CA1328355C - Refrigerant reclaim method and apparatus - Google Patents
Refrigerant reclaim method and apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA1328355C CA1328355C CA000579857A CA579857A CA1328355C CA 1328355 C CA1328355 C CA 1328355C CA 000579857 A CA000579857 A CA 000579857A CA 579857 A CA579857 A CA 579857A CA 1328355 C CA1328355 C CA 1328355C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- refrigerant
- compressor
- gaseous
- liquid
- tank
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B43/00—Arrangements for separating or purifying gases or liquids; Arrangements for vaporising the residuum of liquid refrigerant, e.g. by heat
- F25B43/02—Arrangements for separating or purifying gases or liquids; Arrangements for vaporising the residuum of liquid refrigerant, e.g. by heat for separating lubricants from the refrigerant
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B45/00—Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B2345/00—Details for charging or discharging refrigerants; Service stations therefor
- F25B2345/002—Collecting refrigerant from a cycle
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Compression-Type Refrigeration Machines With Reversible Cycles (AREA)
- Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
- Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
- Drying Of Gases (AREA)
- Treatment Of Liquids With Adsorbents In General (AREA)
- Vaporization, Distillation, Condensation, Sublimation, And Cold Traps (AREA)
- Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
- Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A refrigerant reclaim system includes a compressor, a heat exchanger, an oil separator, a condenser, a chill tank, a filter-dryer and a cooling coil in the chill tank.
Refrigerant to be reclaimed is drawn through the cold side of the heat exchanger, converted to a gas which is discharged into the oil separator where the gas is directed upwardly in an expanding stream. The flow of the stream is abruptly interrupted to separate oil from refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant is passed from the oil separator through the compressor, the hot side of the heat exchanger, a condenser and into the chill tank in a liquid state. Liquid refrigerant flows from the bottom of the chill tank through a filter-dryer, an expansion device, converting it to gas, through a cooling coil, submerged in liquid refrigerant in the chill tank, into the stream exiting the oil separator and back to the compressor. Controls are provided for shutting down the cold side of the heat exchanger and the oil separator while the chill tank, filter-dryer, cooling coil, compressor and condenser continue to be active.
A refrigerant reclaim system includes a compressor, a heat exchanger, an oil separator, a condenser, a chill tank, a filter-dryer and a cooling coil in the chill tank.
Refrigerant to be reclaimed is drawn through the cold side of the heat exchanger, converted to a gas which is discharged into the oil separator where the gas is directed upwardly in an expanding stream. The flow of the stream is abruptly interrupted to separate oil from refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant is passed from the oil separator through the compressor, the hot side of the heat exchanger, a condenser and into the chill tank in a liquid state. Liquid refrigerant flows from the bottom of the chill tank through a filter-dryer, an expansion device, converting it to gas, through a cooling coil, submerged in liquid refrigerant in the chill tank, into the stream exiting the oil separator and back to the compressor. Controls are provided for shutting down the cold side of the heat exchanger and the oil separator while the chill tank, filter-dryer, cooling coil, compressor and condenser continue to be active.
Description
13283~S
REFRIGERANT RECLAIM METHOD AND APPARATVS
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing refrigerant from a refrigeration system during repairs, confining it so as to avoid its escape to the atmosphere, separating contaminants from the refrigerant and cetucning the refrigerant to the repaired refrigeration system or discharging it to a storage container. The invention is particularly adapted for incorporation in a mobile unit of the general type illustrated in U.S. Patent No.'s 3,232,070 and 4,4~6,68~.
~ackground of the Invention A number of years ago when the refrigeration system in an air conditioner, for example, required cepairs or when the refrigerant, such as those sold under the trademark "Freon", was contaminated sufficiently to affect the 2;effectiveness of refrigeration, it was the standard practice to bleed the refrigerant to the atmosphere. This practice was not only costly, but environmentally unsound.
In more recent times it has been the practice to cemove the refrigecant with means which confines it while 30separating contaminants, liq~efies it and either returns it to the refrigecation system or stores it. Two such reclaim system~ are illustrated in U.S. Patents No.'s 4,476,6a~3 and 4,646,527. Each includes a compressor, the intake side of which draws the refrigerant from the refrigeration system 3;through contaminant removal means into the compressor and discharges the refrigerant into a condenser which liquefies it and discharges it into storage means f rom which it may be retucned to the refrigecation system, if desired.
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Prior art systems of this type have generally not provided truly adequate means for making certain that refrigerant entering the compressor is in a gaseous state, which is necessary to avoid damaging the compressor. Nor do the prior art systems provide means for cooling and controlling the temperature of the liquid refrigerant while it is held or stored in the reclaim system so that the appropriate amount of refrigerant can easily be transferred back to the refrigerator system. Often at the time the refrigeration system of a repaired air conditioner is to be recharged with refrigerant, the gases still within the system are at an elevated temperature resulting in the pressure being high enough that liquid refrigerant at room temperature cannot enter, or can only slowly enter, the system by gravity flow. -When refrigerant in the reclaim system has been cooled to a temperature well below the temperature of gases within a container to be charged, the cooler refriqerant will flow partially into the warmer gas, cooling it in the process and thus reducing the pressure of the gas and the resistance to flow of the refrigerant.
