EP0641978B1 - Refrigeration apparatus and method - Google Patents
Refrigeration apparatus and method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0641978B1 EP0641978B1 EP94306390A EP94306390A EP0641978B1 EP 0641978 B1 EP0641978 B1 EP 0641978B1 EP 94306390 A EP94306390 A EP 94306390A EP 94306390 A EP94306390 A EP 94306390A EP 0641978 B1 EP0641978 B1 EP 0641978B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- cooling mode
- refrigerant
- thermal storage
- storage means
- vapour compression
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 17
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 title claims description 16
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims description 63
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 claims description 53
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 claims description 41
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 claims description 41
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 32
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 8
- QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetic acid Chemical compound CC(O)=O QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000012782 phase change material Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- JVTAAEKCZFNVCJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N lactic acid Chemical compound CC(O)C(O)=O JVTAAEKCZFNVCJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000002826 coolant Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000004310 lactic acid Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 235000014655 lactic acid Nutrition 0.000 claims description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 11
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000004146 energy storage Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000003570 air Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000012080 ambient air Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000001143 conditioned effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005265 energy consumption Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011232 storage material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D16/00—Devices using a combination of a cooling mode associated with refrigerating machinery with a cooling mode not associated with refrigerating machinery
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B25/00—Machines, plants or systems, using a combination of modes of operation covered by two or more of the groups F25B1/00 - F25B23/00
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B2400/00—General features or devices for refrigeration machines, plants or systems, combined heating and refrigeration systems or heat-pump systems, i.e. not limited to a particular subgroup of F25B
- F25B2400/04—Refrigeration circuit bypassing means
- F25B2400/0401—Refrigeration circuit bypassing means for the compressor
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B2400/00—General features or devices for refrigeration machines, plants or systems, combined heating and refrigeration systems or heat-pump systems, i.e. not limited to a particular subgroup of F25B
- F25B2400/04—Refrigeration circuit bypassing means
- F25B2400/0411—Refrigeration circuit bypassing means for the expansion valve or capillary tube
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Air Conditioning Control Device (AREA)
- Other Air-Conditioning Systems (AREA)
Description
This invention relates to a refrigeration apparatus
and refrigeration method, and in particular to
refrigeration apparatus capable of operating in either a
vapour compression mode or a natural cooling mode.
GB-B-2 233 080 describes a refrigeration apparatus
which may be operated in a mechanical mode, or
alternatively in a thermosyphon mode. In the mechanical
mode the apparatus operates in a conventional manner
utilising a vapour compression cycle, with refrigerant
vapour being compressed before being passed through a heat
exchanger (condenser) where sensible heat is rejected to
the atmosphere from the compressed refrigerant, then
passing the resulting condensate through a restriction,
typically an expansion valve, and finally passing the
expanded and cooled refrigerant to a heat exchanger
(evaporator) to absorb heat from a fluid to be chilled.
When ambient temperatures are sufficiently low the
refrigerant path may be reconfigured to bypass the
compressor and the expansion valve such that the only
cooling effect experienced by the refrigerant is the
natural cooling obtained when the refrigerant is passed
through the condenser, the evaporator being located below
the condenser such that the refrigerant may circulate
without the mechanical assistance normally provided by the
compressor. Clearly, operation in the thermosyphon mode is
more economical than the mechanical or vapour compression
mode.
In a typical refrigerating unit incorporating this
feature, several refrigerating systems are arranged so that
the fluid to be chilled is passed through the evaporators
in series. A number of the systems may cool the fluid by
vapour compression operation while other systems operating
with warmer inlet fluid may contribute a share of the
required cooling by thermosyphon operation. However, such
units are expensive and involve high capital costs and in
practice are restricted to very large units where stand-by
equipment is specified. It has not yet been possible to
use an individual two-mode system, as when the system
changes from vapour compression refrigeration to
thermosyphon refrigeration there is a period of delay while
the heat rejection equipment, previously in contact with
the compressed (and thus heated) refrigerant, cools to a
temperature below that of the fluid being chilled.
