Patent ID: 8327661

Claim:
A refrigeration apparatus which uses a refrigerant that operates in a region including critical processes, the refrigeration apparatus comprising: a compression mechanism including a first compressor having a first low-pressure compression element configured and arranged to increase pressure of the refrigerant and a first high-pressure compression element configured and arranged to increase pressure of the refrigerant more than the first low-pressure compression element, and a second compressor having a second low-pressure compression element configured and arranged to increase pressure of the refrigerant and a second high-pressure compression element configured and arranged to increase pressure of the refrigerant more than the second low-pressure compression element; a heat-source-side heat exchanger configured and arranged to function as a heater or a cooler of the refrigerant; an expansion mechanism configured and arranged to decompress the refrigerant; a utilization-side heat exchanger configured and arranged to function as a heater or cooler of the refrigerant; an intercooler configured and arranged to cool the refrigerant that passes therethrough; and an intermediate refrigerant pipe configured and arranged to cause refrigerant discharged from the first low-pressure compression element and the refrigerant discharged from the second low-pressure compression element to be sucked into the first high-pressure compression element and the second high-pressure compression element via the intercooler, the intake side of the second low-pressure compression element and the intake side of the first low-pressure compression element being connected; and the discharge side of the second high-pressure compression element and the discharge side of the first high-pressure compression element merging together.