Patent ID: 7571622

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a first heat exchange apparatus; a second heat exchange apparatus; a first flow path between the first and second heat exchange apparatus; a compressor in the first flow path; a second flow path between the first and second heat exchange apparatus; a buffer/desiccant unit in the second flow path in series with the first and second heat exchange apparatus wherein the buffer/desiccant unit comprises: a shell having first and second ports; a foraminate conduit at least partially within the shell; and a desiccant at least partially surrounding a first portion of the conduit; and one or more valves positioned to switch the apparatus between: a first mode in which refrigerant flows from the second heat exchange apparatus to the first heat exchange apparatus along the second flow path, a flow of the refrigerant along the second flow path enters the first port and splitting with: a first flow portion passing through the desiccant and then through the conduit first portion to an interior of the conduit and then out the second port; and a second flow portion bypassing the desiccant and passing through a second portion of the conduit to the interior of the conduit and then out the second port; and a second mode in which refrigerant flows from the first heat exchange apparatus to the second heat exchange apparatus along the second flow path, a flow of the refrigerant along the second flow path enters the second port and splitting with: a first flow portion passing through the conduit first portion and then through the desiccant and then out the first port; and a second flow portion bypassing the desiccant and passing through the second portion of the conduit and then out the first port.