Refrigerant circuit

Abstract

The invention includes a refrigerant circuit for a cooling operation and a heat pump operation. The refrigerant circuit has a high pressure area and a low pressure area, including at least one heat source/heat sink, a compressor, an expansion device, at least one thermal interior space module, and an internal heat exchanger. The internal heat exchanger has a high pressure side part and a low pressure side part, wherein the high pressure side part is disposed between the expansion device and the heat source/heat sink. The invention also includes at least one metering device through which the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger is operable during the heat pump operation at a medium pressure level intermediate a pressure level in the high pressure area and a pressure level in the low pressure area of the refrigerant circuit.

1 . A refrigerant circuit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   an internal heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor to receive the refrigerant therein, the internal heat exchanger including a high pressure side part and a low pressure side part, wherein the high pressure side part is in fluid communication with at least one additional heat exchanger; and   at least one metering device configured to control a pressure level of the refrigerant, the at least one metering device in fluid communication with the internal heat exchanger, wherein the at least one metering device permits the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger to receive the refrigerant during a heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit between a pressure level at which the refrigerant exits the compressor and a pressure level at which the refrigerant enters the compressor.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger is in fluid communication with an expansion device. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one metering device is configured to decrease the pressure level of the refrigerant during the heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit and maintain the pressure level of the refrigerant during a cooling operation thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one metering device is at least one of a damper, a conduit, and a controllable expansion device. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the conduit has a cross-section which facilitates a decrease in the pressure level of the refrigerant during the heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit and maintains the pressure level of the refrigerant during a cooling operation thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger during the heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit is upstream of the at least one metering device. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional heat exchanger is at least one of a condenser/gas cooler and a glycol heat exchanger/chiller. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a refrigerant storage area disposed between the internal heat exchanger and the at least one additional heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant storage area during the heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit is downstream of the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional heat exchanger is operable with at least one of water, air, exhaust gas, electronics, heat storage, solar heat, and solar energy. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerant circuit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   an internal heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor to receive the refrigerant therein, the internal heat exchanger including a high pressure side part and a low pressure side part, wherein the high pressure side part is in fluid communication with a condenser/gas cooler and a heat exchanger/chiller; and   at least one controllable expansion device configured to control a pressure level of the refrigerant, the at least one controllable expansion device in fluid communication with the internal heat exchanger, wherein the at least one controllable expansion device permits the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger to receive the refrigerant during a heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit between a pressure level at which the refrigerant exits the compressor and a pressure level at which the refrigerant enters the compressor.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger is in fluid communication with an additional expansion device. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one controllable expansion device is configured to decrease the pressure level of the refrigerant during the heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit and maintain the pressure level of the refrigerant during a cooling operation thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger during the heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit is upstream of the at least one controllable expansion device. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one controllable expansion device is disposed between the internal heat exchanger and at least one of the condenser/gas cooler and the heat exchanger/chiller. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , further comprising a refrigerant storage area disposed between the internal heat exchanger and at least one of the condenser/gas cooler and the heat exchanger/chiller. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the condenser/gas cooler and the heat exchanger/chiller are connected in one of parallel and series. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger/chiller is in heat exchange relationship with a motor refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         19 . A refrigerant circuit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   an internal heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor to receive the refrigerant therein, the internal heat exchanger including a high pressure side part and a low pressure side part, wherein the high pressure side part is in fluid communication with a condenser/gas cooler and a heat exchanger/chiller;   a first controllable expansion device configured to decrease a pressure level of the refrigerant, the first controllable expansion device in fluid communication with the internal heat exchanger and the condenser/gas cooler, wherein the first controllable expansion device permits the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger to receive the refrigerant during a heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit between a pressure level at which the refrigerant exits the compressor and a pressure level at which the refrigerant enters the compressor; and   a second controllable expansion device configured to decrease a pressure level of the refrigerant, the second controllable expansion device in fluid communication with the internal heat exchanger and the heat exchanger/chiller, wherein the second controllable expansion device permits the high pressure side part of the internal heat exchanger to receive the refrigerant during the heat pump operation of the refrigerant circuit between the pressure level at which the refrigerant exits the compressor and the pressure level at which the refrigerant enters the compressor.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerant circuit of  claim 19 , wherein the second controllable expansion device and the first controllable expansion device can be operated at least one of individually, alternatingly, synchronously, and any combination thereof.