Abstract: A sump for use in an ice maker, the sump adapted to hold a mass of water, wherein the ice maker freezes some or all of the mass of water into ice. The sump includes a recirculation area and one or more additional areas separated from the recirculation area. The recirculation area and the one or more additional areas are in fluid communication via one or more passageways. The recirculation area is adapted to hold and receive a first portion of the mass of water having a first mass. The one or more additional areas are adapted to hold a second portion of the mass of water having a second mass. Thus, if the first portion of water forms into slush, the second portion of water can be recirculated to melt the slush.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant can flow and which is configured as a heat pump circuit and as a cooling system circuit, and associated with these, a compressor, at least one external heat exchanger, at least one internal heat exchanger that is associated with an internal heating condenser, whereby a device is provided for generating an air stream that can be thermally coupled to the internal heat exchanger and to the internal heating condenser, as well as a metering device that can meter the flow of at least a partial stream of the thermally coupled air stream through the internal heating condenser is provided, wherein in the heat pump mode of operation, the refrigerant can be or is conveyed from the high-pressure side of the compressor into the internal heating condenser, can be or is conveyed from the internal heating condenser via a first expansion valve to the internal heat exchanger, can be or is conveyed from the internal heat ex

Abstract: An air conditioner of the present invention includes: an outdoor unit having an outdoor heat exchanger and a compressor installed therein; a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit and having an indoor heat exchanger installed therein; a four-way valve provided on a discharge part side of the compressor; a refrigerant tube having first to third refrigerant tubes and connecting the four-way valve and the indoor heat exchanger, in which the first refrigerant tube is branched from between the four-way valve and the outdoor heat exchanger such that some of a refrigerant discharged from the compressor is fed into the indoor heat exchanger while bypassing the outdoor heat exchanger, the second refrigerant tube is connected to the four-way valve to feed all of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor into the indoor heat exchanger, and the third refrigerant tube is connected to the second refrigerant tube in parallel; and a heat pump valve provided at the third refrigerant tube to selectively c

Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) unit may include a casing, an evaporator, a heater core, and a first damper. The casing may define a front airflow passageway, a rear airflow passageway having an inlet, and first and second outlets in fluid communication with the rear airflow passageway. The evaporator and the heater core may be disposed within the casing. The first damper may be disposed within the casing between the evaporator and the heater core and movable between a first position in which airflow is directed to the heater core and a second position in which airflow is directed away from the heater core. Airflow across the evaporator from the front airflow passageway to the rear airflow passageway is directed to the first and second outlets when the first damper is moved from the first position toward the second position.

Abstract: A refrigerant flow through a refrigerant circuit may be cooled with a cold cooling fluid flow from a thermal storage unit to generate a warm cooling fluid flow. The cold cooling fluid flow and the warm cooling fluid flow may be thermally isolated in the thermal storage unit, and a chiller system may cool the warm cooling fluid flow from the thermal storage unit to at least partially produce the cold cooling fluid flow.

Abstract: A refrigerator having an ice making device, comprises: a case having an opening at one side thereof; a tray accommodation portion having opened upper and lower surfaces, and configured to be inserted into or withdrawn from the case through the opening; an ice tray accommodated in the tray accommodation portion, and containing water to be frozen to ice cubes; and an accommodation portion coupling unit for coupling the tray accommodation portion to the case. Water is poured onto the ice tray in a state that the ice tray has been accommodated in the tray accommodation portion, and then the ice tray is carried to be mounted to the case. This may solve the conventional problem that each ice tray has to be carried. Furthermore, since an external force such as hand trembling is transmitted to the ice tray via the tray accommodation portion, overflow of water is minimized.

Abstract: An air tower assembly includes an outer housing, a duct with a damper opening, a damper configured to control a flow of air from a freezer compartment to a fresh food compartment, and at least partially transparent rear cover sheet attached to a rear of the outer housing that contains the duct and the damper within the air tower assembly. The rear cover sheet may be transparent or may have a clear or semi-opaque surface configured to allow visual confirmation of the damper during assembly, operation, and service. An air passageway is provided between the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment to allow air to flow from the fresh food compartment to the freezer compartment.

Abstract: A contactor for an air temperature and humidity control device is provided including a plurality of contact modules. Each contact module has a generally porous sidewall configured to define an internal space through which a hygroscopic material flows. A first airstream passes over a first portion of the plurality of contact modules. A second airstream passes over a second portion of the plurality of contact modules.

Abstract: A refrigerator having an ice making device, comprises: a case having an opening at one side thereof; a tray accommodation portion having opened upper and lower surfaces, and configured to be inserted into or withdrawn from the case through the opening; an ice tray accommodated in the tray accommodation portion, and containing water to be frozen to ice cubes; and an accommodation portion coupling unit for coupling the tray accommodation portion to the case. Water is poured onto the ice tray in a state that the ice tray has been accommodated in the tray accommodation portion, and then the ice tray is carried to be mounted to the case. This may solve the conventional problem that each ice tray has to be carried. Furthermore, since an external force such as hand trembling is transmitted to the ice tray via the tray accommodation portion, overflow of water is minimized.

Abstract: A temperature-controlled display case includes a storage tank. The storage tank includes a single-piece inner skin having an integrated locating feature formed within and configured to locate a functional component of a refrigeration system relative to the inner skin. The storage tank includes a single-piece outer skin coupled to the inner skin and having an integrated mount formed within and configured to receive a caster for mobilizing the temperature-controlled display case. The storage tank also includes a first structural frame receiving a first end of the inner skin and a first end of the outer skin, and a second structural frame receiving a second end of the inner skin and a second end of the outer skin, wherein by said receiving of the inner skin and the outer skin the first structural frame and the second structural frame are configured to couple the inner skin and the outer skin.

