Abstract: An exemplary system and method for storing and retrieving energy in a thermoelectric energy storage system is disclosed. The thermoelectric energy storage system includes a working fluid that is circulated through a first and second heat exchanger, and a thermal storage medium that is circulated through the first heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is in connection with a first thermal bath during a charging cycle and with a second thermal bath during a discharging cycle. In this way roundtrip efficiency is improved through minimizing the temperature difference between the first thermal bath and the hot storage tank during charging, and maximizing the temperature difference between the second thermal bath and the hot storage tank during discharging.

Abstract: In a Clausius-Rankine cycle, in particular for mobile applications, comprising a pump for circulating a liquid working fluid in the Clausius-Rankine cycle and pressurizing the working fluid, a heating device for vaporizing the pressurized liquid working fluid and an expansion device for generating mechanical driving power by expanding the hot, compressed vaporized working fluid, a condenser device for condensing the hot, expanded vaporized working fluid is provided to form again liquid working fluid and the condenser device includes integrated therein a collection volume for collecting and storing liquid working fluid.

Abstract: A gas turbine including a combustion chamber and a first row of guide vanes, arranged essentially directly downstream thereof, of a turbine. The outer and/or inner limitation of the combustion chamber defined by at least one outer and/or inner heat shield, mounted on at least one combustion chamber structure arranged radially outside and/or inside. The hot gases flow path in the region of the guide vane row being restricted radially on the outside and/or inside by an outer and/or inner vane platform, mounted at least indirectly on at least one turbine carrier. A minimal gap size directly upstream of the first row of guide vanes is achieved by mounting at least indirectly on the turbine carrier at least one mini heat shield, arranged upstream of the first row of guide vanes and essentially adjacent the vane platform and in the flow direction between the heat shield and the vane platform.

Abstract: A combustor includes a combustion chamber and an interior wall circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the combustion chamber and defining an exterior surface. A plurality of turbulators are on the exterior surface. The combustor further includes means for preferentially directing fluid flow across a predetermined position of the turbulators. A method for cooling a combustion chamber includes locating a plurality of turbulators to an exterior surface of the combustion chamber and preferentially directing fluid flow across a predetermined position of the plurality of turbulators.

Abstract: A method for controlling a gas turbine engine includes: generating model parameter data as a function of prediction error data, which model parameter data includes at least one model parameter that accounts for off-nominal operation of the engine; at least partially compensating an on-board model for the prediction error data using the model parameter data; generating model term data using the on-board model, wherein the on-board model includes at least one model term that accounts for the off-nominal operation of the engine; respectively updating one or more model parameters and one or more model terms of a model-based control algorithm with the model parameter data and model term data; and generating one or more effector signals using the model-based control algorithm.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section with rotational compressor components rotatable with respect to static compressor components. A compressed air bleed arrangement is provided to cool one or more other rotational components of the gas turbine engine. The compressed air bleed arrangement takes a flow of compressed air from the compressor section along an off-take passage. The off-take passage opens in the compressor section at an off-take port. The off-take passage is rotatable, in use, with the rotational compressor components. The compressed air bleed arrangement is operable to provide the air in the off-take passage with higher static pressure than the air in the compressor section at the off-take port, by diffusing the air in the off-take passage. The off-take passage further includes off-take vanes, operable to increase the tangential velocity of the air in the off-take passage compared with the air at the off-take port.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a turbine section cooling system and a method of cooling a turbine section of a gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine comprises in flow series a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section, the engine further comprising a turbine section cooling system. The turbine section cooling system including a first compressed air bleed arrangement and a second compressed air bleed arrangement. The first compressed air bleed arrangement bleeds a first flow of compressed air from a high pressure stage of the compressor section. The first flow of compressed air bypasses the combustor and arrives at the turbine section to form a sealing and/or cooling flow at a row of stator vanes upstream of an adjacent rotor disc. The second compressed air bleed arrangement bleeds a second flow of compressed air from one or more lower pressure stages of the compressor section.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine oil system has an air-oil separator for removing air from an air/oil mixture. A breather tube is connected to an exhaust of the air-oil separator for receiving hot air removed from the air/oil mixture in the air-oil separator. The gas turbine engine oil separator exhaust is directed in a cooled oil collector to cause the oil mist remaining in the air at the exit from the engine air-oil separator to condensate. The oil condensate is returned back into the engine oil system.

