Patent ID: 9733000
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: F25B

Claim:
1. A refrigeration apparatus comprising: a compressor; a heat source-side heat exchanger; a receiver; a utilization-side heat exchanger; a receiver degassing pipe interconnecting an upper portion of the receiver and a suction side of the compressor, the receiver degassing pipe being arranged and configured to guide gaseous refrigerant from the receiver to the suction side of the compressor, a first open end of the receiver degassing pipe being arranged inside the receiver at a first height position; a receiver liquid level detection pipe connected to the receiver with a second open end of the receiver liquid level detection pipe being arranged inside the receiver at a second height position lower than the first height position, another end of the receiver liquid level detection pipe-merging with the receiver degassing pipe, the receiver liquid level detection pipe including a capillary tube; a refrigerant heater arranged on the receiver degassing pipe at a position between where the receiver liquid level detection pipe merges with the receiver degassing pipe and where the receiver degassing pipe connects to the suction side of the compressor, the refrigerant heater being provided to heat refrigerant flowing through the receiver degassing pipe; a temperature sensor arranged and configured to detect a temperature of refrigerant flowing through the receiver degassing pipe at a position between the refrigerant heater and the suction side of the compressor; and a controller programmed to detect whether or not a liquid level in the receiver has reached the second height position using the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.