Abstract: A vacuum heat insulator comprises compressed glass fibers, a planar thin metal plate and a drawn metal plate. A receptacle is air-tightly formed of the planar thin plate and the drawn metal plate. The glass fibers are encased in the receptacle under a vacuum condition. A small amount of the glass fibers is penetrated thereinto in a direction perpendicular to the heat transfer direction of the insulator by inserting needles having hook portions into the glass fibers whereby the compressed glass fibers are kept under a vacuum condition at a high density without any remarkable deformation.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for cooling is immersed in a vessel for storing heat filled with a heat-storing material of latent heat type. The heat exchanger for cooling is positioned at an upper level in the vessel when a heat-storing material having a higher specific gravity in a crystal state than in a liquid state, such as calcium chloride hexahydrate, is used, whereas at a lower level in the vessel when a heat-storing material having a lower specific gravity in a cystal state than in a liquid state such as water, is used.Crystals of a heat-storing material formed and deposited on the outer periphery of the heat exchanger for cooling when the apparatus for storing heat is in operation are accumulated in the vessel for storing heat as blocks.

Abstract: A refrigerator comprises a refrigerating cycle in which a refrigerant is charged and which includes a cooler for a freezing compartment, a closed loop which is branched from the refrigerating cycle and includes a cooler for a refrigerating compartment, and a heating device provided in the closed loop which supplies the refrigerant to the closed loop by means of vapor bubble pumping action, to thereby control the refrigerant flow in the closed loop.