, a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a density/temperature equation that has been empirically fit to saturation data. The preferred equation is a modified Benedict-Webb-Ruben (MBWR) equation of state. The refrigerant charge amounts are entered into the PLC using either a fixed bar code scanner or a hand-held bar code scanner that reads a bar code on the refrigerator. An operator interface, preferably a touch-screen display is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for efficiently using various components as a system for cooling air. The apparatus uses the combination of an evaporative cooler, a refrigerated air system with a water-cooled condenser, a swimming pool pump, and a swimming pool or other bulk water storage container. A pump or series of pumps are used to supply water to the evaporative cooler and to the water-cooled condenser from the swimming pool. After the swimming pool water has been supplied to the other components in the system, it is returned to the swimming pool. During cooler weather, the output air from the evaporative cooler is supplied to a series of ducts and is used to cool the interior of a structure such as a home.

Abstract: An outdoor unit for use in a separate type air conditioner which includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit each having at least a compressor, a heat exchanger, and a expansion device, with one unit connected with the other by refrigerant-tubes so that they altogether form an air conditioning system. The outdoor unit comprises: a baseplate, a housing having a first air intake window (side air intake window) in one of its side walls, a second air intake window (rear air intake window) formed in the rear wall extending upright from the baseplate, and an air outlet window (front air outlet window) formed in the front wall; a partition board extending upright from the baseplate and portioning for the internal space of the housing into a fan compartment for accommodating the heat exchanger and a fan for supplying air to the heat exchanger; and a machinery compartment for accommodating the compressor.

Abstract: A refrigerant metering charge board that accurately meters a refrigerant and an associated synthetic compressor oil into a product, preferably a refrigerator, is provided. Metering is accomplished by way of servo motors coupled to ball screws which are in turn connected to hydraulic cylinders. Calibration of the refrigerant, preferably R134a, is maintained using a temperature sensor, a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a density/temperature equation that has been empirically fit to saturation data. The preferred equation is a modified Benedict-Webb-Ruben (MBWR) equation of state. The refrigerant charge amounts are entered into the PLC using either a fixed bar code scanner or a hand-held bar code scanner that reads a bar code on the refrigerator. An operator interface, preferably a touch-screen display is also provided.

Abstract: Air direction changing members are disposed in an air inversion course so that the flows of air blown from a blow port of a front panel becomes substantially uniform throughout the whole of the blow port.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a beverage cooler and dispenser which is compact enough to fit on a counter top yet large enough to hold a substantial volume of liquid. The beverage cooler includes a refrigeration unit having a compressor with a condenser located inside of the reservoir tank and an evaporator external to the unit, a pump for circulating the liquid, a dispenser, and a liquid level gauge. The device has an electrical cord for connection to a direct current outlet.

Abstract: The present invention features a kit or an attachment apparatus for roasting a small quantity of green coffee beans upon a rotisserie unit. The kit or apparatus is rotationally mounted to an oven or a grill. The kit contains a perforated, cylindrical, hollow drum that has at least one internal fin for stirring the tumbling coffee beans within the hollow drum, as it is caused to rotate. The drum is attachable to a spit of the rotisserie, which is, in turn, attachable to a drive motor. The drive motor and the distal end of the spit are each mounted by attachment brackets to respective, end walls of the oven or grill. The cylinder can receive the green coffee beans through the removal of an end lid of the drum, or through a hatch door located in a mid-portion of the cylindrical drum. A layer of insulation is wrapped about one portion of the spit, and acts as a handle for removing the heated drum of roasted beans from the oven or grill.

Abstract: A pressure relief system for a mechanical refrigeration system. The pressure relief system has a pair of rupture disks connected in series to a pressure vessel that contains refrigerant. The pressure relief system allowing the changing of the primary rupture disk while the vessel is pressurized without the loss of overpressure protection.

Abstract: In a refrigerator having a fluorescent lamp for illuminating a fresh food compartment in which the fluorescent lamp is installed in the fresh food compartment, and is turned on and off according to the opening and closing of a door for opening and closing the fresh food compartment, the refrigerator includes a heater which is installed adjacent to the fluorescent lamp to heat the peripheral portion of the fluorescent lamp. The refrigerator maintains a peripheral temperature of a fluorescent lamp at an appropriate temperature for lighting up the fluorescent lamp, to thereby prevent failure in the light-up of the fluorescent lamp and the reduction of illumination after lighting up the fluorescent lamp.

Abstract: This invention provides an air blowing direction adjusting apparatus for an air conditioner providing any desired blowing directions for a heat-exchanged air to be discharged indoor, the apparatus including a dynamic force generating unit mounted upon one side of a main body of the air conditioner and having a shaft, cams coupled to the shaft and rotated in a forward or reverse direction with the drive of the dynamic force generating unit, moving units disposed to bring into contact with the cams for conversion of rotary motions of the cams into linear motions of the moving units, whereby the air blowing direction adjusting unit is rotated, and elasticity units coupled to one side of the moving means to resiliently operate on the moving units.