It is known in the prior art to provide means for repeatedly recycling the refrigerant through a standard filter-dryer unit ducing the repair operations, to ensure maximum removal of the acid and water vapor, one such recycling loop being shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,476,688.
Without means to cool the recycling refrigerant, however, its tempecature will inevitably rise and this will reduce the effic~ency of standard filter-dryers and make it much more 3 difficult to discharge the refrigerant directly from the reclaim system back into the repaired refrigeraeion system.
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Summarv of the Invention ~ he present invention provides a method and means for drawing refrigerant from a container, or a refrigeration system to be repaired, heating the refrigerant sufficiently to maintain it in a gaYeous state while it passes through an oil separator into the intake of a compressor. Ccmpressed gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the compressor and passed through a heat exchanger to heat the incoming liquid refrigerant and then passe~ through a condenser where it is liquefied. The liquefied refrigerant is pa6sed from the condenser into a hold tank from the bottom of which liquid refrigerant flows through a filter-dryer and an expansion device for reconverting the liquid refrigerant to gaseous form. From the expansion device the gaseous refrigerant passe~ through a coil submerged in the liquid in the hold tank and then is passed back to the intake of the compressor. The temperature of the liquid in the hold tank is lowered by the chilling effect of the expanding gaseous refrigerant passing through the coil ~ubmerged in the liquid and because of this chilling effect the hold tank is referred to as a "chill tank.
The refrigerant can be repeatedly passed from the chill tank through the filter-dryer, expansion device, cooling coil, compressor, heat exchanger, condenser and back to the chill tank so as not only progre6sively to lower its temperature in the chill tank but also repeatedly, and thus more completely, to remove acid and water from it.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides in an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, means for removing refrigerant from a container and ~eparating oil from the refrigerant, comprising a heat exchanger having a hot side and a cold ~ide, means connecting the cold side of the heat exchanger to the refrigerant container, means for connecting the hot side of the heat exchanger to a source of hot gaseous refrigerant, means for causing refrigerant from the container to flow through the cold æide of the heat exchanger, means for passing heated gaseous refrigerant from the heat exchanger into the lower portion of an elongated vertically extending separator tank, baffle means in the .>'' ' . , ' ' ' '. , ' ~' ' ' . . . ' ' ' " '. ,' . ' , ' ' . '. `
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upper portion of the separator tank for interrupting the flow of riiing expanding hot gaseoui refrigerant, the periphery of the baffle means prov~ding a narrow openlng between the baffle and the lnner wall of the tank to permlt escape of ga~eous refrigerant around the baffle and a fluld condult havlng an lnlet above the baffle for removlng gaseous refrigerant from the separator tank.
According to another a~pect, the present invention provides in an apparatus for reclalming refrlgerant, an oll separator compriciing an elongated tank oriented with its longitudinal axis extending vertically, baffle means mounted in the upper portion of the interior of the tank, ~aid baffle mean~
including a central plate having attached to lts perlphery a downwardly and outwardly extendlng sklrt, there belng a narrow openlng between the lower extremlty of the skirt and the interior wall of the tank, mean~ above the baffle havlng an opening permitting gaseous refrigerant to leave the tank, means in the lower portlon of the tank permltting entry of gaseous refrlgerant lnto the tank and means for wlthdrawlng oil from the bottom of the tank.
According to another aspect, the present lnvention provides in an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, mean~ for holding refrigerant wlthin the apparatus whlle repeatedly cleaning and cooling the refrigerant, said means comprisingl a compressor for compressing and dlscharglng gaseous refr~gerant, mean~ for condensing the gaseous refrigerant to a llquid, mean~ for conducting the llquid refrlgerant lnto a closed elongated chill tank the longitudlnal axls of which extends vertlcally, means for wlthdrawlng llquid refrlgerant from the bottom of the chlll tank and pas~lng lt succe~sively through a fllter-drler, an expansion device and a fluld conduit within the chill tank extending upwardly from the lower portion of the chill tank, and mean~
outside the chill tank for connecting the fluid condult in fluid communication with the intake of the compressor.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising~ a refrigerant compres~or~ means including evaporator r 3a 132~355 means for connecting said compreEisor to a container fro~ whlch a refrigerant i8 to be recovered; condenser means ln fluid communication with said compressor and in heat exchange relation to Eiaid evaporator means; refrigerant storage means; means for feeding liquid refrigerant from sald condenser means to said refrigerant storage means; means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a clo~ed path from sald refrlgerant storage means through said compressor and back to said refrigerant storage means .