Abstract: An inner bleed structure of the 2-shaft gas turbine includes a slit for leading part of compressed air to a cavity is formed between a wall surface of a rotor wheel of the compressor equipped with a last stage rotor of the compressor which is connected to a first rotating shaft and end of an inner casing, and a bleed hole for leading part of compressed air after flowing down the last stage of the compressor to a cavity formed in the inner side of the inner casing at the downstream side of the last stage of the compressor.

Abstract: A combustion gas measurement apparatus mounted in a gas turbine including: a tunable laser generating a radiation beam passing through a combustion gas path; a controller tuning the laser to emit radiation having at least a first selected wavelength and a second selected wavelength which both correspond to temperature-dependent transitions of a combustion species of the gas, wherein the first selected wavelength and the second selected wavelength are not near absorption peaks of neighboring wavelengths; a detector sensing the radiation beam passing through the combustion gas and generating an absorption signal indicative of an absorption of the beam by the combustion gas at each of the first wavelength and the second wavelength, and a processor executing a program stored on a non-transitory storage medium determining a combustion gas temperature based on a ratio of the adoption signals for the first wavelength and the second wavelength.

Abstract: A combustor includes an end cap having a perforated downstream plate and a combustion chamber downstream of the downstream plate. A plenum is in fluid communication with the downstream plate and supplies a cooling medium to the combustion chamber through the perforations in the downstream plate. A method for cooling a combustor includes flowing a cooling medium into a combustor end cap and impinging the cooling medium on a downstream plate in the combustor end cap. The method further includes flowing the cooling medium into a combustion chamber through perforations in the downstream plate.

Abstract: The invention is for an apparatus and method for a refrigerator and a heat pump based on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) offering a simpler, lighter, robust, more compact, environmentally compatible, and energy efficient alternative to traditional vapor-compression devices. The subject magnetocaloric apparatus alternately exposes a suitable magnetocaloric material to strong and weak magnetic field while switching heat to and from the material by a mechanical commutator using a thin layer of suitable thermal interface fluid to enhance heat transfer. The invention may be practiced with multiple magnetocaloric stages to attain large differences in temperature. Key applications include thermal management of electronics, as well as industrial and home refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning. The invention offers a simpler, lighter, compact, and robust apparatus compared to magnetocaloric devices of prior art.

Abstract: The invention is for an apparatus and method for a refrigerator and a heat pump based on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) offering a simpler, lighter, robust, more compact, environmentally compatible, and energy efficient alternative to traditional vapor-compression devices. The subject magnetocaloric apparatus alternately exposes a suitable magnetocaloric material to strong and weak magnetic field while switching heat to and from the material by a mechanical commutator using a thin layer of suitable thermal interface fluid to enhance heat transfer. The invention may be practiced with multiple magnetocaloric stages to attain large differences in temperature. Key applications include thermal management of electronics, as well as industrial and home refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning. The invention offers a simpler, lighter, compact, and robust apparatus compared to magnetocaloric devices of prior art.

Abstract: A tube picking mechanism is designed for use in an automated, ultra-low temperature (e.g. ?80° C. or ?135° C.) or cryogenic (e.g., about ?140° C. to ?196° C.) storage and retrieval system that stores biological or chemical samples. The samples are contained in storage tubes held in SBS footprint storage racks that are normally stored within an ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezer compartment. The tube picking mechanism includes a tube picking chamber that is maintained at about ?80° C., about ?135° C. or at cryogenic temperatures in cryogenic applications. Active electrical and mechanical components are maintained in a compartment above and separate from the refrigerated, ultra-low temperature or cryogenic compartment.

Abstract: A double-walled liquefied gas tank characterized in that one or more insulation spaces about the vat containing the liquid are filled with a mixture, consisting mainly of argon trapped by gravity, between the outer walls of the vat and: a) for the insulating space (2) located below the bottom wall of the vat, the base plate (3) supporting the vat; b) for the insulating spaces (5) and (6), the circular chamber (16); c) for the insulation spaces (7) and (25), the circular chamber (16) and the roof (17); d) for the insulation space (14), the suspended and sealed ceiling (12), respectively.

Abstract: A fuel gas supply system of a vessel, such as an LNG carrier, is provided for supplying fuel gas to a high-pressure gas injection engine of an LNG carrier, wherein LNG is extracted from an LNG storage tank of the LNG carrier, compressed at a high pressure, gasified, and then supplied to the high-pressure gas injection engine. In one embodiment, the system includes a boil-off gas reliquefaction apparatus for reliquefying boil-off gas generated in the LNG tank.