Abstract: A refrigerant recycling apparatus for use in conjunction with a refrigerant recovery unit for transferring refrigerant from a first container to a second container. The refrigerant recovery unit includes a compressor having a suction side and a discharge side. The refrigerant recycling apparatus comprises a first section including a filter having a filter inlet and a filter outlet. A first conduit is provided in fluid communication between the filter inlet and the first container. A heater is provided along the first conduit. A second conduit is provided in fluid communication between the filter outlet and the refrigerant recovery unit inlet. The refrigerant recycling apparatus has a second section including an oil separator fluidly connected in series with a condenser having an inlet and an outlet. A third conduit is provided between the refrigerant recovery unit outlet and the oil separator. The condenser outlet is in fluid communication with the second container.

Abstract: An air conditioning equipment is provided wherein reduction in size of an outdoor heat exchanger, improvement of reliability, and low cost can be achieved without reduction in system efficiency. In the air conditioning equipment, the same working medium is employed in Rankine cycle (first cycle) and refrigerant cycle (second cycle) and an expander and a compressor used in respective cycles are installed in the same enclosure.

Abstract: A refrigeration system employing a screw compressor and a falling film evaporator makes use of high-side pressure to drive lubricant, which escapes the compressor and collects as a lubricant-rich mixture of lubricant and refrigerant in the system evaporator, back to the compressor. The mixture is cyclically exposed to high-side pressure for a period of time which (i) varies in accordance with the difference between a sensed condenser-related pressure and a sensed evaporator-related pressure and (ii) is calculated to maintain a predetermined oil concentration in the lubricant-rich mixture in the evaporator so as to minimize the parasitic losses to system efficiency associated with the oil return process.

Abstract: A device is provided for modifying the temperature of a breathing or other as supplied through a conduit. A heat exchanger is mounted in-line with the conduit. A thermoelectric device has first and second thermally conductive plates separated by at least one thermoelectric couple. The first thermally conductive plate is in thermal contact with the heat exchanger. A phase change material is in thermal contact with the second thermally conductive plate. A voltage is applied to the thermoelectric couple(s) to maintain the first and second thermally conductive plates at different temperatures. The phase change material changes from a first phase to a second phase at a phase change temperature that is selected to be between the different temperatures of the first and second thermally conductive plates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining refrigerant density and mass flow rate, and for pressurizing a refrigerant recovery tank while the refrigeration system is being recharged. The mass of a flowing refrigerant is automatically continually determined by reliable static means in a controlled recharging process. Flow-dependent pressure, such as the pressure drop across the orifice, and temperature data are taken from the recharging system and are connected to a data processor which uses the pressure and temperature data to determine the refrigerant density and the mass of the flowing refrigerant that has been used. The pressure of a source of recharging refrigerant can be maintained by withdrawing and heating liquid refrigerant and returning the resulting superheated vapor directly to the source of recharging refrigerant, and recharging operations can proceed during such pressure maintenance.

Abstract: A refrigerator having a middle fresh food compartment and a relatively large bottom freezer compartment arranged below the fresh food compartment and a relatively small freezer compartment arranged above the fresh food compartment. The bottom freezer compartment preferably supports a drawer including a frame and a removable bin. Cool air can be supplied to the compartments of the refrigerator by employing a two fan control system such that no electro-mechanical baffles are required. Alternatively, cool air can be directed to the compartments of the refrigerator by use of a baffle which requires only a single electro-mechanical device to control air flow into three different compartments. The baffle includes a main rotary damper which can be positioned to provide proportional amounts of chilled air to the three separate compartments based on the degree of cooling required.

Abstract: A portable insulated cooler system for beverages which includes one or more bottles containing a freezable coolant refrigerant. The bottles define recesses for receiving the housed beverage containers. An insulated casing or liner extends about the bottle to maintain and contain containers in a cool condition for an extended period of time. The bottles and casing are inserted into a fabric carrying case for convenience of the user. The carrying case, bottles and insulative casing may be configured so that the cooler may be comfortably carried by the user in a manner similar to a "fanny pack". In other embodiments, the bottles containing the refrigerant are identical one to the other and are positioned in face-to-face relationship to form a plurality of cooling chambers. The cooler may also be placed in another article for transportation such as within the large side pocket of a golf bag.

Abstract: A method of conditioning a process stream of air in an air conditioning system wherein the process stream of air is dehumidified and cooled to provide a conditioned stream of air, the method comprising providing an adsorption wheel having a multiplicity of passages through which the process air can flow for adsorbing moisture therefrom, the wheel capable of adsorption of moisture from the process air and of regeneration on a continuous basis as the wheel rotates. The method further comprises passing a first portion and a second portion of the process air to be conditioned through the wheel to remove moisture therefrom, the first portion of the process air passing through the wheel after the regeneration to remove heat from the wheel prior to the second portion passing through the adsorption wheel; then introducing the first portion of the process air to a heat exchanger to remove heat from the first portion.