Accordlng to another aspect, the present lnven~ion provides a refrigerant recovery and purlficatlon system comprlsing. a compressor within said recovery and purlflcatlon system and apart from a contalner or refrigerant sy~tem from which refrigerant is to be recovered; means for connecting sald compressor to the container or refrigerant sy~item from which a refrigerant is to be recovered; refrigerant holdlng means within said recovery and puriflcation system and in fluid communicatlon with said compresEior for holding the refrlgerant recovered fro~
said container or refrlgerant sy~tem; and means for selectlvely clrculatlng the recovered refrlgerant in a closed path from siald refrlgerant holding means through said compreseor and bac~ to sald refrlgerant holding means.
Accordlng to another aspect, the present inventlon provldes a method for reclalmlng refrlgerant comprising, compre~islng gaseous refrlgerant, condensing the refrigerant to a llquid, discharglng the llquid lnto a pool of the llquld, wlthdrawing llquld from the bottom of the pool, filtering and :-drying the liquid, pas~lng the liquid through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the llquid into a gaseous state and causing the gaseous refriqerant to expand in a pa~isage extending through the pool of liquid thereby cooling the liquid ::
and repeatedly performing the steps of compressing, condensing, ~ -filtering-drylng, and coollng with the same body of refrlgerant. - :-Accordlng to another aspect, the present lnventlon G :-`
3b 13283~ -provides a method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container, heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state, separating oil from the gaseous stream, compressing the gaseous refrigerant, heating the refrigerant as it is withdrawn from the contalner by passlng the compressed gaseous refrlgerant in thermally conductlve contact with the withdrawn refrigerant, condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid, discharging the liquid into a pool of the liquid, withdrawing llquid from the bottom of the pool, filtering and drying the liquid, passing the liquid through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the liquld into a gaseous state and causing the gaseous refrigerant to expand in a passage extending through the pool of liquid thereby cooling the liquid, combining the expanding gaseous refrigerant with the gaseous refrigerant from which oil has been separated and compressing the combined gaseous refrigerant.
According to another aspect, the present inven$ion provides a method for reclalming refrigerant comprising2 drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from lts container; heatlng the refrigerant to a gaseous state with heat exchange means for transferring heat energy; separating oil from the gaseous stream;
compressing the gaseous refrigerant; cooling the gaseous compressed refrigerant with said heat exchange means; condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a llquid; discharging the liquld into a chamber of liquid refrigerant; withdrawing refrigerant from said chamber; passing said refrigerant through a filter; and returning said refrigerant to said chamber.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising. drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container; heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state; separating oil from the gaseous stream; compressing the gaseous refrigerant; heating the refrigerant as it is withdrawn from the container by passing the compres ed gaseous refrigerant in thermally conductive contact with the withdrawn refrigerant; condenslng the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid; discharging the liquid into a chamber;
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withdrawing refrigerant from the chamber; passing the refrigerant through a filter; and returning the refrigerant to the chamber.
The invention can be more fully understood when the detailed description which follows is read wlth reference to the accompanying drawing.
The Drawina The drawing is a schematlc illustratlon of the lnvention in which the parts illustrated are either ctandard 3d G
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items which can be purchased or are disclosed in sufficient detail when viewed in conjunction with the description so as to teach those skilled in this art how to practice this invention.
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~he Detailed Descri~tion As illustrated in the drawing, the reclaim system of this invention includes a heat exchanger 10, one portion of which is in fluid communication with a refrigerant intake fluid conduit 11 controlled by solenoid valve 12. The conduit 11 is in fluid communication with conduit 13 which constitutes the cold side of heat exchanger 10. The conduit 13 is illustrated as being joined to conduit 15 by thermally conductive weld 14. Conduit 15 constitutes the hot side of 20heat exchanger 10. The heat exchanger arrangement shown in the drawing is for illustration purposes only. In practice it is preferred that intake 11 be in fluid communication with a conduit with a spiral fin, or ridge and groove arrangement, facilitating its beinq mounted within a conduit to form a so-2-called tube-within-a-tube heat exchanger. Preferably also the tube-within-a-tube construction is in the form of a coil so as to provide greater length in a smaller space than would be possible with a straight tube-within-a-tube construction. The coiled tube-within-a-tube is a standard item well known in the 30heat exchange art, and it will be apparent that the inner tube should be the cold side and the outer tube the hot side of the heat exchanger.
Conduit 16 constitutes the outlet from the cold side of heat exchanger 10 and is in fluid communication with oil 3 separator 20 through the conduit 21. The oil separator 20 is preferably an elongated pressure cylinder with partially spherical ends mounted so that its longitudinal axis extends vertically. The fluid conduit 21 extends through the outer . ,. . ' .. .. . ..