US-A-5 211 029 discloses air-conditioning apparatus
which includes a conventional condensing unit including a
compressor and condenser, and a negative energy storage
system including an insulated tank for containing negative
heat energy storage material and through which refrigerant
may be circulated. Both the condensing unit and the
negative energy storage system may be connected to an
evaporating unit to provide cooling to an associated air-conditioned
space. In a first mode, the apparatus does
not provide an air-conditioning effect, refrigerant cooled
by the action of the condensing unit and an expansion
device being passed through the negative energy storage
system to cool the material therein. In a second mode, an
air-conditioning effect is provided by circulating
refrigerant through the evaporating unit and the negative
energy storage system. In a third mode, an air-conditioning
effect is provided by circulating refrigerant
through the evaporating unit and the condensing unit. In
a fourth mode, the negative energy storage system and the
condensing unit combine to provide cooling of the
refrigerant from the evaporating unit.
According to the present invention there is provided
refrigeration apparatus capable of operating in i) vapour
compression cooling mode or ii) natural cooling mode, the
apparatus defining a refrigerant path comprising:
According to a further aspect of the present invention
there is provided a refrigeration method including i) a
vapour compression cooling mode or ii) a natural cooling
mode, the method including the steps of:
The chilled fluid may be the fluid contained within a
space to be cooled, for example a refrigerated compartment,
but will usually be a liquid, such as water, to be utilised
as a cooling medium for a region to be cooled, such as an
air conditioned space, which may be remote from the
refrigeration apparatus.
Preferably, the thermal storage means i) is cooled by
the chilled fluid while the apparatus operates in the
vapour compression cooling mode and ii) chills the fluid on
changeover to natural cooling mode.
Preferably also, operation in natural cooling mode is
achieved without any mechanical circulation of the
refrigerant, which, in the vapour compression cooling mode,
is typically provided by the compression means. In this
case the chilling means will be positioned below the heat
rejection means. Alternatively, if some other arrangement
is desired, refrigerant circulation means may be provided
for use in the natural cooling mode.
Thus, the present invention allows changeover from
compression mode to natural cooling mode without the period
of delay that occurs in conventional two-mode systems as
the heat rejection means cools to a temperature below that
of the fluid being chilled; during this changeover period
the present invention provides for chilling of the fluid by
the thermal storage means.
In a preferred embodiment, with selection of
appropriate thermal storage means, the invention may
operate at full capacity in the vapour compression cooling
mode irrespective of cooling load, any excess capacity
being utilised to cool the thermal storage means. On the
thermal storage means reaching a condition where it cannot
be cooled further, the fluid temperature will drop sharply,
allowing a thermostatic switch to reconfigure the valve
means to provide the natural cooling mode. The thermal
storage means then begins to chill the fluid, preventing an
immediate rise in temperature of the fluid and allowing
time for the apparatus to adjust to natural cooling mode.
Preferably also, the thermal storage means contains a
phase change material which will absorb or reject heat at
a substantially constant temperature. Substances suitable
for use in such means include acetic acid and lactic acid.
These and other aspects of the present invention will
now be described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying drawing, which illustrates, in schematic form,
refrigeration apparatus in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
The apparatus includes ducting 10 which partially
defines a refrigerant path around which refrigerant is
cycled in either i) a mechanical or vapour compression
cooling mode or ii) a thermosyphon or natural cooling mode.
In vapour compression mode the refrigerant is first subject
to compression by a positive displacement compressor 12,
from which the high pressure refrigerant passes to heat
rejection means in the form of a condenser 14, which is
exposed to ambient air. Following condensing and cooling
in the condenser 14, the refrigerant passes to restriction
means in the form of an expansion valve 16, which causes a
sufficient portion of the refrigerant to vaporise to reduce
the temperature of the remaining liquid to that consistent
with the lower pressure. The expanded and cooled
refrigerant is then passed to a heat exchanger in the form
of a chiller 18 where the refrigerant absorbs heat from
fluid to be cooled. On exit from the chiller 18, the
refrigerant, now in the form of low pressure vapour,
returns to the compressor 12.
The chiller 18 forms part of a secondary cooling
circuit around which a fluid, such as water, is circulated.
Following chilling, the water passes through a thermal
store 20 which contains a phase change material. The water
then passes through a region to be cooled 22, before
returning to the chiller 18, circulation of the fluid
around the cooling circuit being achieved by means of a
fluid pump 24.
