# US 2019/0376731 A1 · Refrigeration apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376731 A1 - Document ID: US20190376731A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/481,684 - Filed: 2018-01-28 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-30 - Assignees: Daikin Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Daikin Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Ikuhiro Iwata; Kazuhiro Furusho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376731A1 ## CPC - F25B 9/002: {characterised by the refrigerant} - F25B 45/00: Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant - F25B 49/005: {of safety devices (F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence)} - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - F25B 2400/12: Inflammable refrigerants - F25B 2400/16: Receivers - F25B 2400/18: Refrigerant conversion - F25B 2500/06: Damage - F25B 2500/07: Exceeding a certain pressure value in a refrigeration component or cycle - F25B 2500/08: Exceeding a certain temperature value in a refrigeration component or cycle - F25B 2600/2523: Receiver valves - F25B 2700/1931: Discharge pressures - F25B 2700/21152: at the discharge side of the compressor - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract A refrigeration apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit including: a compressor, a radiator, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator that are connected. The refrigerant circuit encloses a refrigerant that contains a fluorinated hydrocarbon that causes a disproportionation reaction. The refrigerant circuit further includes: a discharged refrigerant recovery receiver that is branch-connected to a path between a discharge side of the compressor and a gas side of the radiator through a discharged refrigerant branch pipe; and a discharged refrigerant relief mechanism that is disposed in the discharged refrigerant branch pipe and that connects discharge side of the compressor with the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver when the refrigerant on the discharge side of the compressor satisfies a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition includes at least one of a first condition under which the refrigerant does not yet cause the disproportionation reaction and a second condition under which the refrigerant causes the disproportionation reaction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigeration apparatus comprising: a refrigerant circuit comprising: a compressor, a radiator, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator, that are connected, wherein the refrigerant circuit encloses a refrigerant that contains a fluorinated hydrocarbon that causes a disproportionation reaction; a discharged refrigerant recovery receiver that is branch-connected to a path between a discharge side of the compressor and a gas side of the radiator through a discharged refrigerant branch pipe; and a discharged refrigerant relief mechanism that is disposed in the discharged refrigerant branch pipe and that connects the discharge side of the compressor with the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver when the refrigerant on the discharge side of the compressor satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the predetermined condition includes at least one of a first condition under which the refrigerant does not yet cause the disproportionation reaction and a second condition under which the refrigerant causes the disproportionation reaction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling mechanism that cools the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cooling mechanism is a fan that delivers air to the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fan further delivers the air to the radiator or the evaporator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cooling mechanism is a radiating fin that is disposed on an outer surface of the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cooling mechanism is a cooling liquid pipe that is disposed on the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver and a cooling liquid flows through the cooling liquid pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the evaporator is a heat exchanger in which the refrigerant is evaporated using the cooling liquid, and the cooling liquid in the evaporator that is cooled by evaporation of the refrigerant flows through the cooling liquid pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharged refrigerant relief mechanism is a relief valve that operates when a primary-side pressure is higher than or equal to a specified pressure, and the specified pressure is a threshold pressure based on the predetermined condition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharged refrigerant relief mechanism is a fusible plug in which a fusible material fuses when atmosphere temperature is higher than or equal to a specified temperature, and the specified temperature is a threshold temperature based on the predetermined condition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: controller that controls operation of the refrigerant circuit; and a discharged refrigerant sensor that detects pressure and temperature of the refrigerant on the discharge side of the compressor, wherein the discharged refrigerant relief mechanism is a first control valve of which an open state and a closed state is controlled by controller, and the controller further determines, based on the detected pressure and temperature of the refrigerant, whether the predetermined condition is satisfied, and controls the first control valve to be shifted from the closed state to the open state when the predetermined condition is satisfied. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied when a multiplication value of the detected pressure and temperature of the refrigerant is higher than or equal to a threshold multiplication value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied when the detected temperature of the refrigerant is higher than or equal to a threshold temperature at a maximum operating pressure of the refrigerant circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the refrigerant circuit further includes: a refrigerant suction return pipe that connects the discharged refrigerant recovery receiver and a suction side of the compressor; and a second control valve of which an open state and a closed state is controlled by the controller, wherein the second control valve is disposed in the refrigerant suction return pipe, and the controller determines, based on the detected pressure and temperature of the refrigerant, whether the first condition is satisfied, and controls the first control valve to be in the open state and the second control valve to be in the open state when the first condition is satisfied. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller determines, based on the detected pressure and temperature of the refrigerant, whether the second condition is satisfied, and when the second condition is satisfied: controls the first control valve to be in the open state and the second control valve to be in the closed state and stops operation of the compressor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according claim 1, wherein the refrigerant contains HFO-1123.