Patent ID: 7237405

Claim:
A refrigeration apparatus comprising; a heat source-side unit having a compression mechanism and a heat source-side heat exchanger; a first utilization-side unit having a first utilization-side heat exchanger; a second utilization-side unit having a second utilization-side heat exchanger; a first liquid-side communication line and a first gas-side communication line which are for establishing connection between said heat source-side unit and said first utilization-side unit; and a second liquid-side communication line and a second gas-side communication line which are for establishing connection between said heat source-side unit and said second utilization-side unit, wherein: said first liquid-side communication line is composed of a main flow pipe which is joined to a liquid pipe connected to said heat source-side heat exchanger, and a first branch pipe which branches off from said main flow pipe and is connected to said first utilization-side heat exchanger; said second liquid-side communication line is composed of said main flow pipe, and a second branch pipe which branches off from said main flow pipe and is connected to said second utilization-side heat exchanger; and a liquid seal mechanism is provided which is configured to maintain a side short of an expansion mechanism provided between said second utilization-side heat exchanger and said first utilization-side heat exchanger in a full liquid state in an operation mode during which refrigerant flows, in sequence, through said compression mechanism, said second gas-side communication line, said second utilization-side heat exchanger, said second branch pipe, said first branch pipe, said first utilization-side heat exchanger, and said first gas-side communication line.