The refrigeration circuit includes a three-way valve
26 and a two-way ball valve 28, and for operation in the
vapour compression mode the valves 26, 28 are configured
such that refrigerant is passed through the compressor 12
and the expansion valve 16. However, when the ambient
temperature is particularly low (that is lower than the
temperature of the water to be chilled), the valves 26, 28
may be configured to bypass the compressor 12 and valve 16,
such that the refrigerant is cooled solely by ambient air
as it passes through the condenser 14. Also, the chiller
18 is positioned below the condenser 14 and the ducting 10
is arranged such that the refrigerant will circulate in
this thermosyphon mode without mechanical assistance, thus
minimising the energy consumption of the apparatus.
While operating in vapour compression mode, the
compressor 12 may operate at full capacity, irrespective of
the cooling load, any excess cooling of the water being
absorbed by the thermal store 20, in which the excess
cooling capacity is utilised to solidify a liquid, at
constant temperature. When the phase change material has
completely solidified there will be a sharp decrease in the
temperature of the water, which may be detected by a
thermostat 30 which operates to switch the apparatus from
vapour compression mode to thermosyphon mode, that is by
shutting down the compressor 12 and reconfiguring the
valves 26, 28 to bypass the compressor 12 and the expansion
valve 16. Initially, on switching from vapour compression
mode to thermosyphon mode, the refrigerant in the ducting
10 downstream of the compressor 12 and upstream of the
expansion valve 16 will be at a higher temperature than the
water and it takes some time for the refrigerant and the
condenser hardware and ducting to be cooled to a level
where its temperature is lower than that of the water.
Also, in order for circulation of refrigerant to take place
without mechanical assistance, the temperature of the
refrigerant in the condenser 14 must fall below the
temperature at the outlet from the chiller 18, the reverse
of the situation in the vapour compression mode. During
this transition period the water is chilled by the thermal
store 20, as the phase change material in the store is
melted by the circulating water.
From the above description it will be seem that this
embodiment of the invention provides an arrangement in
which refrigeration apparatus capable of operating in a
thermosyphon mode may be utilised on an individual basis,
and not necessarily as part of a larger system. Further,
the provision of the thermal store 20 allows the system to
be operated at full capacity in vapour compression mode,
which is of course more efficient than operating at part
capacity.
The present invention may be utilised in a wide
variety of applications, but is particularly useful where
the cooling load is to be maintained at a relatively high
temperature, such as in air conditioning systems for
building which chill the ceilings of rooms and corridors.
Such air conditioning is particularly suitable for
thermosyphon cooling techniques as the chilled ceilings
must be kept at a temperature higher than the dew point of
the room air. These relatively high temperatures allows
the associated refrigeration apparatus to operate in
thermosyphon mode for a significant number of hours per
year.
Claims (16)
- Refrigeration apparatus capable of operating in i) vapour compression cooling mode or ii) natural cooling mode, the apparatus defining a refrigerant path comprising:compression means (12) for compressing a refrigerant;heat rejection means (14) for cooling the compressed refrigerant;restriction means (16) for expanding the refrigerant;chilling means (18) for permitting the absorption of heat by the refrigerant from a fluid to be chilled;valve means (26, 28) configurable for selectively directing refrigerant i) to pass through the compression means (12) and restriction means (16) or ii) to bypass the compression means (12) and restriction means (16); andthermal storage means (20) for i) being cooled while the apparatus operates in the vapour compression cooling mode and ii) providing a chilling effect to the fluid during changeover to natural cooling mode.
- The apparatus of claim 1 in which the chilled fluid is a cooling medium for a region (22) to be cooled.
- The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2 in which the thermal storage means (20) is i) arranged to be cooled by the chilled fluid while the apparatus operates in the vapour compression cooling mode and ii) arranged to chill the fluid during changeover to natural cooling mode.
- The apparatus of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the chilling means (18) is positioned below the heat rejection means (14) to allow operation in natural cooling mode without any mechanical circulation.
- The apparatus of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein refrigerant circulation means is provided for use in the natural cooling mode.
- The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the thermal storage means (20) is arranged such that the apparatus is operable at full capacity in the vapour compression cooling mode irrespective of cooling load, any excess capacity being utilised to cool the thermal storage means (20).
- The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a thermostatic switch (30) to reconfigure the valve means (26, 28) from the vapour compression mode to the natural cooling mode on the thermal storage means (20) reaching a condition where it cannot be cooled further.
