# US 10,767,911 B2 · Cooling system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,911 B2 - Document ID: US10767911B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/819,090 - Filed: 2017-11-21 - Published: 2019-05-23 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-21 - Assignees: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC - Applicants: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC - Inventors: Shitong Zha - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767911B2 ## CPC - F25B 41/00: Fluid-circulation arrangements - F25B 1/10: with multi-stage compression (with cascade operation F25B7/00) - F25B 40/00: Subcoolers, desuperheaters or superheaters - F25B 43/02: for separating lubricants from the refrigerant - F25D 11/02: with cooling compartments at different temperatures - F25B 2339/02: Details of evaporators - F25B 2400/13: Economisers - F25B 2400/23: Separators - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract An apparatus includes a flash tank, a load, a first compressor, a heat exchanger, and a second compressor. The flash tank stores a refrigerant and releases the refrigerant as a flash gas. The load uses the refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the load. The first compressor compresses the refrigerant from the load and directs the refrigerant to the flash tank. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the refrigerant from a high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas. The second compressor compresses the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a flash tank that stores a refrigerant and to release the refrigerant as a flash gas; a freezer that receives the refrigerant from the flash tank such that the refrigerant from the flash tank removes heat from a space proximate the freezer when the refrigerant from the flash tank is in the freezer; a first compressor that compresses the refrigerant from the freezer and directs the refrigerant to the flash tank before the refrigerant reaches a second compressor; a desuperheater that removes heat from the refrigerant compressed by the first compressor before the refrigerant from the first compressor reaches the flash tank; a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the refrigerant from a high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas; and the second compressor compresses the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an oil separator configured to separate an oil from the refrigerant compressed by the second compressor and to direct the refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flash tank is further configured to release the refrigerant as a liquid to the freezer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 not comprising a load configured to cool a space to a temperature above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the high side heat exchanger is configured to operate as a gas cooler. ### Claim 6 A method comprising: storing a refrigerant in a flash tank; releasing the refrigerant from the flash tank as a flash gas; receiving, at a freezer, the refrigerant from the flash tank such that the refrigerant from the flash tank removes heat from a space proximate the freezer when the refrigerant from the flash tank is in the load; compressing, using a first compressor, the refrigerant from the freezer; directing the refrigerant from the first compressor to the flash tank before the refrigerant reaches a second compressor; removing, using a desuperheater, heat from the refrigerant compressed by the first compressor before the refrigerant from the first compressor reaches the flash tank; transferring, using a heat exchanger, heat from the refrigerant from a high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas; and compressing, using the compressor, the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: separating, using an oil separator, an oil from the refrigerant compressed by the second compressor; and directing the refrigerant from the oil separator to the high side heat exchanger. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising releasing the refrigerant from the flash tank as a liquid to the freezer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the high side heat exchanger is configured to operate as a gas cooler. ### Claim 10 A system comprising: a high side heat exchanger that removes heat from a refrigerant; a flash tank that stores the refrigerant and to release the refrigerant as a flash gas; a freezer that receives the refrigerant from the flash tank such that the refrigerant from the flash tank removes heat from a space proximate the freezer when the refrigerant from the flash tank is in the freezer; a first compressor that compresses the refrigerant from the freezer and to direct the refrigerant to the flash tank before the refrigerant reaches a second compressor; a desuperheater that removes heat from the refrigerant compressed by the first compressor before the refrigerant from the first compressor reaches the flash tank; a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the refrigerant from the high side heat exchanger to the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas; and the second compressor compresses the refrigerant released from the flash tank as the flash gas. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising an oil separator configured to separate an oil from the refrigerant compressed by the second compressor and to direct the refrigerant to the high side heat exchanger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the flash tank is further configured to release the refrigerant as a liquid to the freezer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 not comprising a load configured to cool a space to a temperature above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the high side heat exchanger is configured to operate as a gas cooler.