Patent ID: 7299640
Filing Date: 2007-11-27
Classification: F25B

Abstract:
1. A refrigeration system, comprising: two or more refrigeration stages, at least one of which is a warmer stage than the remaining stages, which are colder; wherein at least one of the warmer stages includes a refrigeration member, wherein gas flowing from the refrigeration member is divided into two sub-flows and cooled, one sub-flow being directed to a follow-on refrigeration stage for further cooling and the other sub-floor being diverted to an expander which absorbs mechanical power therefrom, reducing the temperature of the other sub-flow, the other sub-flow compensating for thermal leakage within the refrigeration member and components thereof in the at least one warmer stage that would otherwise leak to the colder stage(s), wherein the temperature of the one sub-flow at the division of the two sub-flows is approximately the geometric mean temperature between the temperature of cooling load component(s) at a colder stage and the temperature of heat accepting component(s) to which heat is rejected at the warmer stage.