Abstract: A method for supplying a refined liquefied gas, in which prior to the supply of a liquefied gas stored in a container, the liquefied gas is refined by (1) determining the concentrations of impurities in the gas phase, then estimating the concentration of each impurity in the liquid phase from the ratio between the liquid-phase concentration and the gas-phase concentration of the impurity (gas-liquid equilibrium constant (Kn)), and assuming the amount of the gas to be discharged from the gas phase part within the refinement tank to refine the liquefied gas, (2) discharging the gas from the gas phase part to refine the liquefied gas constituting the liquid phase, (3) sampling the gas phase and ascertaining the quality of the refined liquefied gas, and (4) supplying the refined liquefied gas to a receiver from the refinement tank.

Abstract: A cryopump includes: a cryopump housing arranged to define an inner space of the cryopump from an outer environment; an exhaust duct arranged to connect with the cryopump housing so as to exhaust fluid from the inner space of the cryopump to the outer environment; and a filter structure. The filter structure includes: a filter arranged to remove a foreign body from fluid exhausted through the exhaust duct; and a filter mounting member arranged to mount the filter to the exhaust duct, wherein at least a part of a bypass flow passage that diverts fluid from the filter is formed in the filter mounting member.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a displacer coupling structure, wherein one of two coupled displacers protrudes into the other of the two coupled displacers to the extent that an end of a regenerator built in the one of the two coupled displacers positions itself inside of the other of the two coupled displacers. A cryopump includes: a low temperature cryopanel; a high temperature cryopanel arranged to be cooled to a temperature higher than that of the low temperature cryopanel; and the refrigerator.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system for storing chemical and biological samples includes freezer chests maintained at an ultra-low temperature (e.g. ?80° C.) or a cryogenic temperature. The freezer chests are located within a refrigerated (e.g. ?20° C.) enclosure. Samples are loaded through a wall of the enclosure and are then transferred to an input/output buffer section in an ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezer chest that is thermally segregated from a long-term storage section in the same freezer. Specialized input/output cassettes are used for transferring the samples through an input/output module into the system.

Abstract: A method for increasing efficiency of a transcritical heat pump water heater system is provided, as well as the corresponding system. The refrigerant, such as CO2, is compressed to a supercritical point and passed through a gas cooler that is wrapped at least partially around a water storage tank, wherein the refrigerant transfers heat to water stored in the tank. The hot water is discharged from the storage tank proximate to a top of the tank, and cold water is introduced into the tank proximate to a bottom of the tank. The supercritical refrigerant is directed to flow through the gas cooler from a top point to a lowermost point in a flow direction such that the refrigerant exits the gas cooler proximate to the bottom of the tank at a location of the coldest water within the storage tank.

Abstract: An air conditioning method is provided. The method comprises when a refrigerant circuit is in operation and a temperature of an evaporator of the refrigerant circuit is lower than a temperature of a heat exchanger of a heating circuit, transferring heat from the heat exchanger to air passing through the heat exchanger, and when the refrigerant circuit is not in operation and the temperature of the evaporator is higher than the temperature of the heat exchanger, transferring heat from the air passing through the heat exchanger to the heat exchanger. In this way, the heat exchanger functions to augment the cooling capabilities of the evaporator.

Abstract: A space conditioning system comprising an evaporator subunit (ES) and control subunit (CS). The ES includes at least three evaporator stages in a pathway of air flow through the ES. First and second stages are adjacent and have major surfaces substantially parallel to each other. A third stage is located in the pathway before the first stage. A major surface of the third stage covers the major surface of the first stage in a same pathway direction. The major surfaces are substantially perpendicular to the pathway. The CS is configured to operate the evaporator subunit in at least one of two partial load cooling modes. In a first mode, the CS causes refrigerant to circulate through the first and second but not through the third stage. In a second mode, the control subunit causes the refrigerant to circulate through the first and third stage but not through the second stage.