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wall of the oil separator tank 20 somewhat above the lower end of the tank and extends inwardly so that its open end is near the axis of the tank. Another fluid conduit 22 has its open end fixed near the inner surface of the rounded top of the tank. This fluid conduit extends downwardly and supports a circular baffle 23 composed of a disc-like portion 24 and a downwardly extending partially cone-shaped skirt 25. Conduit 22 is arranged to extend along the axis of the tank and is connected to fluid conduits 26 and 31 controlled by a low pressure activated electrical control device 27 having a pressure gauge indicator associated with it. The control 27 will automatically shut down compressor 30 when the pressure in conduit 31 drops to virtually zero PSIG. Oil from the bottom of oil separator 20 can be discharged through fluid conduit 28 controlled by solenoid valve 29.
Fluid conduit 31 extends through the outer wall of compressor 30 and a short distance into its interior as illustrated. Compressor 30 is provided with a fluid csnduit outlet 32 and an oil sight gauge and oil supply device 33.
Outlet conduit 32 has a high pressure activated electrical - :-control device 34 associated with it and is in fluid communication with conduit 15 of heat exchanger 10 and is thus -in fluid communication with conduit 41, which in turn is in fluid communication with a condenser 40 through condenser inlet conduit 42. If preseure in conduit 32 is too high, control 3q acts automatically to shut down compressor 30.
Outlet conduit 43 connects condenser 40 in fluid communication with chill tank 50, which as illustrated is an elongated, cylindrical pressure tank arranged with its longitudinal axis extending vertically and having upper and -lower ends of partially spherical shape. Outlet end 51 of fluid conduit 43 is located substantially on the axis of chill _5_ ~; ~- ' .
13283~5 tank S0. At the bottom of the chill tank 50 there is a fluid conduit 52 controlled by solenoid valve 53 and arranged in fluid communication with the interior of chill tank 50. At the upper end of chill tlnk 50 there is an air outlet conduit ' 54 controlled by solenoid valve 55 having a pressure gauge indicator associated with it. Conduit 54 is v-nted to the atmosphere through a small orifice to prevent an explosive discharge of air. Fluid conduits 52 and 54 open into the interior of chill tank S0 at points preferably on the longitudinal axis of the tank. Also located at the upper end of chill tank 50 is a high pressure activated safety valve 56.
~ ocated partially within and partially outside chill tank S0 is a cooling and recycling system 60 composed of a conduit 61 in fluid communication with conduit 52 and 20 controlled by solenoid valve 62. The fluid conduit 61 is in fluid communication with filter-dryer 63, which in turn is connected in fluid communication with an expansion device 64, illustrated in the drawing as being a capillary tube. The expansion device 64 is in fluid communication with conduit 65 arranged in the form of a coil within chill tank 50. The cooling coil 65 is in fluid communication with conduit 66, which in turn is in fluid communication with inlet conduit 31 of compressor 30.
All the elements of the reclaim system of this invention can be mounted within a mobile cabinet (not shown having a control panel in one outer surface and casters underneath it.
T,he control panel includes a power on-off switch which, depending on the positions o~ various valves and the pressures at various points in the system, energizes the compressor 30 and the valves 12, 29, 55, 53 and 62. Since controls 27 and 3q shut down or start up compressor 30 . . . . - . : . . - - , . . ~. . . . . . . .
automatically when power is on, and since relief valve 56 responds automatically to pressure, the control panel need not include switches ~or manually activating these devices. Hence the control panel need include only, in addition to the power 10 on-off switch, switches for valve 12 (refrigerant in), valve 29 (oil out), valve 53 (refrigerant out), valve 55 (air out) and valve 62 (control for cooling and recycling system 60), or a total of six switches. The control panel also includes two pressure gauge indicators, one for displaying the pressure 15 entering conduit 31 and the other for displaying the pressure at valve 55 and the upper portion of chill tank 50. Details of the circuitry for electrically connecting switches, controls, valves and gauges will be apparent to those skilled in this art.
Chill tank 50, being the largest element of the reclaim system, and being about 40 inches in height, the cabinet should be about 62 inches in height including the height of the casters. The cabinet can be about 23 inches in width and 24 inches in depth if the cabinet contains the system illustrated in the drawing which has only one chill tank 50. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, if the cooling effect from one chill tank 50 is insufficient, one or more additional chill tanks can be provided and connected to run in parallel with the first chill tank 50. Each chill tank is preferably about 6 inches in diameter, has a capacity B to store or hold 45 lbs. of refrigerant such as*"Freon" 12, 22 or 502 and meets ASME and Underwriters Laboratory specifications for pressure tanks. The tank for oil separator 20 preferably meets the same specifications and is 36 inches long and 6 inches in diameter. Compressor 30 is of a type in which a combination sight gauge and oil inlet cap 33 can be provided for maintaining proper lubrication in compressor 30.
