Refrigeration system

A refrigeration device having a primary cooling system with a primary fluid in thermal communication with a first heat exchanger and a secondary cooling system with a secondary fluid in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger to cool the secondary fluid and in thermal communication with at least one cooling device adapted to provide cooling to a space to be cooled in a first mode of operation, the refrigeration device comprising:

• a second heat exchanger in communication with the secondary cooling system and in communication with a heat source to warm the secondary fluid in a second mode of operation.

A defrost system for a refrigeration device having a first cooling system having a first loop in thermal communication with a second cooling system configured for flow of a coolant therethrough, the defrost system comprising:

• a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the coolant and adapted to transfer a quantity of heat from an air source to the coolant;
• and
• a control system operable to warm the coolant in the heat exchange device during a defrost mode and operable to cool the coolant during a cooling mode.

An ambient air defrost system for a temperature controlled display device having a first loop adapted to circulate a refrigerant therein, a second loop adapted to circulate a coolant therein and communicating with at least one cooling element for cooling a space and a first heat exchanger communicating between the first loop and the second loop, the first heat exchanger adapted to transfer a first quantity of heat between the second loop and the first loop, the ambient air defrost system comprising:

• a control system operable to control operation of the temperature controlled display device in an operating mode and a defrost mode;
• and
• a second heat exchanger communicating with the second loop, the second heat exchanger adapted to transfer a second quantity of heat between an ambient air source and the coolant during the defrost mode.

A method of operating a refrigeration device adapted to operate in a defrost mode and with a coolant flowing through a cooling element of a type that may tend to accumulate frost comprising:

• routing the coolant to a heat exchanger;
• routing the coolant to a cooling element at a flow rate;
• wherein the heat exchanger elevates a temperature of the coolant using ambient air so that any frost on the cooling element can be at least partially removed when the coolant is routed to the cooling element.