Refrigeration systems and methods related thereto

Abstract

Systems and processes for compressing a refrigerant in a refrigeration system are described. An exemplar system of compressing a refrigerant includes (i) an energy source for energizing refrigerant condensate in an intermediate state to produce refrigerant in a first state; (ii) a pre-mixing mechanism designed to evacuate refrigerant in a second state using a force applied by refrigerant in the first state to produce exhaust refrigerant in the first state and exhaust refrigerant in the second state; (iii) a mixing line for mixing exhaust refrigerant in the first state and exhaust refrigerant in the second state to produce exhaust refrigerant in an intermediate state, and wherein the mixing line is coupled, at a receiving end, to condenser for treating exhaust refrigerant in intermediate state to produce refrigerant condensate in the intermediate state; and (iv) a condensate line for conveying a portion of refrigerant condensate in an intermediate state from condenser to the energy source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pre-mixing mechanism comprising:
 a complementary chamber;   an actuating chamber that is separate from said complementary chamber;   a complementary chamber input line for receiving and conveying gas and/or vapor resulting from evaporation to said complementary chamber and that comprises a first complementary chamber inlet and a second complementary chamber inlet, and wherein each of said first and said second complementary chamber inlets is designed to convey gas and/or vapor to two different or opposite ends of said complementary chamber;   a complementary piston for evacuating said gas and/or said vapor inside said complementary chamber to produce exhaust gas and/or exhaust vapor;   a complementary chamber output line for directing exhaust gas and/or exhaust vapor from complementary chamber towards a mixing line and that comprises a first complementary chamber outlet and a second complementary chamber outlet, and wherein each of said first and said second complementary chamber outlets is designed to remove gas and/or vapor from two different or opposite ends of said complementary chamber;   an actuating chamber input line for receiving and conveying gas and/or vapor resulting from heating to said actuating chamber and that comprises a first actuating chamber inlet and a second actuating chamber inlet, and wherein each of said first and said second actuating chamber inlets is designed to convey gas and/or vapor to two different or opposite ends of said actuating chamber;   an actuating piston for evacuating said gas and/or said vapor inside said actuating chamber to   produce exhaust gas and/or exhaust vapor;   an actuating chamber output line for directing exhaust gas and/or exhaust vapor from actuating chamber towards said mixing line and that comprises a first actuating chamber outlet and a second actuating chamber outlet, and wherein each of said first and said second actuating chamber outlets is designed to remove gas and/or vapor from two different or opposite ends of said actuating chamber; and   wherein said complementary piston and said actuating piston are coupled to allow for movement of said complementary piston and said actuating piston in same direction.   
     
     
         2 . The pre-mixing mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein said complementary chamber is part of a cooling load controller. 
     
     
         3 . The pre-mixing mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein said complementary chamber input line receives and conveys gas and/or vapor resulting from an evaporator serving a cooling load. 
     
     
         4 . The pre-mixing mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein vapor or gas entering through said first actuating chamber inlet, disposed at a first end of said actuating chamber, pushes said actuating piston away from said first end and evacuates vapor and/or gas inside said actuating chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The pre-mixing mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein movement of said actuating piston in a direction away from said first end also allows movement of said complementary piston in said direction and evacuates vapor and/or gas inside said complementary chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The pre-mixing mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein vapor or gas entering through said second actuating chamber inlet, disposed at a second end of said actuating chamber, pushes said actuating piston away from said second end and evacuates vapor and/or gas inside said actuating chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The pre-mixing mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein movement of said actuating piston in a direction away from said second end also allows movement of said complementary piston in said direction and evacuates vapor and/or gas inside said complementary chamber. 
     
     
         8 . A cooling load controller comprising:
 an energy source for energizing refrigerant condensate in an intermediate state to produce refrigerant in a first state;   a pre-mixing mechanism designed to evacuate refrigerant in a second state using a force applied by refrigerant in said first state to produce exhaust refrigerant in said first state and exhaust refrigerant in said second state, and wherein said pre-mixing mechanism is coupled, on an inlet side of said pre-mixing mechanism, to said energy source and coupled, on an outlet side, to two or more outlets, at least one of which is designed to dispense exhaust energized refrigerant in said first state and at least another of which is designed to dispense exhaust refrigerant in said second state;   a mixing line for mixing exhaust refrigerant in said first state and exhaust refrigerant in said second state to produce exhaust refrigerant in an intermediate state, and wherein said mixing line is coupled, at a receiving end, to said outlets of said pre-mixing mechanism and is configured to be coupled, at a dispensing end, to condenser for treating exhaust refrigerant in intermediate state to produce refrigerant condensate in said intermediate state; and   a condensate line for conveying a portion of refrigerant condensate in an intermediate state from condenser to said energy source.   
     