Abstract: A thermal management system for a natural gas tank includes a container, and a cooling mechanism operatively positioned to selectively cool the container. A method for minimizing a loss of natural gas storage during refueling is also disclosed herein. In an example of the method, a cooling mechanism, which is operatively positioned to selectively cool a container of a natural gas storage tank, is initiated prior to a refueling event. This cools the container to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: During heat applying operation, both an air-source heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the atmosphere as a heat source and an earth-source heat exchanger that uses geothermal heat as a heat source serve as evaporators to collect heat from the atmosphere and the geothermal heat. During defrosting operation, while a four-way valve is switched to cause the air-source heat exchanger to serve as a radiator, and the earth-source heat exchanger to serve as an evaporator to collect the geothermal heat, and the collected geothermal heat is collected in the main circuit via the sub-circuit.

Abstract: An ice bin and a method of crushing ice using the same, in which the ice bin includes a case having an upper portion configured to store ice produced by an ice maker, and a dispensing port at one side of a lower end or surface of the case configured to dispense the ice; a transferring unit that transfers the ice from a lower portion of the case to the upper portion of the case; and a crushing unit configured to crush the ice transferred by the transferring unit and discharge the ice to the dispensing port, wherein the crushing unit selectively discharges the ice as ice cubes or as crushed ice.

Abstract: An ice maker for refrigeration equipment includes an ice making unit in the refrigerating compartment of the refrigeration equipment, an ice bucket disposed in the ice making unit and configured to store the ice made with an ice making tray, a cooling duct configured to form a cold air channel through which cold air is provided to the ice making unit, a refrigerant pipe enclosing the cooling duct to form a refrigerant channel, and an ice making refrigerant pipe configured make water into the ice through heat-exchange, where the ice making refrigerant pipe branches from the refrigerant pipe, and an end portion of the ice making refrigerant pipe is in the ice making tray.

Abstract: An ice bin and a method of transferring ice using the same include a case having an upper portion configured to store ice produced by an ice maker, and a dispensing port at one side of a lower end of the case configured to dispense ice to the outside; a transferring unit that transfers ice from a lower portion of the case to the upper portion of the case; and a crushing unit configured to crush ice transferred by the transferring unit, and discharge the crushed ice to the dispensing port.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling element (1) for use in a cooling device (11), comprising a front face and a rear face and four side faces. The cooling element (1) is characterized in that the rear face of the cooling element (1) is substantially planar and the front face has reinforcing elements, wherein the reinforcing elements prevent deformation of the cooling element (1) during cooling and freezing. The invention also relates to a cooling device (11), in particular a freezer, comprising at least one cooling circuit, wherein the cooling circuit has a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser. The cooling device (11) also has a closable cooling space (15) that comprises a plurality of cooling space side walls, a cooling space base, a space for cooling goods (17), and at least one cooling element (1) according to the invention.

Abstract: A cup holder is provided, in which a control portion calculates a container-housing-portion temperature gradient ?T based on a temperature T detected by a thermistor disposed inside a convex portion located on a bottom portion of a container housing portion. The control portion automatically carries out heating or cooling relative to the container housing portion based on that the container-housing-portion temperature gradient ?T is a heating reference temperature gradient ? or above, or is a cooling reference temperature gradient ? or below. Thus, determinations of the heating or cooling is carried out based on only the container-housing-portion temperature gradient ?T, so that heating or cooling control can be accurately carried out only by one temperature sensor.

Abstract: An interior unit includes a discharge water passage communicating with a drainage port and having a first space portion in which water inside an air conditioning casing flows down from a guide opening portion, and an upward wall portion and a downward wall portion which constitute a partition wall separating between the discharge water passage and a second space portion adjacent to the discharge water passage and preventing the water falling in the discharge water passage from flowing into the second space portion. A prevention wall extending upward from a bottom wall portion in the second space portion is provided, and an upper end of the prevention wall is higher than a position of a fixation portion in which the first casing member and the second casing member are fixed with each other.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a compressor, a condenser such as an indoor heat exchanger, first expansion means, and an evaporator such as an outdoor heat exchanger that are connected by refrigerant pipes to form a refrigeration cycle. The evaporator is a heat exchanger including a plurality of plate-like heat transfer fins arranged in parallel and subjected to water slip or water repellent treatment, and a heat transfer tube provided in contact with the plurality of heat transfer fins such that refrigerant flows therein. The refrigeration cycle apparatus further includes a drain pan disposed below the evaporator, an evaporator fan for producing an air current flowing to the evaporator, such as an outdoor fan, and a heating unit disposed at a position below the heat transfer fins and on a leeward side of the heat transfer fins.

Abstract: An evaporator assembly for an ice-making apparatus having a vertical, substantially flat freeze surface, a refrigerant circuit, and a freeze template. The freeze template is thermally coupled between the freeze surface and the refrigerant circuit, and is formed of a plurality of regions arranged in a plane and interconnected by strips having a smaller dimension in the plane than the regions. Interface locations between the freeze template and the freeze surface define where on the freeze surface ice is to be formed. During a freeze cycle, expanded refrigerant is passed through the refrigerant circuit, and water is run over the freeze surface. During a harvest cycle, compressed refrigerant is passed through the refrigerant circuit, wherein heat transfers from the refrigerant circuit to the freeze surface until the freeze surface is warmed to a temperature sufficient to allow ice formed on the freeze surface to fall from the freeze surface by a force of gravity.