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The following is a compilation of the items which are standard devices which can be purshased, together with an identification of these items:
10 Item Description Manufacturer ~dentification No.
Compressor ~0 Copeland Corp. SSC4-0200 Condenser 40 Snow Coil Co. 585aM736 Heat Exchanger 10 Packless Industries AES001672 Control 34 Ranco Inc. 016-42 Control 27 Penn Corp. P70AB-2 1- Solenoid val~es 12, 62, 55, 53 & 29 Sporelan Valve Co. E 35-130 Safety Valve 56 superior 3014-400 Gauges on control panel Ashcroft Laboratory quality Filter-Drier 63 Sporlan Valve Co. 384 cubic in.
A unit constructed as disclosed above weighs about 325 lbs.
When the system illustrated is utilized in repair of the refrigerating system of an air conditioner, for example, fluid conduit 11 is connected to a refrigerant outlet in the 2~ refrigeration system, the power is turned on and valve 12 is o~ened. Control 27 at the inlet to the compressoc is activated when it senses pressure in fluid conduit 31, and with the power turned on compressor 30 begins to function.
~efrigerant from the refrigeration system is drawn into the reclaim system through conduit 11. Normally the refrigerant at this point will be a liquid, which has been illustrated in the drawings by double cross hatching inside the fluid conduit. At some point in fluid conduit 13 of heat exchanger 10 the refrigerant is converted to gaseous form by the heat transferred to it from conduit 15 carrying the output of compressor 30. The single cross hatching in fluid conduit 13 is illustrative of refrigerant in gaseous form. Throughout -a-4;
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s the drawing double cross-hatching indicates liquid and single cross-hatching gas or ~apor. The refrigerant flows through fluid conduits 15 and 21 into oil separator 20. It is at this point relatively hot and is an expanding gas rising rapidly 10 within the tank of oil separator 20. The upward flow of gas is abruptly interrupted by the baffle 23 causing oil to be separated and to drop to the bottom of the tank. The gaseous refrigerant passes around the outer (lower) edge of skirt 25 which is spaced from the interior wall of the surrounding tank by an amount providing a total open area which is approximately equal to the open area at the upper end of conduit 22. The gaseous refrigerant passes around skirt 25 into the upper end of fluid conduit 22, then through fluid conduit 26 into fluid conduit 31.
so long as there is sufficient pressure in fluid conduit 31 to indicate that the refrigeration system of the air conditioner has not been completely evacuated, compressor -30 will continue to run. Refrigerant from fluid conduit 31 passes into the compressor, is compressed and discharged -through fluid conduit 32 and passes through the heat exchanger in fluid conduit 15 and then through fluid conduit 41 into condenser 40 through condenser inlet 42. The gaseous refrigerant entering the condenser is converted into a liquid 30at some point in the condenser such as 44.
Liquid refrigerant passes out of the condenser 40 into conduit 43 and through that conduit into the upper portion of chill tank 50. At this point valves 53 and 62 are closed and.the compressor will continue to withdraw 3 refrigerant from the refrigeration system of the air conditioner, and to cause liquid refrigerant to be discharqed into chill tank 50 until the pressure at the inlet to ..
compressor 30 drops to virtually zero PSIG indicating all of .- .
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the refrigerant has been removed from the refrigeration system of the air conditioner. At this point control 27 will act to shut down oompressor 30.
After waiting to see if pressure again will build up in conduit 31 and cause the compressor to start up again, the operator will close ~alve 12 (refrigerant intake) and open valve 62 causing liquid refrigerant to leave the chill tank 50 through fluid conduit 52 and pass into the filter dryer 63 through fluid conduit 61. The liquid refrigerant then passes through expansion device 64, where it is converted into a gas and passes through coil 65 to cool the liquid refrigerant, illustrated in the drawing as filling approximately 3/4 of chill tank 50 and having the coil 65 submerged in it. When 20 expanding gas from coil 65 reaches the compressor inlet conduit 31 via fluid conduit 66, there will be sufficient pressure to actuate control 27, and the compressor will automatically start running again.
With valve 12 closed, the cold side of heat exchanger 25 10 and the entirety of oil separator 20 are shut down. With pressure in fluid conduit 31, the compressor continues to operate and the gaseous refrigerant which entered the compressor through conduits 66 and 31 is compressed and discharged from the compressoc through fluid conduit 32 and 30 thence through the heat exchanger 10 and condenser 40 back into the chill tank 50 and the cycle just described is repeated again and again until the temperature of the liquid refrigerant in chill tank 50 has been reduced to the desired ~-level, normally about 38 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
3~ The repeated passing of liquid refrigerant through filter dryer 63 removes substantially all acid and water from the liquid refrigerant. During this recycling, normally a certain amount of air will be separated from the refrigerant .
