REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WITH PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL

A refrigerant system includes a vapor/compression refrigerant circulation loop (100) comprising a compressor (110), a refrigerant side of a heat exchanger condenser (120), an expansion device (130), and a refrigerant side of a heat exchanger evaporator (140), connected by conduit (143,115,125,135) in a closed circulation loop having refrigerant disposed therein. The refrigerant system also includes a flow path(145) for a conditioned fluid across a conditioned fluid side of the heat exchanger evaporator and/or a conditioned fluid side of the heat exchanger condenser. During operation, this flow path can provide thermal communication between the refrigerant and the conditioned fluid. The refrigerant system also includes a phase change material (PCM), a thermal flow path between the fluid and the PCM, which provides thermal communication between the fluid and the PCM, and a thermal flow path between the refrigerant and the PCM, which provides thermal communication between the refrigerant and the PCM.