Abstract: An aircraft air conditioning system has a fresh air line connected to a fresh air inlet for supplying fresh air to the air conditioning system and a sorption device disposed in the fresh air line which contains a sorbent for taking up moisture from the fresh air flowing through the fresh air line. The sorption device is adapted to expose the sorbent contained in the sorption device to ambient pressure surrounding an aircraft carrying the aircraft air conditioning system when the aircraft is flying for the purpose of regeneration of the sorbent. The sorption device is thermally connectable to a heat source that is adapted, when the aircraft is flying and while the sorbent contained in the sorption device is exposed to the ambient pressure, to supply thermal energy from the heat source to the sorbent contained in the sorption device for the purpose of assisting the regeneration.

Abstract: Apparatus and methodologies are provided to monitor temperature from at least two locations on an evaporator in a refrigeration system. Operational characteristics of one or more of the compressor, condenser and evaporator cooling fans are adjusted based on the difference in temperature between the two locations on the evaporator. In some systems a second evaporator may be provided along with a refrigerant control valve. Cooling air flow across the second evaporator and refrigerant distribution between the plural evaporators may also be control.

Abstract: Apparatus and methodologies are provided to improve the refrigeration system by precisely controlling refrigerator compartment and heat exchanger temperatures through continuous modulation of device speeds or positions to match capacity with instantaneous load. A controller in a refrigerator is configured to provide a plurality of control loops to control various operational aspects of selected components in the refrigerator. A first loop controls the operating speed of a compressor based on temperature of the evaporator or based on the desired speed of an evaporator fan. A second control loop controls speed of an evaporator fan to maintain a prescribed freezer compartment temperature. A third control loop maintains a prescribed temperature in a fresh food compartment. In certain embodiments selected of the control loops may be thermodynamically coupled by way of thermal interaction between the various cooled compartments rather than being electrically coupled.

Abstract: A motor driving device for a refrigerator is disclosed. The refrigerator includes a condenser to condense refrigerant, a fan module mounted to one surface of the condenser so as to blow air; a first circuit unit including a microprocessor to output a speed command signal and a filter unit connected to an output terminal of the microprocessor so as to filter the output speed command signal; and a second circuit unit including an inverter controller to output an inverter switching control signal on the basis of the filtered speed command signal and an inverter to convert an input DC power into a predetermined-frequency AC power by performing a switching operation in response to the inverter switching control signal and to output the AC power to a fan motor contained in the fan module. Thus, when the motor is driven, noise is greatly reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gas treatment device that can efficiently regulate the temperature of a gas without being affected by load.

Abstract: A management center is configured to communicate with a controller for an energy consuming system at a remote location, to receive ambient temperature data corresponding to an ambient temperature at the remote location, to calculate a projected energy consumption value for at least one component of the energy consuming system based on the ambient temperature data, to receive an actual energy consumption value for the at least one component from the controller, to compare the actual energy consumption value with the projected energy consumption value, and to generate an output based on the comparison.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner for inhibiting noise increase and heating performance degradation due to frost attachment onto an outdoor heat exchanger. In an air conditioner (1), a determining part (43) of a control unit (4) determines that the amount of frost attaching onto an outdoor heat exchanger (13) is increased when a difference between an outdoor temperature To and an outdoor heat exchanger temperature Te is increased, and executes a frost attaching condition operation control for reducing the rotation speed of an outdoor fan (23). The operating frequency of the compressor (11) is herein increased in accordance with the reduction amount of the temperature of an indoor heat exchanger (15). The control unit (4) includes change amounts preliminarily set for changing the operating frequency of the compressor (11) in stages. The change amounts correspond to the stages on a one-to-one basis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system to extract water moisture from the atmosphere, highly purify and condition the extracted water, and provide beverages for human consumption. In one embodiment, the device collects water-vapor condensation from filtered intake air, and then subjects the condensate to a series of purification filters and to a sterilization process in order to produce drinking water. The system may then use the water produced to provide carbonated drinks, flavored drinks, coffee drinks, or ice. The system may also play music and charge a portable electronic device. The disclosed system may incorporate the variations in different combinations.

Abstract: A heating dedicated air conditioner includes a compression mechanism, an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism provided between one end of the indoor heat exchanger and one end of the outdoor heat exchanger, a four-way switching valve switchable between first and second states of connection between the compressor and the heat exchangers, a fan ventilating the indoor heat exchanger, and a control unit controlling at least the compressor, the expansion mechanism, the four-way switching valve, and the fan. The control unit switches the four-way switching valve to the second state in a test operation mode, which includes a drain water inhibited interval during which drain water inhibition control is performed. The control unit operates the compressor and stops the fan when the drain water inhibition control is performed.

