Refrigerant vapor compression system with intercooler

Abstract

A refrigerant vapor compression system includes a compression device having at least a first compression stage and a second compression stage arranged in series refrigerant flow relationship; a first refrigerant heat rejecting heat exchanger disposed downstream with respect to refrigerant flow of the second compression stage for passing the refrigerant in heat exchange relationship with a first secondary fluid; a second refrigerant heat rejecting heat exchanger disposed downstream with respect to refrigerant flow of the first refrigerant heat rejecting heat exchanger for passing the refrigerant in heat exchange relationship with a second secondary fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerant vapor compression system comprising:
 a compression device having at least a first compression stage and a second compression stage arranged in series refrigerant flow relationship;   a first refrigerant heat rejecting heat exchanger disposed downstream with respect to refrigerant flow of the second compression stage for passing the refrigerant in heat exchange relationship with a first secondary fluid;   a second refrigerant heat rejecting heat exchanger disposed downstream with respect to refrigerant flow of the first refrigerant heat rejecting heat exchanger for passing the refrigerant in heat exchange relationship with a second secondary fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant vapor compression system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first refrigerant heat rejection heat exchanger operates at least in part at a refrigerant pressure and refrigerant temperature in excess of a critical point of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant vapor compression system as recited in  claim 2  wherein the refrigerant comprises carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant vapor compression system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first secondary fluid comprises air and the secondary fluid comprises at least one of water and glycol. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant vapor compression system as recited in  claim 4  further comprising at least one fan operatively associated with the first refrigerant heat rejection heat exchanger for moving the flow of air through the first refrigerant heat rejection heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerant vapor compression system as recited in  claim 4  further comprising a pump operatively associated with the second refrigerant heat rejection heat exchanger for moving the flow of the second secondary fluid through the second refrigerant heat rejection heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . A refrigerated container for use in transporting perishable goods including a refrigeration system incorporating the refrigeration vapor compression system as recited in  claim 1 .