     
         9 . The cooling load controller of  claim 8 , wherein refrigerant in said first state is a high-pressure refrigerant and refrigerant in said second state is a low-pressure refrigerant and said high-pressure refrigerant has a pressure that is higher than said low-pressure refrigerant. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling load controller of  claim 8 , where in refrigerant of said intermediate state is an intermediate pressure refrigerant that has a higher pressure than said low-pressure refrigerant and has a lower pressure than said high-pressure refrigerant. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling load controller of  claim 8 , wherein said energy source is a solar panel capable of energizing refrigerant condensate in said intermediate state to produce refrigerant in said first state. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling load controller of  claim 8 , further comprising a high-pressure intake valve disposed between said energy source and said pre-mixing mechanism and that is designed to regulate pressure of refrigerant of said first type before pre-mixing mechanism receives refrigerant of said first type. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling load controller of  claim 8 , further comprising a regulator valve disposed between condenser and said energy source and designed to regulate volume of refrigerant condensate in said intermediate state conveyed to said energy source. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling load controller of  claim 8 , further comprising a liquid injection pump that is disposed on said condensate line for pumping refrigerant condensate in said intermediate state from condenser to said energy source. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling load controller of  claim 14 , further comprising a pneumatic pump coupled to and drives said liquid injection pump. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling load controller of  claim 8 , further comprising a high-pressure bypass line disposed between said energy source and said mixing line such that high-pressure bypass line is capable of conveying energized refrigerant in said first state from said energy source to said mixing line. 
     
     
         17 . The cooling load controller of  claim 16 , further comprising a pressure intake valve disposed on said high-pressure bypass line and designed to regulate pressure of said energized refrigerant in said first state. 
     
     
         18 . The cooling load controller of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a recirculating line for conveying said refrigerant in said first state from one or more of said outlets of said pre-mixing mechanism to said condensate line, and wherein said pre-mixing mechanism includes an actuating chamber that has said outlet for dispensing said refrigerant in said first state; and   
       a valve for allowing or prevent flow of said refrigerant in said first state from said one or more of said outlets of said actuating chamber to said condensate line. 
     
     
         19 . The cooling load controller of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a condenser for condensing exhaust refrigerant in said intermediate state to produce refrigerant condensate in said intermediate state;   an expansion valve coupled, at one end, to said condenser and designed to reduce pressure of said refrigerant condensate from said intermediate state to said second state and produce refrigerant liquid in said second state;   an evaporator coupled to the other end of said expansion valve and designed to increase temperature of refrigerant liquid in said second state and produce refrigerant in said second state.   
     
     
         20 . A process of continuous mixing, said process comprising:
 receiving, at an actuating chamber, a gas and/or a vapor in a first state resulting from heating;   receiving, at a complementary chamber, said gas and/or said vapor in a second state resulting from evaporation;   forcing an actuating piston, using said gas and/or said vapor in said first state, disposed inside said actuating chamber to be displaced inside said actuating chamber and thereby evacuating said gas and/or said vapor in said first state present inside said actuating chamber to produce an exhaust gas in said first state and/or an exhaust vapor in said first state;   forcing a complementary piston, that is coupled to said actuating piston and that is disposed inside said complementary chamber, to be displaced inside said complementary chamber and thereby evacuating said gas and/or said vapor in said second state present inside said complementary chamber to produce an exhaust gas in said second state and/or an exhaust vapor in said second state; and   mixing, in a mixing line, said exhaust gas in said first state and/or said exhaust vapor in said first state with said exhaust gas in said second state and/or said exhaust vapor in said second state to produce said gas in an intermediate state and/or said vapor in said intermediate state.   
     
     
         21 . The process of continuous mixing of  claim 20 , wherein said receiving at said actuating chamber comprises:
 performing a first cycle that includes receiving said gas and/or said vapor in said first state at a first actuating chamber inlet;   carrying out a second cycle that includes receiving said gas and/or said vapor in said first state at a second actuating chamber inlet; and   wherein said carrying out said second cycle is implemented after said performing said first cycle.   
     
     
         22 . The process of continuous mixing of  claim 21 , wherein said receiving at said complementary chamber comprises:
 receiving said gas and/or said vapor in said second state, during said first cycle, at a first complementary chamber inlet;   receiving said gas and/or said vapor in said second state, during said second cycle, at a second complementary chamber inlet; and   wherein said receiving during said second cycle is implemented after carrying out said receiving during said first cycle.   
     
     
         23 . The process of continuous mixing of  claim 22 , wherein said forcing said actuating piston comprises:
 removing, during said first cycle and using a second actuating chamber outlet, said exhaust gas in said first state and/or said exhaust vapor in said first state from said actuating chamber;   removing, during said second cycle and using a first actuating chamber outlet, said exhaust gas in said first state and/or said exhaust vapor in said first state from said actuating chamber.   
     
