Supercritical refrigeration system

Details Supercritical refrigeration system Supercritical refrigeration system

2002-08-12

2003-07-15

Esquivel, Denise L. (Department: 3744)

Refrigeration

Processes

Employing diverse materials or particular material in...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06591618

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to refrigeration and, more particularly, to the generation of refrigeration using refrigerant fluids which have a lesser environmental impact than do conventional refrigerant fluids.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventional refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons, are being phased out because of their high environmental impact and are being replaced by other more environmentally friendly refrigerant fluids. However, in general, a refrigeration cycle or circuit using such replacement refrigerant fluids consumes significantly more power than one using conventional refrigerants on an equivalent refrigeration basis. This markedly reduces the advantages of using such replacement refrigerants.
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a method for providing refrigeration which can more effectively employ environmentally friendly refrigerant fluids to generate the refrigeration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure, are attained by the present invention which is:
A method for providing refrigeration to a refrigeration load comprising:
(A) providing warm temperature supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid and compressing the warm temperature supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid to be at a higher supercritical pressure;
(B) cooling the higher supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid and expanding the cooled higher supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid to produce cold temperature supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid; and
(C) warming the cold temperature supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid by indirect heat exchange with said cooling higher supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid and by indirect heat exchange with a refrigeration load to produce said warm temperature supercritical pressure refrigerant fluid.
As used herein the term “critical pressure” means the pressure of a fluid at which the liquid and vapor phases can no longer be differentiated. A supercritical pressure fluid is a fluid which is at a pressure which is greater than its critical pressure.
As used herein the term “critical temperature” means the temperature of a fluid above which a distinct liquid phase can no longer be formed regardless of pressure.
As used herein the term “expansion” means to effect a reduction in pressure.
As used herein the term “expansion device” means apparatus for effecting expansion of a fluid.
As used herein the term “compressor” means apparatus for effecting compression of a fluid.
As used herein the term “refrigeration” means the capability to reject heat from a subambient temperature system.
As used herein the term “refrigerant fluid” means a fluid in a refrigeration process which undergoes changes in temperature, pressure and possibly phase to absorb heat at a lower temperature and reject it at a higher temperature.
As used herein the term “indirect heat exchange” means the bringing of fluids into heat exchange relation without any physical contact or intermixing of the fluids with each other.
As used herein the term “refrigeration load” means a fluid or object that requires a reduction in energy, or removal or heat, to lower its temperature or to keep its temperature from rising.


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