- The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the thermal storage means (20) contains a phase change material which will absorb or reject heat at a substantially constant temperature.
- The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the phase change material is one of acetic acid or lactic acid.
- A refrigeration method including i) a vapour compression cooling mode or ii) a natural cooling mode, the method including the steps of:providing heat rejecting means and utilising said means to reject heat from a refrigerant;chilling a fluid with the refrigerant; andi) when operating in vapour compression cooling mode the method further including the steps of:a) compressing the refrigerant;b) expanding the refrigerant; andc) cooling a thermal storage means; andii) when operating in natural cooling mode the method further including the step of:a) providing a chilling effect to said fluid using the thermal storage means, at least during initial changeover from vapour compression cooling mode to natural cooling mode.
- The method of claim 10 wherein the chilled fluid provides a cooling medium for a region to be cooled.
- The method of claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the thermal storage means is i) cooled by the chilled fluid in vapour compression cooling mode and ii) chills the fluid during changeover to natural cooling mode.
- The method of claim 10, 11 or 12 in which, in the natural cooling mode, the refrigerant circulates without any mechanical circulation.
- The method of any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein operation in vapour compression cooling mode is at full capacity irrespective of cooling load, any excess capacity being utilised to cool the thermal storage means.
- The method of claim 14 wherein the mode of operation changes from i) vapour compression cooling mode to ii) natural cooling mode on the thermal storage means reaching a condition where it cannot be cooled further.
- The method of any one of claims 10 to 15 wherein the thermal storage means absorbs or rejects heat at substantially constant temperature.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9318385 | 1993-09-04 | ||
| GB939318385A GB9318385D0 (en) | 1993-09-04 | 1993-09-04 | Improvements in and relating to refrigeration method and apparatus |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| EP0641978A1 EP0641978A1 (en) | 1995-03-08 |
| EP0641978B1 true EP0641978B1 (en) | 1998-01-07 |
Family
ID=10741530
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP94306390A Expired - Lifetime EP0641978B1 (en) | 1993-09-04 | 1994-08-31 | Refrigeration apparatus and method |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0641978B1 (en) |
| DE (2) | DE69407699T2 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK0641978T3 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB9318385D0 (en) |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8181470B2 (en) | 2008-02-15 | 2012-05-22 | Ice Energy, Inc. | Thermal energy storage and cooling system utilizing multiple refrigerant and cooling loops with a common evaporator coil |
| US8505313B2 (en) | 2004-08-18 | 2013-08-13 | Ice Energy Holdings, Inc. | Thermal energy storage and cooling system with secondary refrigerant isolation |
| US8528345B2 (en) | 2003-10-15 | 2013-09-10 | Ice Energy, Inc. | Managed virtual power plant utilizing aggregated storage |
| US9203239B2 (en) | 2011-05-26 | 2015-12-01 | Greener-Ice Spv, L.L.C. | System and method for improving grid efficiency utilizing statistical distribution control |
| US9212834B2 (en) | 2011-06-17 | 2015-12-15 | Greener-Ice Spv, L.L.C. | System and method for liquid-suction heat exchange thermal energy storage |
Families Citing this family (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB0314803D0 (en) | 2003-06-25 | 2003-07-30 | Star Refrigeration | Improved cooling system |
| US7854129B2 (en) | 2003-10-15 | 2010-12-21 | Ice Energy, Inc. | Refrigeration apparatus |
| MX362173B (en) | 2004-04-22 | 2019-01-07 | Ice Energy Holdings Inc | A mixed-phase regulator for managing coolant in a refrigerant based high efficiency energy storage and cooling system. |
| KR101236121B1 (en) | 2004-05-25 | 2013-02-21 | 아이스 에너지 홀딩스, 인크. | Refrigerant-based thermal energy storage and cooling system with enhanced heat exchange capability |
| US7421846B2 (en) | 2004-08-18 | 2008-09-09 | Ice Energy, Inc. | Thermal energy storage and cooling system with gravity fed secondary refrigerant isolation |
