Refrigeration apparatus

A refrigeration apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of thermal source units (2A, 2B) each of which has a compressor (21), a thermal-source-side heat exchanger (24) which is connected at an end thereof to the discharge side and the inlet side of the compressor (21) so as to be switchable between the sides of the compressor (21) and connected at the other end to each of liquid lines (5A, 5B), and a thermal-source-side expansion mechanism (25) disposed on each of the liquid line (5A, 5B), and in which base ends of gas lines (6A, 6B) are each connected to the discharge and inlet sides of the compressor (21) so as to be switchable between the sides of the compressor (21), each of the gas lines (6A, 6B) being branched to a high-pressure passages (65, 66) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in the discharge direction of the compressor (21) and a low-pressure passages (67, 68) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in the inlet direction of the compressor (21);
• a main liquid line (4L) connected to the liquid lines (5A, 5B) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a main high-pressure gas line (4H) connected to all the high-pressure passages (65, 66) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a main low-pressure gas line (4W) connected to all the low-pressure passage (67, 68) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a plurality of user units (3, 3, . . .) which has a user-side heat exchanger (32) connected at an end thereof to the main liquid line (4L), a user-side expansion mechanism (33) disposed between the user-side heat exchanger (33) and the main liquid line (4L), and in which the other end of the user-side heat exchanger (82) is connected to the main high-pressure gas line (4H) and the main low-pressure gas line (4W) so as to be switchable between the gas lines (4H, 4W);
• and
• an auxiliary gas line (8a) having a high-pressure auxiliary passage (83) for allowing a refrigerant to flow from the thermal source unit (2A) to the main high-pressure gas line (4H) and a low-pressure auxiliary passage (84) for allowing a refrigerant to flow from the main low-pressure gas line (4W) to the thermal source unit (2A), the high-pressure auxiliary passage (83) being connected at an end thereof to a gas-refrigerant pipe (26) in which a gas refrigerant flows from and to the thermal-source-side heat exchanger (24) of one of the thermal source units (2A) and connected at the other end thereof to the main high-pressure gas line (4H), the low-pressure auxiliary passage (84) being connected at an end thereof to the gas-refrigerant pipe (26) of the thermal-source-side heat exchanger (24) of one of the thermal source units (2A) and connected at the other end thereof to the main low-pressure gas line (4W).

A refrigeration apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of thermal source units (2A, 2B) each of which has a compressor (21), a thermal-source-side heat exchanger (24) which is connected at an end thereof to the discharge side and the inlet side of the compressor (21) so as to be switchable between the sides of the compressor (21) and connected at the other end to each of liquid lines (5A, 5B), and a thermal-source-side expansion mechanism (25) disposed on each of the liquid lines (5A, 5B), and in which base ends of gas lines (6A, 6B) are each connected to the discharge and inlet sides of the compressor (21) so as to be switchable between the sides of the compressor (21), each of the gas lines (6A, 6B) being branched to a high-pressure passage (65, 66) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in the discharge direction of the compressor (21) and a low-pressure passage (67, 68) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in the inlet direction of the compressor (21);
• a main liquid line (4L) connected to the liquid lines (5A, 5B) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a main high-pressure gas line (4H) connected to all the high-pressure passages (65, 66) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a main low-pressure gas line (4W) connected to all the low-pressure passage (67, 68) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a plurality of user units (3, 3, . . .) which has a user-side heat exchanger (32) connected at an end thereof to the main liquid line (4L), a user-side expansion mechanism (38) disposed between the user-side heat exchanger (33) and the main liquid line (4L), and in which the other end of the user-side heat exchanger (32) is connected to the main high-pressure gas line (4H) and the main low-pressure gas line (4W) so as to be switchable between the gas lines (4H, 4W);
• and
• an auxiliary gas line (8a) having a high-pressure auxiliary passage (83) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in both directions between the thermal source unit (2A) and the main high-pressure gas line (4H) and a low-pressure auxiliary passage (84) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in both directions between the main low-pressure gas line (4W) and the thermal source unit (2A), the high-pressure auxiliary passage (83) being connected at an end thereof to a gas-refrigerant pipe (26) in which a gas refrigerant flows from and to the thermal-source-side heat exchanger (24) of one of the thermal source units (2A) and connected at the other end thereof to the main high-pressure gas line (4H), the low-pressure auxiliary passage (84) being connected at an end thereof to the gas-refrigerant pipe (26) of the thermal-source-side heat exchanger (24) of one of the thermal source units (2A) and connected at the other end thereof to the main low-pressure gas line (4W).

A refrigeration apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of thermal source units (2A, 2B) each of which has a compressor (21), a thermal-source-side heat exchanger (24) which is connected at an end thereof to the discharge side and the inlet side of the compressor (21) so as to be switchable between the sides of the compressor (21) and connected at the other end to each of liquid lines (5A, 5B), and a thermal-source-side expansion mechanism (25) disposed on each of the liquid lines (5A, 5B), and in which base ends of gas lines (6A, 6B) are each connected to the discharge and inlet sides of the compressor (21) so as to be switchable between the sides of the compressor (21), each of the gas lines (6A, 6B) being branched to a high-pressure passage (65, 66) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in the discharge direction of the compressor (21) and a low-pressure passage (67, 68) for allowing a refrigerant to flow in the inlet direction of the compressor (21);
• a main liquid line (4L) connected to the liquid lines (5A, 5B) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a main high-pressure gas line (4H) connected to all the high-pressure passages (65, 66) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a main low-pressure gas line (4W) connected to all the low-pressure passage (67, 68) so that the thermal source units (2A, 2B) are arranged in parallel with one another;
• a plurality of user units (3, 3, . . .) which has a user-side heat exchanger (32) connected at an end thereof to the main liquid line (4L), a user-side expansion mechanism (33) disposed between the user-side heat exchanger (33) and the main liquid line (4L), and in which the other end of the user-side heat exchanger (32) is connected to the main high-pressure gas line (4H) and the main low-pressure gas line (4W) so as to be switchable between the gas lines (4H, 4W);
• and
• an equalization passage (8c) which is connected between the main high-pressure gas line (4H) and the main low-pressure gas line (4W) and which has an equalizing and closing mechanism (V17) for allowing and preventing a flow of refrigerant from the main high-pressure gas line (4H) to the main low-pressure gas line (4W).