Heat pump employing optimal refrigerant compressor for low pressure ratio applications

An apparatus for cooling a fluid comprising:

• a. fluid handler and fluid path means for circulating said fluid in a path in heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant fluid;
• b. a refrigerant-fluid heat exchanger disposed in said path of said fluid such that said fluid is passed in heat exchange therewith;
• c. a refrigerant-cooled fluid heat exchanger for circulating said refrigerant in heat exchange relationship with a nonambiently cooled fluid to effect low condenser temperatures and resulting low discharge pressure;
• d. a rotary compressor having single suction pressure intake location for efficiently compressing said refrigerant with low power consumption at said low condenser temperatures and resulting low pressure ratio;
• e. at least one throttling valve connected at the inlet side of said refrigerant-fluid heat exchanger;
• f. a refrigerant circuit serially connecting said refrigerant-cooled fluid heat exchanger, throttling valve, refrigerant-fluid heat exchanger, and compressor and defining a flow path for said refrigerant;
• g. refrigerant disposed in said refrigerant circuit and adapted to be circulated for transferring heat with respect to said fluid;
• h. a source of cooled fluid cooled to a temperature below ambient;
• i. cooled fluid circulating means for circulating said cooled fluid in heat exchange relationship with said refrigerant in said refrigerant-cooled fluid heat exchanger;
• j. cooled fluid circuit serially connecting said cooled fluid source, circulating means and said refrigerant-cooled fluid heat exchanger for providing said low condenser temperatures for cooling.

An apparatus for conditioning a fluid temperature-wise, comprising:

• a. fluid handler and fluid path means for circulating said fluid in a path in heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant fluid;
• b. two refrigerant heat exchangers;
• one refrigerant-fluid heat exchanger disposed in said path of said fluid such that said fluid is passed in heat exchange therewith;
• and a second refrigerant-heat exchange fluid heat exchanger for circulating said refrigerant in heat exchange relationship with a heat exchange fluid to effect a low pressure ratio below 3;
• c. a rotary compressor having a single suction pressure intake location for efficiently compressing said refrigerant with low power consumption at said low pressure ratio;
• d. at least one throttling valve connected at the inlet of a heat exchanger in which liquid refrigerant is being vaporized;
• e. a refrigerant circuit serially connecting said two heat exchangers, throttling valves, and compressor and defining a flow path for said refrigerant;
• f. refrigerant disposed in said refrigerant circuit and adapted to be circulated for transferring heat with respect to said fluid;
• g. a source of heat exchange fluid;
• h. heat exchange fluid circulating means for circulating said heat exchange fluid in heat exchange relationship with said refrigerant;
• and
• i. heat exchange fluid circuit serially connecting said heat exchange fluid source, circulating means and refrigerant heat exchanger for providing said low pressure ratio.