An apparatus for separating and storing liquid refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit including a housing configured as a refrigerant collection container, the housing having a refrigerant outflow line disposed therein. The refrigerant outflow line extending from an inlet opening, which is disposed in a gas refrigerant region and above a level of the liquid refrigerant, via a liquid refrigerant region to the outside, and has a through-opening formed in the liquid refrigerant region. The housing includes a boiling element for liquid refrigerant disposed therein. The boiling element is connected to the refrigerant outflow line in the region of the through-opening, such that a liquid passing through the through-opening from the housing passes through the boiling element by suction of a gas refrigerant.

This invention relates generally to oil lubricated helium compressor units for use in cryogenic refrigeration systems, operating on the Gifford McMahon (GM) cycle. This invention provides redundancy between water cooling and air cooling if there is a blockage in the water or air supply by having air and water cooled after-coolers in series or parallel.

A container treatment installation having a refrigeration installation, and a method for starting the operation of a refrigeration installation of a container treatment installation, are provided. The refrigeration installation comprises a refrigerant vessel for receiving a refrigerant which can be used for cooling a component of the container treatment installation, and a control device for controlling an amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerant vessel such that, after operation of the refrigeration installation, only a predetermined residual amount of refrigerant remains in the refrigerant vessel for the transport of the refrigerant installation, and after the transport of the refrigeration installation, the predetermined residual amount is filled up with a predetermined replenishment amount of refrigerant.

A method of initiating a defrost cycle using a controller of a heat pump system includes measuring a temperature of an evaporator coil and determining whether the temperature of the evaporator coil is less than a freezing temperature. Responsive to a determination that the temperature of the evaporator coil is less than the freezing temperature, determining whether a current dew point temperature of air is greater than the temperature of the evaporator coil. Responsive to a determination that the current dew point temperature of air is greater than the temperature of the evaporator coil, calculating a frost-collection rate. Determining whether the frost-collection rate is greater than a frost-collection-rate threshold, and, responsive to a determination that the frost-collection rate is greater than the frost-collection-rate threshold, initiating a defrost cycle.

A system includes first and second compressors arranged in parallel, a condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and flow control device fluidly connected. The first compressor includes a first lubricant sump and the second compressor including a second lubricant sump. A lubricant transfer conduit fluidly connects the first lubricant sump and the second lubricant sump. The flow control device is disposed between the evaporator and the first and second compressors, and includes a fluid inlet and two fluid outlets. A first of the two fluid outlets is fluidly connected to the first compressor, a second of the two fluid outlets is fluidly connected to the second compressor. The second fluid outlet includes a nozzle disposed within a flow passage of the flow control device such that a space is maintained between an outer surface of the nozzle and an inner surface of the flow passage.

A novel process for activating available compressors in multiple compressor air conditioning systems, using an Optimum Stage-Up Process. This process is programmed into a controller as an algorithm, to provide a process for fast compressor start. This process shortens the time to initiate operation of compressors in a multi-compressor air conditioning system required to meet the demand call under any load condition, and hence shortens the time required for the actual sensed interior region air temperature to reach the interior region temperature set point. The Optimum Stage-up Algorithm estimates the number of compressor stages or steps that must be initiated, based on sensed or measured values, to meet the demand at any load condition. These measured values include the sensed temperature of the interior region being cooled, which is compared to the temperature set point of this interior region as well as measured mixed air temperature and supply air temperature.

An ice making machine having a refrigeration system designed for hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants, and particularly propane (R-290), that includes dual independent refrigeration systems and a unique evaporator assembly comprising of a single freeze plate attached to two cooling circuits. The serpentines are designed in an advantageous pattern that promotes efficiency by ensuring the even bridging of ice during freezing and minimizing unwanted melting during harvest by providing an even distribution of the heat load. The charge limitations imposed with flammable refrigerants would otherwise prevent large capacity ice maker from being properly charged with a single circuit. The ice making machine includes a single water circuit and control system to ensure the proper and efficient production of ice. Material cost is conserved as compared to a traditional dual system icemaker.

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.

An ice machine may include a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device, an evaporator, an ice tray, and a water pump. The first heat exchanger may receive compressed working fluid from the compressor. The expansion device may receive working fluid from the first heat exchanger. The evaporator may receive working fluid from the expansion device. The ice tray may be in a heat transfer relationship with the evaporator. The ice tray may include a plurality of ice molds. The water pump may be in fluid communication with the ice molds and may be configured to pump water from a water source to the ice molds.

