Auxiliary thermal interface to cooling/heating systems

Claim 1

In an improved process for conditioning a second thermal exchange medium utilizing a compressor based refrigerant cycle wherein refrigerant vapor is compressed, the compressed refrigerant vapor is passed through a first thermal exchanger functioning as a condenser in thermal exchange relation to a first thermal exchange medium cooling and condensing said vapor to a liquid at relatively high temperature and pressure and warming said first thermal exchange medium, the liquid refrigerant is then passed through throttling means, and subsequently is passed through a second thermal exchanger functioning as an evaporator in thermal exchange relation to said second thermal exchange medium, said liquid refrigerant being warmed and vaporized at a relatively low temperature and pressure producing a cooling effect to said second thermal exchange medium, the improvement comprising: passing said refrigerant vapor from said second thermal exchanger of said compressor based refrigerant cycle to a third thermal exchanger functioning as a condenser in thermal exchange relation to a third thermal exchange medium, said third thermal exchange medium supplied to said third thermal exchanger at a temperature to cause cooling and condensing at least a portion of said refrigerant vapor to refrigerant liquid; and passing said condensed refrigerant liquid to said second thermal exchanger.