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and collect in the upper portion of chill tank 50 causing the pressure there to rise. Air can be re~oved from the reclaim system by opening valve 55 so that the air escapes through conduit 54. This is normally done when the pressure within 10 chill tank 50 reaches something in excess of 300 PSIG and is done by activating a switch, preferably a push button, on the control panel. In the event for some reason pressure should reach a level of about 400 PSIG, safety valve 56 will be actuated and gases in the system will be vented. -Before any liqùid refrigerant is returned to the refrigeration system of the air conditioning unit, which is done by closing valve 62 and opening valve 53, any oil which has been collected in the bottom of oil separator 20, as schematically illustrated in the drawing, should be removed through outlet 2B by opening valve 29. The amount of oil removed should be measured so that an appropriate amount of oil can be resupplied to the refrigeration system.
~ he refrigerant reclaim system of this invention can be utilized to transfer refrigerant from one container to another. This is done by connecting the fluid conduit 11 to the container from which refrigerant is to be taken (the first container~ and fluid conduit 52 to the receiving or second container. Upon opening valve 12 and supplying power to compressor 30, refr$gerant will be removed from the container and p~s6ed through the heat exchanger 10, the oil remover 20, the compressor 30, the condenser 40, and into chill tank 50.
Operation is continued in this mode until the pressure display on the control panel indicates the first container has been evacuated. As in other operations when all of the refrigerant has bcen removed fro~ the first container, pressure in line 31 will drop to virtually zero PSIG, thus actuating control 27 and shutting off the compressor which will not begin to run , ~ . , .. , , . , . . . ~
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s again until there is pressure in line 31 from the gaseous refrigerant exiting from the cooling device 60. Valve 12 is then closed. Since it will facilitate discharging the refrigerant into the receiving container, it is desirable that valve 53 first be closed and valve 62 opened so that cooling device 60 will be operative. Operation in this mode is continued fot a sufficient period to reduce the liquid refrigerant in chill tank 50 to the desired temperature. When the desired temperature is reached, valve 62 is closed, valve 53 opened, and liquid refrigerant will flow from the chill tank 50 into the receiving container by gravity, and any pressure from gases in the upper portion of chill tank 50.
REFRIGERANT RECLAIM METHOD AND APPARATVS
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing refrigerant from a refrigeration system during repairs, confining it so as to avoid its escape to the atmosphere, separating contaminants from the refrigerant and cetucning the refrigerant to the repaired refrigeration system or discharging it to a storage container. The invention is particularly adapted for incorporation in a mobile unit of the general type illustrated in U.S. Patent No.'s 3,232,070 and 4,4~6,68~.
~ackground of the Invention A number of years ago when the refrigeration system in an air conditioner, for example, required cepairs or when the refrigerant, such as those sold under the trademark "Freon", was contaminated sufficiently to affect the 2;effectiveness of refrigeration, it was the standard practice to bleed the refrigerant to the atmosphere. This practice was not only costly, but environmentally unsound.
In more recent times it has been the practice to cemove the refrigecant with means which confines it while 30separating contaminants, liq~efies it and either returns it to the refrigecation system or stores it. Two such reclaim system~ are illustrated in U.S. Patents No.'s 4,476,6a~3 and 4,646,527. Each includes a compressor, the intake side of which draws the refrigerant from the refrigeration system 3;through contaminant removal means into the compressor and discharges the refrigerant into a condenser which liquefies it and discharges it into storage means f rom which it may be retucned to the refrigecation system, if desired.
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Prior art systems of this type have generally not provided truly adequate means for making certain that refrigerant entering the compressor is in a gaseous state, which is necessary to avoid damaging the compressor. Nor do the prior art systems provide means for cooling and controlling the temperature of the liquid refrigerant while it is held or stored in the reclaim system so that the appropriate amount of refrigerant can easily be transferred back to the refrigerator system. Often at the time the refrigeration system of a repaired air conditioner is to be recharged with refrigerant, the gases still within the system are at an elevated temperature resulting in the pressure being high enough that liquid refrigerant at room temperature cannot enter, or can only slowly enter, the system by gravity flow. -When refrigerant in the reclaim system has been cooled to a temperature well below the temperature of gases within a container to be charged, the cooler refriqerant will flow partially into the warmer gas, cooling it in the process and thus reducing the pressure of the gas and the resistance to flow of the refrigerant.
It is known in the prior art to provide means for repeatedly recycling the refrigerant through a standard filter-dryer unit ducing the repair operations, to ensure maximum removal of the acid and water vapor, one such recycling loop being shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,476,688.
Without means to cool the recycling refrigerant, however, its tempecature will inevitably rise and this will reduce the effic~ency of standard filter-dryers and make it much more 3 difficult to discharge the refrigerant directly from the reclaim system back into the repaired refrigeraeion system.