A refrigerator has a storage compartment, a door for opening and closing the storage compartment, an ice-making machine and an ice storage compartment. The ice-making machine is used to produce an ice cube. The ice storage compartment is disposed below the ice-making machine, so as to accommodate an ice cube. The ice storage compartment has a discharge port. A movable blocking member and an ice-crushing cutter are located in the ice storage compartment. A distributor is located on the door and used to distribute the ice cube from the ice storage compartment to the outside. The ice storage compartment further includes an opening and closing mechanism for opening or closing the discharge port. Because the discharge port of the ice storage compartment can be closed, the ice-crushing cutter disposed above the discharge port will not be unconsciously touched, and a user is avoided from being hurt by the ice-crushing cutter.

Disclosed are a refrigerator and a control method thereof. The refrigerator according to one aspect includes a main body having a storage chamber; a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant compressed by the compressor; an evaporation expander configured to depressurize the refrigerant condensed by the condenser; a first evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant depressurized by the evaporation expander and thus to cool the storage chamber; a condensing expander installed between the condenser and the evaporation expander and configured to depressurize the refrigerant condensed by the condenser; and a subsidiary condenser installed between the condensing expander and the evaporation expander and configured to condense the refrigerant depressurized by the condensing expander.

A refrigerator includes a storage chamber, an evaporator configured to cool the storage chamber, and an air passage through which cold air generated by the evaporator flows. The air passage includes a blower fan configured to blow the cold air to the storage chamber, and a trap part in which warm air generated by a defrosting operation stays, such that warm air generated by the defrosting operation is prevented from being introduced into the inner space of the refrigerator through the air passage. The refrigerator reduces the defrosting operation time, efficiently prevents increase of the inner temperature of the refrigerator due to warm air during the defrosting operation, reduces a temperature difference in inner temperature of the refrigerator, and prevents food stored in the refrigerator from being rotten due to a temperature change.

Apparatus for and method of rapidly chilling a beverage in which a vessel having high thermal mass relative to the amount of beverage to be introduced into the vessel is cooled through contact with a cooling module to a temperature low enough that a volume of beverage introduced into the vessel is rapidly cooled.

Systems and methods for recovering light hydrocarbons from refinery waste gas using a back-end turboexpander to generate a higher recovery of the light hydrocarbons for use as petrochemical feedstock and to remove the liquid light hydrocarbons before entering the turboexpander.

A process is described herein for removing high freeze point hydrocarbons, including benzene compounds, from a mixed feed gas stream. The process involves cooling process streams in one or more heat exchangers and separating condensed compounds in multiple separators to form a methane-rich product gas stream. Select solvent streams from a fractionation train and/or separate solvent streams are employed to lower the freeze point of one or more streams that contain high freeze point hydrocarbons. A corresponding system also is disclosed.

A device and method for heat distribution in a hybrid motor vehicle are provided. The device includes an engine cooling circuit; and a refrigerant circuit for a combined operation in a refrigeration heat pump mode and a reheating mode, includes an evaporator, a compressor, a heat exchanger to supply heat from the refrigerant to air being conditioned for a passenger compartment; and a heat exchanger to transfer heat between a refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit and coolant of the engine cooling circuit, wherein the heat exchanger operates as an evaporator for the heat transfer, and as a condenser for the heat transfer from the condensing refrigerant to the coolant.

There is disclosed a refrigeration device which is capable of inexpensively improving durability of an electronic expansion valve (an outdoor expansion valve) for use in a refrigerant circuit. A vehicle air conditioner 1 has a refrigerant circuit R including an outdoor expansion valve 6. The vehicle air conditioner includes a controller which controls energization to a coil of the outdoor expansion valve 6, and this controller executes operation limit control to limit an operation of the outdoor expansion valve 6 so that a temperature of the coil of the outdoor expansion valve 6 is not in excess of a predetermined value. The controller lengthens a control period of the outdoor expansion valve 6 and suppresses an operation amount of the outdoor expansion valve 6 within a predetermined limit value to limit a duty factor, in the operation limit control.

A multi-axis passenger-carrying aircraft comprises: an electrical system; a heat exchange system; a cabin; and an accommodating compartment arranged inside the cabin; wherein the electrical system is arranged inside the accommodating compartment, and wherein the heat exchange system comprises at least an air inlet communicated with the exterior of the cabin, an air outlet communicated with the accommodating compartment, and a cooler with an air inlet end communicated with the air inlet and an air outlet end communicated with the air outlet. In operation, air outside the aircraft may enter the heat exchange system via the air inlet and the cooler via the air inlet end to be cooled by the cooler. The cooled air may be discharged via the air outlet end and then enter the accommodating compartment via the air outlet, providing cool air to the accommodating compartment and dissipating heat from the electrical system.