| BR112012030204B1 (en) | 2010-05-27 | 2020-11-10 | Johnson Controls Technology Company | cooling system and method for operating the cooling system |
| DE102010025504A1 (en) * | 2010-06-29 | 2011-12-29 | Blz Geotechnik Gmbh | Method for generation of heat or cold using refrigerating machine for internal combustion engine of vehicle, involves preheating pre-vaporized refrigerant in closed spaces, and compressing refrigerant by heat input |
| WO2015081997A1 (en) | 2013-12-04 | 2015-06-11 | Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag | Refrigeration system |
Family Cites Families (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB440306A (en) * | 1935-04-23 | 1935-12-24 | J & E Hall Ltd | Improvements in refrigerating systems for cooling perishable goods in ships' holds |
| US2244312A (en) * | 1938-03-31 | 1941-06-03 | Honeywell Regulator Co | Refrigeration system |
| GB615037A (en) * | 1945-01-05 | 1948-12-31 | Georges Jean Henri Trepaud | Improvements in and relating to liquid circuit refrigerating plants with cold accumulator reservoir |
| US2512576A (en) * | 1947-10-29 | 1950-06-20 | Mojonnier Bros Co Inc | Refrigerating method and apparatus |
| US3744264A (en) * | 1972-03-28 | 1973-07-10 | Trane Co | Refrigeration apparatus and method of operating for powered and non-powered cooling modes |
| US4295342A (en) * | 1977-10-27 | 1981-10-20 | James Parro | Heat exchange method using natural flow of heat exchange medium |
| US4283925A (en) * | 1979-11-15 | 1981-08-18 | Robert Wildfeuer | System for cooling |
| US4518514A (en) * | 1982-04-16 | 1985-05-21 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Heat storage material |
| US4565069A (en) * | 1984-11-05 | 1986-01-21 | Maccracken Calvin D | Method of cyclic air conditioning with cogeneration of ice |
| US4720984A (en) * | 1986-05-23 | 1988-01-26 | Transphase Systems, Inc. | Apparatus for storing cooling capacity |
| US5211029A (en) * | 1991-05-28 | 1993-05-18 | Lennox Industries Inc. | Combined multi-modal air conditioning apparatus and negative energy storage system |
| US6004662A (en) * | 1992-07-14 | 1999-12-21 | Buckley; Theresa M. | Flexible composite material with phase change thermal storage |
-
1993
- 1993-09-04 GB GB939318385A patent/GB9318385D0/en active Pending
-
1994
- 1994-08-31 DK DK94306390T patent/DK0641978T3/en active
- 1994-08-31 EP EP94306390A patent/EP0641978B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-08-31 DE DE69407699T patent/DE69407699T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1994-08-31 DE DE0641978T patent/DE641978T1/en active Pending
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8528345B2 (en) | 2003-10-15 | 2013-09-10 | Ice Energy, Inc. | Managed virtual power plant utilizing aggregated storage |
| US8505313B2 (en) | 2004-08-18 | 2013-08-13 | Ice Energy Holdings, Inc. | Thermal energy storage and cooling system with secondary refrigerant isolation |
| US8707723B2 (en) | 2004-08-18 | 2014-04-29 | Ice Energy Holdings, Inc. | Multiple refrigerant thermal energy storage and cooling system with secondary refrigerant isolation |
| US8181470B2 (en) | 2008-02-15 | 2012-05-22 | Ice Energy, Inc. | Thermal energy storage and cooling system utilizing multiple refrigerant and cooling loops with a common evaporator coil |
| US9203239B2 (en) | 2011-05-26 | 2015-12-01 | Greener-Ice Spv, L.L.C. | System and method for improving grid efficiency utilizing statistical distribution control |
| US9212834B2 (en) | 2011-06-17 | 2015-12-15 | Greener-Ice Spv, L.L.C. | System and method for liquid-suction heat exchange thermal energy storage |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0641978A1 (en) | 1995-03-08 |
| GB9318385D0 (en) | 1993-10-20 |
| DE69407699D1 (en) | 1998-02-12 |
| DE641978T1 (en) | 1995-10-12 |
| DE69407699T2 (en) | 1998-08-27 |
| DK0641978T3 (en) | 1998-09-07 |
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Legal Events
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| PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
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| AK | Designated contracting states |
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| 17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19950124 |
|
| EL | Fr: translation of claims filed | ||
| TCNL | Nl: translation of patent claims filed | ||
| DET | De: translation of patent claims | ||
| 17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 19960416 |
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