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Summarv of the Invention ~ he present invention provides a method and means for drawing refrigerant from a container, or a refrigeration system to be repaired, heating the refrigerant sufficiently to maintain it in a gaYeous state while it passes through an oil separator into the intake of a compressor. Ccmpressed gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the compressor and passed through a heat exchanger to heat the incoming liquid refrigerant and then passe~ through a condenser where it is liquefied. The liquefied refrigerant is pa6sed from the condenser into a hold tank from the bottom of which liquid refrigerant flows through a filter-dryer and an expansion device for reconverting the liquid refrigerant to gaseous form. From the expansion device the gaseous refrigerant passe~ through a coil submerged in the liquid in the hold tank and then is passed back to the intake of the compressor. The temperature of the liquid in the hold tank is lowered by the chilling effect of the expanding gaseous refrigerant passing through the coil ~ubmerged in the liquid and because of this chilling effect the hold tank is referred to as a "chill tank.
The refrigerant can be repeatedly passed from the chill tank through the filter-dryer, expansion device, cooling coil, compressor, heat exchanger, condenser and back to the chill tank so as not only progre6sively to lower its temperature in the chill tank but also repeatedly, and thus more completely, to remove acid and water from it.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides in an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, means for removing refrigerant from a container and ~eparating oil from the refrigerant, comprising a heat exchanger having a hot side and a cold ~ide, means connecting the cold side of the heat exchanger to the refrigerant container, means for connecting the hot side of the heat exchanger to a source of hot gaseous refrigerant, means for causing refrigerant from the container to flow through the cold æide of the heat exchanger, means for passing heated gaseous refrigerant from the heat exchanger into the lower portion of an elongated vertically extending separator tank, baffle means in the .>'' ' . , ' ' ' '. , ' ~' ' ' . . . ' ' ' " '. ,' . ' , ' ' . '. `
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ,' ' ' ' ', . ' ' '- ' .
upper portion of the separator tank for interrupting the flow of riiing expanding hot gaseoui refrigerant, the periphery of the baffle means prov~ding a narrow openlng between the baffle and the lnner wall of the tank to permlt escape of ga~eous refrigerant around the baffle and a fluld condult havlng an lnlet above the baffle for removlng gaseous refrigerant from the separator tank.
According to another a~pect, the present invention provides in an apparatus for reclalming refrlgerant, an oll separator compriciing an elongated tank oriented with its longitudinal axis extending vertically, baffle means mounted in the upper portion of the interior of the tank, ~aid baffle mean~
including a central plate having attached to lts perlphery a downwardly and outwardly extendlng sklrt, there belng a narrow openlng between the lower extremlty of the skirt and the interior wall of the tank, mean~ above the baffle havlng an opening permitting gaseous refrigerant to leave the tank, means in the lower portlon of the tank permltting entry of gaseous refrlgerant lnto the tank and means for wlthdrawlng oil from the bottom of the tank.
According to another aspect, the present lnvention provides in an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, mean~ for holding refrigerant wlthin the apparatus whlle repeatedly cleaning and cooling the refrigerant, said means comprisingl a compressor for compressing and dlscharglng gaseous refr~gerant, mean~ for condensing the gaseous refrigerant to a llquid, mean~ for conducting the llquid refrlgerant lnto a closed elongated chill tank the longitudlnal axls of which extends vertlcally, means for wlthdrawlng llquid refrlgerant from the bottom of the chlll tank and pas~lng lt succe~sively through a fllter-drler, an expansion device and a fluld conduit within the chill tank extending upwardly from the lower portion of the chill tank, and mean~
outside the chill tank for connecting the fluid condult in fluid communication with the intake of the compressor.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising~ a refrigerant compres~or~ means including evaporator r 3a 132~355 means for connecting said compreEisor to a container fro~ whlch a refrigerant i8 to be recovered; condenser means ln fluid communication with said compressor and in heat exchange relation to Eiaid evaporator means; refrigerant storage means; means for feeding liquid refrigerant from sald condenser means to said refrigerant storage means; means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a clo~ed path from sald refrlgerant storage means through said compressor and back to said refrigerant storage means .
Accordlng to another aspect, the present lnven~ion provides a refrigerant recovery and purlficatlon system comprlsing. a compressor within said recovery and purlflcatlon system and apart from a contalner or refrigerant sy~tem from which refrigerant is to be recovered; means for connecting sald compressor to the container or refrigerant sy~item from which a refrigerant is to be recovered; refrigerant holdlng means within said recovery and puriflcation system and in fluid communicatlon with said compresEior for holding the refrlgerant recovered fro~
said container or refrlgerant sy~tem; and means for selectlvely clrculatlng the recovered refrlgerant in a closed path from siald refrlgerant holding means through said compreseor and bac~ to sald refrlgerant holding means.
