Refrigeration apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
- a condensing unit comprising a compressor and a condenser;
an energy storage unit comprising an insulated tank that contains a storage heat exchanger and at least partially filled with a phase change liquid, said storage heat exchanger further comprising a lower collection header and an upper collection header connected by at least one thermally conductive member;
a load heat exchanger;
a refrigeration management unit connected to said condensing unit, said energy storage unit and said load heat exchanger;
a universal refrigerant management vessel within said refrigeration management unit comprising;
an outlet connection that returns refrigerant to said condensing unit;
an inlet connection that receives refrigerant from said load heat exchanger, a mixed phase regulator, a combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel, and said upper collection header of said storage heat exchanger;
a first bottom port that provides bi-directional flow of refrigerant to a bottom collection header of said storage heat exchanger, said bottom outlet that supplies liquid refrigerant for connection to said load heat exchanger and said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel;
a second bottom port that is connected to said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel; and
,a solenoid valve connected to said universal refrigerant management vessel and said load heat exchanger that regulates supply of refrigerant to said load heat exchanger.
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Abstract
Disclosed is an efficient refrigeration apparatus that provides refrigerant based energy storage and cooling. When connected to a condensing unit, the system has the ability to store energy capacity during one time period and provide cooling from the stored energy during a second time period. The system requires minimal energy to operate during either time period, and only a fraction of the energy required to operate the system during the first time period is required to operate the system during the second time period using an optional refrigerant pump.
102 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
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a condensing unit comprising a compressor and a condenser; an energy storage unit comprising an insulated tank that contains a storage heat exchanger and at least partially filled with a phase change liquid, said storage heat exchanger further comprising a lower collection header and an upper collection header connected by at least one thermally conductive member; a load heat exchanger; a refrigeration management unit connected to said condensing unit, said energy storage unit and said load heat exchanger; a universal refrigerant management vessel within said refrigeration management unit comprising; an outlet connection that returns refrigerant to said condensing unit; an inlet connection that receives refrigerant from said load heat exchanger, a mixed phase regulator, a combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel, and said upper collection header of said storage heat exchanger; a first bottom port that provides bi-directional flow of refrigerant to a bottom collection header of said storage heat exchanger, said bottom outlet that supplies liquid refrigerant for connection to said load heat exchanger and said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel; a second bottom port that is connected to said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel; and
,a solenoid valve connected to said universal refrigerant management vessel and said load heat exchanger that regulates supply of refrigerant to said load heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
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a condensing unit comprising a compressor and a condenser; an energy storage unit comprising an insulated tank that contains a storage heat exchanger and at least partially filled with a phase change liquid; a load heat exchanger; a refrigeration management unit connected to said condensing unit, said energy storage unit and said load heat exchanger; and
,a refrigerant management controller in communication with said refrigeration management unit and comprised of electronic relay based controllers using environmental data regulate said control operation of said refrigeration apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
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a condensing unit comprising a compressor and a condenser; an energy storage unit comprising an insulated tank that contains a storage heat exchanger and at least partially filled with a phase change liquid, said storage heat exchanger further comprising a lower collection header and an upper collection header connected by at least one thermally conductive member; a load heat exchanger; a refrigeration management unit connected to said condensing unit, said energy storage unit and said load heat exchanger; a universal refrigerant management vessel within said refrigeration management unit comprising; an outlet connection that returns refrigerant to said condensing unit; an inlet connection that receives refrigerant from said load heat exchanger, a mixed phase regulator, a combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel, and said upper collection header of said storage heat exchanger; a first bottom port that provides bi-directional flow of refrigerant to a bottom collection header of said storage heat exchanger, said bottom outlet that supplies liquid refrigerant for connection to said load heat exchanger and said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel; a second bottom port that is connected to said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel; a solenoid valve connected to said universal refrigerant management vessel and said load heat exchanger that regulates supply of refrigerant to said load heat exchanger; and
,a refrigerant management controller in communication with said refrigeration management unit to control operation of said refrigeration apparatus.
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27. A method of providing cooling with a refrigeration apparatus comprising the steps of:
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condensing refrigerant with a condensing unit to create a first condensed refrigerant during a first time period; supplying at least a portion of said first condensed refrigerant to an evaporating unit constrained within a tank that is at least partially filled with a phase change liquid; expanding said first condensed refrigerant within said evaporating unit to freeze a quantity of said phase change liquid and form ice within said tank during said first time period and produce a first expanded refrigerant; returning at least a portion of said first expanded refrigerant to said condensing unit; circulating a second expanded refrigerant through said evaporating unit within said block of ice during a second time period to condense said second expanded refrigerant and create a second condensed refrigerant; circulating at least a portion of said second condensed refrigerant from said universal refrigerant management vessel to a load heat exchanger; expanding said second condensed refrigerant within said load heat exchanger to provide said cooling during said second time period, thereby producing additional said second expanded refrigerant; and
,controlling operation of said refrigeration apparatus with a refrigerant management controller that utilizes external environmental data to regulate said operation. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification