Refrigeration system with phase change material

Abstract

A refrigerant system includes a vapor/compression refrigerant circulation loop ( 100 ) comprising a compressor ( 110 ), a refrigerant side of a heat exchanger condenser ( 120 ), an expansion device ( 130 ), and a refrigerant side of a heat exchanger evaporator ( 140 ), connected by conduit ( 143,115,125,135 ) in a closed circulation loop having refrigerant disposed therein. The refrigerant system also includes a flow path( 145 ) for a conditioned fluid across a conditioned fluid side of the heat exchanger evaporator and/or a conditioned fluid side of the heat exchanger condenser. During operation, this flow path can provide thermal communication between the refrigerant and the conditioned fluid. The refrigerant system also includes a phase change material (PCM), a thermal flow path between the fluid and the PCM, which provides thermal communication between the fluid and the PCM, and a thermal flow path between the refrigerant and the PCM, which provides thermal communication between the refrigerant and the PCM.

1 . A refrigeration system for cooling a fluid, comprising:
 a vapor/compression refrigerant circulation loop comprising a compressor, a refrigerant side of a heat exchanger condenser, an expansion device, and a refrigerant side of a heat exchanger evaporator, connected by conduit in a closed circulation loop having refrigerant disposed therein;   a fluid flow path for said fluid through or across the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser, which provides thermal communication between the fluid and the refrigerant;   a phase change material;   a thermal flow path between the fluid and the phase change material, which provides thermal communication between the fluid and the phase change material; and   a thermal flow path between the refrigerant and the phase change material, which provides thermal communication between the refrigerant and the phase change material; and         
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is air. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is liquid water. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant system of any of  claims 14 , wherein the phase change material comprises water. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant system of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises a paraffin wax and/or a fatty acid. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerant system of  claim 1 , further comprising a PCM receptacle that contains a PCM fluid that comprises or is in thermal communication with the phase change material. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerant system of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal flow path between the refrigerant and the PCM fluid comprises a thermally conductive material connecting the PCM receptacle and the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerant system of  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser and the PCM receptacle are disposed within a housing through which the fluid flow path is directed through or across the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser and the PCM receptacle 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerant system of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger evaporator comprises a plurality of refrigerant tubes disposed in the flow path of the fluid within the housing, the PCM receptacle comprises a plurality of tubes disposed in the flow path of the fluid within the housing, and the thermal flow path between the refrigerant and the PCM fluid comprises a plurality of fins in contact with both the refrigerant tubes and the PCM receptacle tubes. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerant system of  claim 6 , wherein the phase change material is statically contained in the PCM receptacle. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerant system of  claim 6 , further comprising a reservoir that comprises a phase change material, remote from the PCM receptacle, and a circulatory conduit for PCM fluid between the PCM receptacle and the reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerant system of  claim 11 , further comprising a circulatory conduit for PCM fluid between the reservoir and the heat exchanger condenser or the heat exchanger evaporator, which provides thermal communication between the refrigerant and the phase change material. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerant system of  claim 1 , wherein the PCM fluid comprises a phase change material encapsulated in a slurry of capsules dispersed in a heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating the refrigerant system of  claim 1 , comprising operating the vapor/compression refrigerant circulation loop while simultaneously flowing the fluid through or across the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser while simultaneously flowing the fluid across the PCM receptacle. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operating the refrigerant system of  claim 11 , comprising operating the vapor/compression refrigerant circulation loop while simultaneously flowing the fluid through or across the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser, flowing the fluid across the PCM receptacle, and circulating PCM fluid between the PCM receptacle and the reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid flows through or across the heat exchanger evaporator. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating the refrigerant system of  claim 12 , comprising operating the vapor/compression refrigerant circulation loop while simultaneously flowing the fluid through or across the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser, flowing the fluid across the PCM receptacle, circulating PCM fluid between the PCM receptacle and the reservoir, and circulating PCM fluid between the reservoir and the heat exchanger evaporator or the heat exchanger condenser. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fluid flows through or across the heat exchanger evaporator and the PCM fluid circulates between the reservoir and the PCM fluid circulates between the reservoir and the heat exchanger condenser and between the reservoir and the PCM receptacle.