Abstract: A depressurization system includes a plurality of depressurization devices, each of which includes a cooling; and a compression device. The compression device includes a compression unit, which is provided with an AC electric motor, and supplies a compressed coolant to each cooling unit at a flow rate corresponding to a rotation speed of the AC electric motor. Each cooling unit supplements gas when adiabatically expanding the compressed coolant. The depressurization system also includes a temperature detection unit, which detects the temperature of each cooling unit, an inverter device, which is capable of changing a frequency of AC power supplies to the AC electric motor, and a frequency controller, which controls an output frequency of the inverter device.

Abstract: A heat pump water heater that includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The condenser is in a heat exchange relationship with a water storage tank and includes a heat exchange coil with a first section and a second section. The first section has a first flow area. The second section has a second flow area that is less than the first flow area and the second section is downstream from the first section. The compressor, the condenser, the expansion device, and the evaporator are connected in series.

Abstract: A heat pump water heater system includes a water storage tank and a sealed heat pump cycle with a compressor, a condenser or gas cooler, an evaporator, and a refrigerant. The condenser/gas cooler is disposed in a heat exchange relationship with at least a portion of the water storage tank for heating water within the tank. The tank includes an outlet through which hot water is discharged, and a cold water inlet that is disposed so as to introduce cold water into the tank at a location of a bottommost portion of the condenser/gas cooler. The cold water introduced into the tank is not pre-heated by hot water in the tank so as to establish a thermodynamically efficient temperature differential between the cold water and hot water in the tank.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tempering material is provided. One or more liquids are atomized by at least one sprayer into droplets which are guided towards a surface of a hot material so that at least some of the droplets collide with the surface of the hot material and evaporate, thus removing thermal energy from the surface layer of the hot material. Impact members may be used to further reduce the size of the droplets. The droplets may be guided to the surface by a separate guiding gas flow.

Abstract: Chemical heat pump comprising an active surface. A chemical heat pump working according to the hybrid principle with an active substance and a volatile liquid whereby the active substance is in a reactor part 1 and the volatile liquid is in a condenser/evaporator part 3, while the volatile liquid is moving between these parts 1, 3 to be absorbed and desorbed by the active substance and be condensed and evaporated in the condenser/ evaporator part. The reactor part may comprise a layer 12 for the active substance so that this at least in its liquid phase is retained in the layer and the condenser/evaporator part may comprise a layer 13 for the volatile liquid so that this in its liquid phase is retained in the layer. Advantages of a falling film process are combined with the advantages of a matrix material in a chemical heat pump.

Abstract: To provide a heat pump apparatus, such as a heat pump water heating apparatus, capable of efficiently supplying high-temperature water by increasing a condensation capacity to a maximum if the outside air temperature is low. The heat pump water heating apparatus is configured to include a first refrigeration cycle and a second refrigeration cycle. The first refrigeration cycle is configured to connect in series a main compressor, a first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, an internal heat exchanger, a first pressure reducing device, and an air heat exchanger. The second refrigeration cycle diverges from the first refrigeration cycle between the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger and the first pressure reducing device, and joins the first refrigeration cycle between the main compressor and the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger.

Abstract: A cassette puller for an automated storage and retrieval system that stores biological or chemical samples in freezers maintained at ultra-low temperature (e.g., ?80° C.) or cryogenic temperatures includes a vertical sleeve into which the selected cassette is lifted. The cassette puller is mounted to a traveling gantry and transports cassettes from one freezer location to another and to the system input/output module, and also includes an ejection mechanism that inserts and retrieves tube storage racks or plates from a selected shelf on the cassette. Other components such as a rack robot, a tube picking mechanism, a sample identification station, etc. are mounted on the traveling gantry as well.

Abstract: A refrigerator in which a water tank and a filter, which have conventionally been located in a storage compartment, are installed to a rear surface of a door and are arranged in parallel to a dispenser, which expands a storage space of the storage compartment and shortens a water supply path between the water tank and the dispenser.

Abstract: A storage cassette including a plurality of generally vertical compartments for storing sample tube racks and/or SBS formatted plates is constructed to be flexible along its substantially vertical axis thereby facilitating reliable robotic placement and retrieval of the cassette from nesting tubes located within a horizontal freezer compartment. Insulated walls and solid shelves minimize heat transfer from storage racks or plates placed in the storage cassette when the cassette is removed from an ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezer. The outer walls of the cassette includes mechanical indexing locations to ensure appropriate positioning when robotically removing storage racks or plates from the cassette.