Multi-axis passenger-carrying aircraft is provided, including: a heat exchange system; a cabin; and a passenger accommodating compartment arranged inside the cabin; wherein the electrical system is arranged inside the passenger accommodating compartment, and wherein the heat exchange system at least includes an air inlet in communication with the exterior of the cabin, an air outlet in communication with the passenger accommodating compartment, and a cooling and heating device with an air inlet end communicated with the air inlet and an air outlet end communicated with the air outlet. In operation, air outside the aircraft may enter the heat exchange system via the air inlet and the cooling and heating device via the air inlet end to be cooled or heated by the cooling and heating device. The air after heat exchange may be discharged via the air outlet end and enter the passenger accommodating compartment via the air outlet.

A beverage cooling system includes a main assembly having a refrigeration module, a pumping and control module, and a beverage cooling module. The refrigeration module has a refrigeration system cooling a cooling medium. The beverage cooling module has a cooling tank cooled by the refrigeration system. The pumping and control module has a pump to pump a beverage ingredient cooled by the refrigeration system. Each of the refrigeration module, the pumping and control module, and beverage cooling module are independently removable from and connectable to the remainder of the main assembly.

A charge air cooler for an internal combustion engine, includes a charge air inlet and a charge air outlet which are fluidly connected with each other via multiple charge air channels which are arranged parallel to each other and arranged parallel to each other and subjectable to a coolant flow; and at least one flow guide element arranged upstream of the charge air channels, wherein the flow guide element at least in one operating state of the internal combustion engine deflects charge air entering through the charge air inlet the direction of a condensate accumulation volume of the charge air cooler.

An assembly comprising a duct (1) for passing a flow of cryogenic fluid, and a valve (2); the assembly being characterized in that the duct (1) includes an interface for inserting the valve, the interface forming an internal abutment (51) and an external abutment (52);the valve (2) being configured in such a manner as to be inserted into said insertion interface by sliding, the valve (2) comprising a valve body (3) presenting a first end (31) and a second end (32), the valve body (3) being adapted to be bolted in said insertion interface in such a manner that the first end (31) and the second end (32) come into abutment respectively against the internal abutment (51) and against the external abutment (52), the assembly including an internal sealing element (61) arranged between the internal abutment (51) and the first end (31), and an external sealing element (62) arranged between the external abutment (52) and the second end (32).

A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space, including a conditioner configured to expose the air stream to a liquid desiccant such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream in the warm weather operation mode and humidifies the air stream in the cold weather operation mode. The conditioner includes multiple plate structures arranged in a vertical orientation and spaced apart to permit the air stream to flow between the plate structures. Each plate structure includes a passage through which a heat transfer fluid can flow. Each plate structure also has at least one surface across which the liquid desiccant can flow. The system includes a regenerator connected to the conditioner for causing the liquid desiccant to desorb water in the warm weather operation mode and to absorb water in the cold weather operation mode from a return air stream.

A rotary valve mechanism includes a stator valve member furnished with one of either a dome-shaped high-pressure recess area made of a polymer or a high-pressure flow path made of metal, and a rotor valve member furnished with the other of either the dome-shaped high-pressure recess area made of a polymer or the high-pressure flow path made of metal, and seals a high-pressure region being the high-pressure flow path communicated with the dome-shaped high-pressure recess area and is disposed adjoining the stator valve member such as to isolate the high-pressure region from its low-pressure surrounding environs.

Provided is an hybrid solar heat absorption cooling system comprising: an absorption refrigerator; a solar heat steam generator configured to generate steam using solar heat; a daytime steam supplying unit configured to supply steam generated by the solar heat steam generator during the day as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a daytime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the day; a nighttime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the daytime hot water storage tank during the night as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a nighttime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the night; and a daytime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the nighttime hot water storage tank during the day to the solar heat steam generator.

An oil separator includes a container having an inner circumferential surface of a cylindrical shape; an inlet pipe that penetrates through from an outside of the container to an inside of the container, comprises an inlet port through which the oil-containing refrigerant is introduced to the container; and a refrigerant discharge pipe that is provided coaxially with a central axis of the container in a top of the container, projects from the top of the container toward a bottom of the container, and comprises a discharge port which is disposed below the inlet port and allows oil removed refrigerant to be discharged. The oil-containing refrigerant flowing out of the inlet port of the inlet pipe is not branched by the refrigerant discharge pipe, and forms a single flow flowing in one direction along an outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant discharge pipe and the inner circumferential surface of the container.

The present invention provides for a system for calibrating operation of a compressor unit in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A measuring device measures an operating parameter of the HVAC system at a position where the measuring device is mounted on a refrigerant line of the HVAC system. The measuring device switches states when the value of the measured operating parameter reaches a switching value. A controller estimates a value of the first operating parameter at the position where the first measuring device is mounted on the refrigerant line, and the controller determines whether the estimated first operating parameter is within a threshold percentage of the switching value.

