초록 ▼

A refrigeration system, and method of operating same, in which an economizer heat exchanger, normally used in conjunction with an intermediate port of a refrigerant compressor to cool the main refrigerant flow from a receiver to an evaporator to enhance the refrigerant cooling cycle, is caused to fu

A refrigeration system, and method of operating same, in which an economizer heat exchanger, normally used in conjunction with an intermediate port of a refrigerant compressor to cool the main refrigerant flow from a receiver to an evaporator to enhance the refrigerant cooling cycle, is caused to function as an evaporator during a hot gas heating cycle. The economizer heat exchanger is caused to function as an evaporator by adding heat thereto during a heating cycle, and by establishing an alternate liquid line, effective during a heating cycle, which includes the economizer heat exchanger. When the compressor is driven by an internal combustion engine, engine coolant may be used to add the necessary heat to the economizer heat exchanger during a heating cycle.

대표청구항 ▼

In a method of operating a refrigeration system which maintains a temperature set point by heating and cooling cycles, including a refrigerant circuit which includes a compressor having a suction port, an intermediate pressure port, and a discharge port; a hot gas compressor discharge line; a conden

In a method of operating a refrigeration system which maintains a temperature set point by heating and cooling cycles, including a refrigerant circuit which includes a compressor having a suction port, an intermediate pressure port, and a discharge port; a hot gas compressor discharge line; a condenser; a receiver; a liquid line; an evaporator; a suction line; an expansion valve for the evaporator in the liquid line; a heat exchanger having a first flow path in the liquid line between the receiver and the evaporator expansion valve; and an expansion valve for the heat exchanger disposed to reduce pressure on a portion of the refrigerant flowing from the receiver during a cooling cycle to provide a gas for cooling refrigerant in the liquid line, the improvement comprising the steps of: providing a second flow path through the heat exchanger which is used in both cooling and heating cycles, using refrigerant from the hot gas compressor discharge line to heat the evaporator during a heating cycle, providing an alternate liquid line which is effective during a heating cycle to return refrigerant to the intermediate port of the compressor via the second flow path of the heat exchanger, and adding heat to the heat exchanger during a heating cycle to cause the heat exchanger to function as an evaporator, to enhance the heating cycle.