Abstract: A valve comprising an inlet opening adapted to receive fluid medium and at least two outlet openings, each being fluidly connected to a flow path being arranged fluidly in parallel, is disclosed. The valve comprises a first valve part (1) and a second valve part (3). The first valve part (1) has at least two flow passages (2) formed therein, each flow passage (2) being fluidly connected to one of the outlet openings. The second valve part (3) has at least one primary flow passage (4) and at least one secondary flow passage (5, 6, 7) formed therein, the primary flow passage(s) (4) and the secondary flow passage(s) (5, 6, 7) being fluidly connected to the inlet opening.

Abstract: A vacuum insulator for portions of the refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator appliance is provided. The vacuum insulator can be applied to the suction line leading to the refrigerant compressor, the capillary tube leading to the evaporator inlet, and/or the capillary tube—suction line heat exchanger. An outer insulating layer is used to create a vacuum that serves to insulate the intended portion of the refrigeration cycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a refrigerator. The present invention improves a structure of a door and a storage basket, thereby making it possible to facilitate the storage and a drawing out of articles.

Abstract: A dual system refrigerator condenser assembly includes a first condenser tube member having a width and opposite connection ends, and a second condenser tube member having a width and opposite connection ends. The condenser tube members are disposed width-wise adjacent to each other and in a common plane. A plurality of wires are connected to and span the respective widths of the first and second condenser tube members. The first condenser tube member is connectable to a first sealed system and the second condenser tube member is connectable to a second sealed system within a refrigerator.

Abstract: A receiver dryer for a motor vehicle air conditioning system includes an elongate housing, the housing having opposite ends and an external wall that extends between the ends, an inlet positioned in a first section of the housing for receiving condensed refrigerant from the condenser unit, an outlet positioned in a second section of the housing for providing dried condensed refrigerant to the condenser unit with a partition dividing the first section from the second section such that the second section is above the first section, a first chamber in the first section containing a desiccant for drying the refrigerant received from the inlet, a second chamber in the second section containing a filter for filtering the dried condensed refrigerant provided to the outlet, and a conduit.

Abstract: A motor for a compressor comprises: a stator including a plurality of slots each having a slot opening, teeth formed between neighboring slots; and a rotor arranged at an inner side of the stator, a number of permanent magnet holes, the number of which is same as a number of magnetic poles, and permanent magnets. The rotor includes at least a first pair of slits, provided at an outer peripheral core part of the permanent magnet inserting hole, extending orthogonally to the inserting hole, arranged symmetrically with respect to a magnetic pole center, and a distance between the first pair of slits is smaller than a width of the teeth; and a second pair of slits, arranged at an outer inter-pole side of the first pair of slits, provided at a position where the tooth and the magnetic pole center of the rotor match, and facing the slot openings.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus which is capable of performing matching of the volumetric flow rate without performing pre-expansion it obtained. A refrigeration circuit includes a compression unit including a main compressor and a second compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator interconnected with pipes, and a sub-compression mechanism driven by power recovered by the expansion mechanism, a suction side of the sub-compression mechanism is connected to a compression process of the compression unit, a discharge side of the sub-compression mechanism is connected to an inlet side of the gas cooler, and flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the sub-compression mechanism is controlled.

Abstract: An improved heat exchanger for an appliance is provided. More particularly, the present invention provides a new condenser for a refrigerator that is formed from a conduit wound into the shape of a conical helix. Extensions from the surface of the conduit provide additional area for heat exchange. A fan can be aligned with the conical helix to further improve heat transfer.

Abstract: Heat exchanger systems described and illustrated here in include multiple stacked plates each defining an aperture, first and second flow ducts formed by the stacked plates, multiple inflow and outflow ducts formed by the apertures in the stacked plates, a first heat exchanger section defining a condenser including first and second flow ducts, a second heat exchanger section defining an evaporator, first, second and third fluids, and an expansion element for the first fluid connected to the heat exchanger. In some embodiments, the first fluid is in heat-exchanging contact with the second fluid in one of the first and second heat exchanger sections, the first fluid is in heat-exchanging contact with the third fluid in the other of the first and second heat exchanger sections, and/or the first fluid flows through the first flow duct in the first heat exchanger section.