The present invention relates to a method, device and computer program for terminating a defrosting cycle within a refrigerated transport container. The container may include: a transport volume, a cooling unit comprising an evaporator arranged in a cooling space, a return air grid arranged to separate said cooling space from said transport volume, means for sensing temperature indicative of the return air temperature of air returning to said cooling space from said transport volume or the temperature of the return air grid, means for actively heating said evaporator during defrosting cycles, and a processor configured for controlling the duration of said defrosting cycles. The method includes: establishing an indicator(s) indicative of frost and/or ice build-up on said return air grid, and terminating a defrosting cycle when an indicator(s) of frost and/or ice build-up on said return air grid indicates that said return air grid is free of frost and/or ice.

A refrigerator is provided. More particularly, a refrigerator having a rotating guard unit is disclosed. A part of disclosed embodiments provides a refrigerator, in which a door guard of a rotation guard unit rotates in one direction among the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction when the rotation guard unit is moved forward.

A container for food or beverage which has a heat exchange unit secured internally thereof to be in contact with the food or beverage, the heat exchange unit is filled with liquid carbon dioxide and has a valve which when activated allows the liquid carbon dioxide to pass from the liquid state directly to the gaseous state through a restricted orifice which functions to maintain residual carbon dioxide in the heat exchange unit in the liquid state until all of the liquid carbon dioxide is exhausted from the heat exchange unit.

A system for adaptive cooling and energy harvesting comprising at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator, a hierarchical multiple-level control system, and electronics controlled by the control system and connected to the thermoelectric device. The electronics selectively configure the thermoelectric device in at least in a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and in a thermoelectric generation operating mode. The thermoelectric device can incorporate quantum-process and quantum-well materials for higher heat transfer and thermoelectric generation efficiencies. The invention provides for thermoelectric devices to additionally operate in temperature sensing mode. The hierarchical control system can comprise a plurality of control system, each of which can operate in isolation and can be interconnected with additional subsystems associated with other hierarchical levels. The hierarchical control system can comprise linear (additive) control, bilinear (additive and multiplicative) control, nonlinear control, and hysteresis.

As shocking fact is laid upon shocking fact, it becomes hard to judge SS Mendi- Dancing The Drill Of Death at NST City as a piece of theatre, such is one’s outrage at how the British behaved towards black people from the Empire a hundred years ago. But Isango Ensemble have created a powerful musical to tell the human story behind the appalling facts.

Copenhagen at the Minerva Theatre is an exhilarating look back at a mysterious meeting during WW2 that may have altered the outcome of the war.

Women In Power at the Nuffield Southampton Theatres’ city venue is a new version of Aristophanes' Assemblywomen. It sticks pretty closely to the original story in which women take over the government from the weak and incompetent men.

Schiller’s 1787 play about about love, freedom and a revolt against totalitarianism is given a powerful, engrossing production by Tom Burke of Strike fame

Theatre Royal Winchester’s Beauty And The Beast manages to tell the romantic tale while still being a traditional panto.

Brian Batchelor, once described by the Daily Echo as ‘the most versatile singer in the South’, has died at the age of 87.

There’s a lot to like in This Is My Family which is directed by Daniel Evans with a light comic touch.

Like its subject matter,  Stephen Sondheim’s musical Assassins is hit and miss but the production hits the bullseye.

The ability of political cartoonists to point out the absurdity of the news with a beautiful line and a pithy comment never ceases to amaze and they’ve been doing it for over 200 years as Comedy & Commentary at Mottisfont Abbey shows.

Wiltshire becomes a metaphor for today's Britain in Barney Norris' retelling of Lorca's Blood Wedding at Salisbury Playhouse. The blood feud of the original is replaced by laddish drunkenness and Mediterranean passion by English reticence in which ‘Sorry’ is the most used word.

IS war ever justified?

Despite a surge in support for independence in the last few weeks, the Better Together campaign came through with a majority sufficient to put to bed the question of independence for Scotland, at least for now.

News this week that fed-up residents in a Southampton street are threatening to blockade their own thoroughfare on the grounds that they have problems with poorly-parked vehicles, would seem to be a case of nose cutting to spite faces.

THERE’S no doubt that the Prime Minister spoke from the heart when he addressed the Tory conference in Birmingham this week, speaking of the NHS.

FIRST the good news: someone has suggested charging for the sick to stay in hospital.

The end to the fluoride saga in the Southampton city region will put a big hole in the correspondence bag for this paper’s daily letters page.

IT had seemed a simple plan: to drive from Basingstoke to Ringwood, leaving the function I was attending around 10pm.

The BBC has defended its policy of using the term Islamic State when referring to the blood-soaked terrorists that claimed the lives of 30 Britons in Tunisia and tens of thousands of people in the Middle East.

It is interesting that the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, summons the very real fact his nation invented democracy to bolster his government’s argument for a favourable solution to the debt crisis wracking its citizens.