     
         24 . The process of continuous mixing of  claim 23 , wherein said forcing said complementary piston comprises:
 removing, during said first cycle and using a second complementary chamber outlet, said exhaust gas in said second state and/or said exhaust vapor in said second state from said complementary chamber;   removing, during said second cycle and using a first complementary chamber outlet, said exhaust gas in said second state and/or said exhaust vapor in said second state from said complementary chamber.   
     
     
         25 . The process of continuous mixing of  claim 24 , wherein said mixing in said mixing line comprises:
 mixing, during said first cycle, said exhaust gas in said first state and/or said exhaust vapor in said first state exiting from said second actuating chamber outlet and said exhaust gas in said second state and/or said exhaust vapor in said second state from said second complementary chamber outlet to form a first exhaust gas and/or vapor in said intermediate state; and   mixing, during said second cycle, exhaust said exhaust gas in said first state and/or said exhaust vapor in said first state exiting from said first actuating chamber outlet and said exhaust gas in said second state and/or said exhaust vapor in said second state exiting from said first complementary chamber outlet to form a second exhaust gas and/or vapor in said intermediate state.   
     
     
         26 . A process for controlling cooling loads, said process comprising:
 energizing, using an energy source, a refrigerant in an intermediate state to produce a refrigerant in a first state;   introducing said refrigerant in said first state into a pre-mixing mechanism, which contains a refrigerant in a second state that is circling in a refrigeration cycle;   evacuating in a first cycle, using said pre-mixing mechanism, said refrigerant in said second state using a force applied by said refrigerant in said first state to produce an exhaust refrigerant in said first state and said exhaust refrigerant in said second state, and wherein said pre-mixing mechanism is coupled, on an input side of said pre-mixing mechanism, to said energy source and coupled, on an output side, to two or more outlets, at least one of which is designed to dispense exhaust refrigerant in said first state and at least another of which is designed to dispense exhaust refrigerant in said second state;   mixing, using a mixing line, said exhaust refrigerant in said first state and said exhaust refrigerant in said second state to produce said exhaust refrigerant in an intermediate state, and wherein said mixing line is coupled, at a receiving end, to said outlets of said pre-mixing mechanism and is configured to be coupled, at a dispensing end, to condenser for treating said exhaust refrigerant in said intermediate state to produce a refrigerant condensate in said intermediate state; and   conveying, using a condensate line, a portion of said refrigerant condensate in said intermediate state from condenser to said energy source.   
     
     
         27 . The process for controlling cooling loads of  claim 26 , wherein a pressure of each of said exhaust refrigerant in said first state and said exhaust refrigerant in said second state equalizes such that each of said exhaust refrigerant in said first state and said exhaust refrigerant in said second state are at an intermediate pressure, which is larger than a pressure of said refrigerant of said second state and less than a pressure of said refrigerant of said first state. 
     
     
         28 . The process for controlling cooling loads of  claim 26 , wherein in said mixing, said exhaust refrigerant in said intermediate state is at an intermediate temperature value between a temperature of said exhaust refrigerant in said first state and a temperature of said exhaust refrigerant in said second state. 
     
     
         29 . The process for controlling cooling loads of  claim 26 , wherein said pre-mixing mechanism includes a actuating chamber and a complementary chamber, and wherein said introducing includes introducing said refrigerant in said first state into said actuating chamber and said complementary chamber contains said refrigerant in a second state that is circling in a refrigeration cycle, and wherein said evacuating in said first cycle includes evacuating said refrigerant in said second state from said complementary chamber, using a force applied by said refrigerant in said first state in said actuating chamber, to produce an exhaust refrigerant in said first state and said exhaust refrigerant in said second state. 
     
     
         30 . The process for controlling cooling loads of  claim 29 , wherein said input side of said pre-mixing mechanism includes four or more inlets, at least two of which are coupled to said energy source, and a first of said inlets is disposed at or near a first end of said actuating chamber and a second of said inlets is disposed at or near a second end of said actuating chamber, which is opposite to said first end of said actuating chamber,
 wherein at least two of said inlets on said input side of said pre-mixing mechanism are coupled to an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle, and a third of said inlets is disposed at or near a first end of said complementary chamber and a fourth of said inlets is disposed at or near a second end of said complementary chamber, which is opposite to said first end of said complementary chamber, and   further comprising evacuating in a second cycle includes evacuating said refrigerant in said second state from said complementary chamber, using a force applied by said refrigerant in said first state in said actuating chamber, to produce an exhaust refrigerant in said first state and said exhaust refrigerant in said second state, wherein said refrigerant in said second state enters said complementary chamber through said fourth inlet and said refrigerant in said first state entered said actuating chamber through said second inlet.