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A refrigeration system, which conditions the air of a conditioned space via heating and cooling cycles, includes a heat exchanger and, in a first embodiment, heat pipes. A cryogen is circulated through the heat exchanger during a cooling cycle. During a heating cycle the flow of cryogen is terminate

A refrigeration system, which conditions the air of a conditioned space via heating and cooling cycles, includes a heat exchanger and, in a first embodiment, heat pipes. A cryogen is circulated through the heat exchanger during a cooling cycle. During a heating cycle the flow of cryogen is terminated and heat is transferred into the heat exchanger via the heat pipes. In another embodiment, the temperature of evaporation of a liquid cryogen in the heat exchanger is selected according to the desired temperature of the conditioned space, via selectable cryogen flow paths which provide different pressures and thus different evaporation temperatures. Vaporized cryogen drives a motor connected to a fan which circulates air between the conditioned space and heat exchanger. In still another embodiment, the mass flow rate of liquid cryogen is controlled as a function of the degree of superheat in evaporated cryogen exiting the heat exchanger, and as a function of a predetermined floor temperature of conditioned air discharged into the conditioned space.

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1. A refrigeration system for controlling the temperature of a conditioned space to a predetermined temperature range adjacent to a selected set point temperature via heating and cooling cycles, with the refrigeration system including cryogenic cooling means, the improvement comprising: heat exch

1. A refrigeration system for controlling the temperature of a conditioned space to a predetermined temperature range adjacent to a selected set point temperature via heating and cooling cycles, with the refrigeration system including cryogenic cooling means, the improvement comprising: heat exchanger means, said heat exchanger means including means defining a fluid flow path, and heat pipe means, means operably interconnecting the fluid flow path of said heat exchanger means and the cryogenic cooling means to implement a cooling cycle, heating means applying heat to said heat pipe means to implement a heating cycle, and air mover means circulating air between the conditioned space and said heat exchanger means during said cooling and heating cycles. 2. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein the heating means includes a supply of combustible fuel, and means for burning the fuel during a heating cycle to heat the heat pipe means. 3. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein the air mover means includes fan means driven by vapor motor means, and wherein the fluid flow path of the heat exchanger means has input and output ends, and including means connecting said output end to the vapor motor means, whereby said vapor motor means is operated during a cooling cycle with cryogen, after the cryogen has traversed the fluid flow path of the heat exchanger means. 4. The refrigeration system of claim 3 wherein the means which connects the output end of the fluid flow path of the heat exchanger means to the vapor motor means during a cooling cycle includes means for heating the cryogen. 5. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein the air mover means includes fan means driven by vapor motor means, and wherein the cryogenic cooling means includes a supply vessel containing liquid cryogen, and including pressure building means which vaporizes liquid cryogen from the supply vessel, with the vaporized cryogen maintaining a predetermined pressure in the supply vessel, and including means connecting the supply vessel to the vapor motor means during a heating cycle to provide vaporized cryogen for driving the vapor motor means. 6. The refrigeration system of claim 5 wherein the heating means generates hot gases, and including means directing said hot gases in heat exchange relation with the pressure building means to enhance the transformation of liquid cryogen to vaporized cryogen for use by the vapor motor means. 7. The refrigeration system of claim 5 wherein the means which connects the supply vessel to the vapor motor means during a heating cycle includes heating means for heating the cryogen. 8. The refrigeration system of claim 7 including means directing cryogen from the vapor motor means in heat exchange relation with the pressure building means, to enhance the transformation of liquid cryogen to vaporized cryogen for use by the vapor motor means. 9. The refrigeration system of claim 7 wherein the heating means for heating the cryogen prior to use by the vapor motor means generates hot gases, and means directing the hot gases in heat exchange relation with the pressure building means, to enhance the transformation of liquid cryogen to vaporized cryogen for use by the vapor motor means. 10. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein the air mover means includes fan means driven by vapor motor means, and wherein the cryogenic cooling means includes a vessel containing cryogen in a liquid state, means for vaporizing said liquid cryogen, and directing means for directing the vaporized cryogen to the vapor motor means. 11. The refrigeration system of claim 10 wherein the directing means includes heating means for adding additional heat to the vaporized cryogen. 12. The refrigeration system of claim 10 wherein the means for vaporizing the liquid cryogen includes: (1) the heat exchanger means, and (2) pressure building means which maintains a predetermined minimum pressure in the vessel, with vaporized cryogen from the heat exchanger means being connected to the directing means during a cooling cycle, and with vaporized cryogen from the pressure building means being connected to the directing means during a heating cycle. 13. The refrigeration system of claim 12 including means directing cryogen from the vapor motor means in heat exchange relation with the pressure building means, to enhance the transformation of liquid cryogen to vaporized cryogen for use by the vapor motor means. 14. The refrigeration system of claim 12 wherein the heating means generates hot gases, and means directing the hot gases in heat exchange relation with the pressure building means, to enhance the transformation of liquid cryogen to vaporized cryogen for use by the vapor motor means. 15. The refrigeration system of claim 10 wherein the means for vaporizing the liquid cryogen includes: (1) the heat exchanger means, and (2) an ambient loop connectable to receive liquid cryogen during a heating cycle, with vaporized cryogen from the heat exchanger means being connected to the directing means during a cooling cycle, and with vaporized cryogen from the ambient loop being connected to the directing means during a heating cycle. 16. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein the cryogenic cooling means includes a supply vessel containing a cryogen at a predetermined pressure and temperature, and wherein the means which operably interconnects the fluid flow path of said heat exchanger means and the cryogenic cooling means to implement a cooling cycle includes at least first and second selectable parallel branches, with the first branch connecting the cryogen to the heat exchanger means at substantially the same pressure and temperature as in said supply vessel, and with the second branch including expansion means for reducing the pressure and temperature of the cryogen, and means selecting one of said branches as a function of a predetermined characteristic of the cryogen in the supply vessel and the predetermined set point temperature. 17. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein cryogenic cooling means includes a supply vessel containing liquid and vaporized cryogen, and pressure building means maintaining the cryogen in said vessel above a predetermined value, and wherein the fluid flow path of the heat exchanger means has an output end, and including fluid flow path means connecting said supply vessel to said output end of the heat exchanger means to maintain the pressure of the vaporized cryogen exiting the heat exchanger means above said predetermined value. 18. The refrigeration system of claim 1 including metallic fins interconnecting the fluid flow path of the heat exchanger means with the heat pipe means. 19. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein the fluid flow path of the heat exchanger means has first and second longitudinal ends, and a first predetermined length dimension between said first and second ends, and wherein the heat pipe means has a second predetermined length dimension which exceeds said first predetermined dimension such that the heat pipe means includes a portion which extends beyond at least one of said first and second longitudinal ends, with the heating means applying heat to said extended portion. 20. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein the refrigeration system includes a defrost cycle which melts water ice on the heat exchanger means, with the heating means applying heat to the heat pipe means during a defrost cycle, and means for preventing circulation of air between the conditioned space and the heat exchanger means during a defrost cycle. 21. The refrigeration system of claim 20 wherein the means which prevents circulation of air between the conditioned space and the heat exchanger means during a defrost cycle includes means for stopping the air mover means. 22. The refrigeration system of claim 20 wherein the means which prevents circulation of air between the conditioned space and the heat exchanger means during a defrost cycle includes a defrost damper disposed between the conditioned space and the heat exchanger, with said defrost damper being in a closed position during a defrost cycle.