Patent ID: 7886549
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: F25B,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A refrigeration system comprising: (a) a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, an air-cooled condenser, a water-cooled condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator are connected and through which a refrigerant is circulated to operate a refrigeration cycle and (b) an air-cooled condenser fan for supplying air to the air-cooled condenser, the refrigeration system being so configured as to operate selectively either (i) in an air-cooled operation mode in which the refrigerant is passed through the air-cooled condenser in a state with the air-cooled condenser fan turned on and through the water-cooled condenser in a state with a supply of cooling water stopped, or (ii) in a water-cooled operation mode in which the refrigerant is passed through the air-cooled condenser in a state with the air-cooled condenser fan turned off and through the water-cooled condenser in a state with the supply of cooling water provided, the degree of opening of the electronic expansion valve either being regulated in response to the degree of superheat of the refrigerant leaving the evaporator or being forcibly decreased if the high pressure of the refrigerant circuit becomes higher than a specified pressure, wherein the refrigeration system includes controller means which turns on the air-cooled condenser fan if it is determined during the water-cooled operation mode that the amount of circulation of the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit is in short supply.