Patent ID: 9157684
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: F25B,F28B

Abstract:
1. A refrigeration apparatus comprising: an evaporator that retains a refrigerant liquid and that evaporates the refrigerant liquid therein; a condenser that condenses a refrigerant vapor therein and that retains the refrigerant liquid; a vapor channel that directs the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the condenser and that is provided with a compressor; a liquid channel that directs the refrigerant liquid from the condenser to the evaporator; a first circulation path that allows the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator to circulate via a first heat exchanger and that is provided with a first pump at a position upstream from the first heat exchanger; a second circulation path that allows the refrigerant liquid retained in the condenser to circulate via a second heat exchanger and that is provided with a second pump at a position upstream from the second heat exchanger; a first four-way valve that is provided on the first circulation path and the second circulation path and that is switched between a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the refrigerant liquid pumped from the first pump is directed to the first heat exchanger and the refrigerant liquid pumped from the second pump is directed to the second heat exchanger, and the second state being a state in which the refrigerant liquid pumped from the first pump is directed to the second heat exchanger and the refrigerant liquid pumped from the second pump is directed to the first heat exchanger; and a second four-way valve that is provided on the first circulation path and the second circulation path and that is switched between a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the refrigerant liquid flowing from the first heat exchanger is directed to the evaporator and the refrigerant liquid flowing from the second heat exchanger is directed to the condenser, and the second state being a state in which the refrigerant liquid flowing from the first heat exchanger is directed to the condenser and the refrigerant liquid flowing from the second heat exchanger is directed to the evaporator, wherein the first circulation path includes: a first flow path connecting the evaporator and an inlet of the first four-way valve; a second flow path connecting an outlet of the first four-way valve and an inlet of the first heat exchanger; a third flow path connecting an outlet of the first heat exchanger and an inlet of the second four-way valve; and a fourth flow path connecting an outlet of the second four-way valve and the evaporator, the second circulation path includes: a first flow path connecting the condenser and another inlet of the first four-way valve; a second flow path connecting another outlet of the second four-way valve and an inlet of the second heat exchanger; a third flow path connecting an outlet of the second heat exchanger and another inlet of the second four-way valve; and a fourth flow path connecting another outlet of the second four-way valve and the condenser, when the first four-way valve is in the first state and the second four-way valve is in the first state, (i) the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator flows through the first flow path of the first circulation path, the first four-way valve, the second flow path of the first circulation path, the first heat exchanger, the third flow path of the first circulation path, the second four-way valve, and the fourth flow path of the first circulation path in this order, and (ii) the refrigerant liquid retained in the condenser flows through the first flow path of the second circulation path, the first four-way valve, the second flow path of the second circulation path, the second heat exchanger, the third flow path of the second circulation path, the second four-way valve, and the fourth flow path of the second circulation path in this order, and when the first four-way valve is in the second state and the second four-way valve is in the second state, (iii) the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator flows through the first flow path of the first circulation path, the first four-way valve, the second flow path of the second circulation path, the second heat exchanger, the third flow path of the second circulation path, the second four-way valve, and the fourth flow path of the first circulation path in this order, and (iv) the refrigerant liquid retained in the condenser flows through the first flow path of the second circulation path, the first four-way valve, the second flow path of the first circulation path, the first heat exchanger, the third flow path of the first circulation path, the second four-way valve, and the fourth flow path of the second circulation path in this order.