CO2-refrigeration device with heat reclaim
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorsBernd Heinbokel, Siegfried Haaf, Neelkanth S. Gupte, Ulf J. Jonsson, Tobias H. Sienel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigeration device containing CO2 a refrigerant to be circulated, including a compressor, a heat-rejecting heat exchanger, an expansion, and an evaporator which are connected to one another. The refrigeration device includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion having a higher temperature relative to the first portion when the refrigeration device is in operation. A heat-reclaim heat exchanger is provided at a given location in the second portion, provided to transfer heat to a fluid for further use as a source of heated fluid.
Claims22
A refrigeration circuit having a mono- or multi-component refrigerant circulating therein, the refrigeration circuit enabling an overcritical operation, the refrigeration circuit, in the direction of flow, comprising:
- a condenser/gas cooler;
- an intermediate relief device;
- a collecting container;
- a refrigerating relief device connected downstream of the collecting container;
- an evaporator connected downstream of the refrigerating relief device;
- and a compressor unit connected to the evaporator by a suction line, wherein gas space of the collecting container is connected or connectable by a connection line to an input of the compressor unit, wherein the connection line joins into the suction line at a position before the compressor unit, wherein the collecting container is further connected to at least one freezing consumer having a freezing relief valve connected between the collecting container and the at least one freezing consumer, and a deep-freeze compressor unit including an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the inlet side of the deep-freeze compressor is connected to the at least one freezing consumer and the outlet side is connected to the input of the compressor unit, and wherein a heat-reclaim heat exchanger, provided to transfer heat to a fluid for further use, is arranged in at least one of the lines between the compressor unit and the condenser/gas cooler, between the condenser/gas cooler and the intermediate relief device, between the collecting container and the refrigerating relief device, and between the deep-freeze compressor unit and the compressor unit.
A method for operating a refrigeration device, the method comprising the steps of:
- circulating a mono- or multi-component refrigerant in a refrigeration circuit, the refrigeration circuit enabling an overcritical operation and including, in a direction of flow, a condenser/gas cooler, an intermediate relief device, a collecting container, a refrigerating relief device connected downstream of the collecting container, an evaporator connected downstream of the refrigerating relief device, and a compressor unit connected to the evaporator by a suction line, wherein gas space of the collecting container is connected or connectable by a connection line to an input of the compressor unit, wherein a relief valve is provided in the connection line between the gas space of the collecting container and the input of the compressor unit, the connection line joins into the suction line at a position before the compressor unit, the collecting container is further connected to at least one freezing consumer having a freezing relief valve connected between the collecting container and the at least one freezing consumer, and a deep-freeze compressor unit including an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the inlet side of the deep-freeze compressor is connected to the at least one freezing consumer and the outlet side is connected to the input of the compressor unit;
- and transferring heat from a heat-reclaim heat exchanger to a fluid, the heat-reclaim heat exchanger being provided in at least one of the lines between the compressor unit and the condenser/gas cooler, between the condenser/gas cooler and the intermediate relief device, between the collecting container and the relief device, and between the deep-freeze compressor unit and the compressor unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.