Patent ID: 7162878

Claim:
A refrigeration apparatus comprising: a condensing unit comprising a compressor and a condenser; an energy storage unit comprising an insulated tank that contains a storage heat exchanger and at least partially filled with a phase change liquid, said storage heat exchanger further comprising a lower collection header and an upper collection header connected by at least one thermally conductive member; a load heat exchanger; a refrigeration management unit connected to said condensing unit, said energy storage unit and said load heat exchanger; a universal refrigerant management vessel within said refrigeration management unit comprising: an outlet connection that returns refrigerant to said condensing unit; an inlet connection that receives refrigerant from said load heat exchanger, a mixed phase regulator, a combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel, and said upper collection header of said storage heat exchanger; a first bottom port that provides bi-directional flow of refrigerant to a bottom collection header of said storage heat exchanger, said bottom outlet that supplies liquid refrigerant for connection to said load heat exchanger and said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel; a second bottom port that is connected to said combination oil still and refrigerant surge vessel; and, a solenoid valve connected to said universal refrigerant management vessel and said load heat exchanger that regulates supply of refrigerant to said load heat exchanger.