Accordlng to another aspect, the present inventlon provldes a method for reclalmlng refrlgerant comprising, compre~islng gaseous refrlgerant, condensing the refrigerant to a llquid, discharglng the llquid lnto a pool of the llquld, wlthdrawing llquld from the bottom of the pool, filtering and :-drying the liquid, pas~lng the liquid through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the llquid into a gaseous state and causing the gaseous refriqerant to expand in a pa~isage extending through the pool of liquid thereby cooling the liquid ::
and repeatedly performing the steps of compressing, condensing, ~ -filtering-drylng, and coollng with the same body of refrlgerant. - :-Accordlng to another aspect, the present lnventlon G :-`
3b 13283~ -provides a method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container, heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state, separating oil from the gaseous stream, compressing the gaseous refrigerant, heating the refrigerant as it is withdrawn from the contalner by passlng the compressed gaseous refrlgerant in thermally conductlve contact with the withdrawn refrigerant, condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid, discharging the liquid into a pool of the liquid, withdrawing llquid from the bottom of the pool, filtering and drying the liquid, passing the liquid through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the liquld into a gaseous state and causing the gaseous refrigerant to expand in a passage extending through the pool of liquid thereby cooling the liquid, combining the expanding gaseous refrigerant with the gaseous refrigerant from which oil has been separated and compressing the combined gaseous refrigerant.
According to another aspect, the present inven$ion provides a method for reclalming refrigerant comprising2 drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from lts container; heatlng the refrigerant to a gaseous state with heat exchange means for transferring heat energy; separating oil from the gaseous stream;
compressing the gaseous refrigerant; cooling the gaseous compressed refrigerant with said heat exchange means; condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a llquid; discharging the liquld into a chamber of liquid refrigerant; withdrawing refrigerant from said chamber; passing said refrigerant through a filter; and returning said refrigerant to said chamber.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising. drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container; heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state; separating oil from the gaseous stream; compressing the gaseous refrigerant; heating the refrigerant as it is withdrawn from the container by passing the compres ed gaseous refrigerant in thermally conductive contact with the withdrawn refrigerant; condenslng the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid; discharging the liquid into a chamber;
G 3c .
,, , ,,, , , - ~ ,. , : ,. .................... .
~ ' ' ,. ' "' ' ," ' ' ' '. ' : ' . ' : '. ', ,, .', ' ': . ". ' . :
withdrawing refrigerant from the chamber; passing the refrigerant through a filter; and returning the refrigerant to the chamber.
The invention can be more fully understood when the detailed description which follows is read wlth reference to the accompanying drawing.
The Drawina The drawing is a schematlc illustratlon of the lnvention in which the parts illustrated are either ctandard 3d G
. . ......... . - . ... , . . . .. ..... . ~ . ...... .. .... .......... , ~i . .; .. ;.. " .. ; .. .. ., .. , .. .... , . ".. . . ..
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;
items which can be purchased or are disclosed in sufficient detail when viewed in conjunction with the description so as to teach those skilled in this art how to practice this invention.
O
~he Detailed Descri~tion As illustrated in the drawing, the reclaim system of this invention includes a heat exchanger 10, one portion of which is in fluid communication with a refrigerant intake fluid conduit 11 controlled by solenoid valve 12. The conduit 11 is in fluid communication with conduit 13 which constitutes the cold side of heat exchanger 10. The conduit 13 is illustrated as being joined to conduit 15 by thermally conductive weld 14. Conduit 15 constitutes the hot side of 20heat exchanger 10. The heat exchanger arrangement shown in the drawing is for illustration purposes only. In practice it is preferred that intake 11 be in fluid communication with a conduit with a spiral fin, or ridge and groove arrangement, facilitating its beinq mounted within a conduit to form a so-2-called tube-within-a-tube heat exchanger. Preferably also the tube-within-a-tube construction is in the form of a coil so as to provide greater length in a smaller space than would be possible with a straight tube-within-a-tube construction. The coiled tube-within-a-tube is a standard item well known in the 30heat exchange art, and it will be apparent that the inner tube should be the cold side and the outer tube the hot side of the heat exchanger.
Conduit 16 constitutes the outlet from the cold side of heat exchanger 10 and is in fluid communication with oil 3 separator 20 through the conduit 21. The oil separator 20 is preferably an elongated pressure cylinder with partially spherical ends mounted so that its longitudinal axis extends vertically. The fluid conduit 21 extends through the outer . ,. . ' .. .. . ..
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wall of the oil separator tank 20 somewhat above the lower end of the tank and extends inwardly so that its open end is near the axis of the tank. Another fluid conduit 22 has its open end fixed near the inner surface of the rounded top of the tank. This fluid conduit extends downwardly and supports a circular baffle 23 composed of a disc-like portion 24 and a downwardly extending partially cone-shaped skirt 25. Conduit 22 is arranged to extend along the axis of the tank and is connected to fluid conduits 26 and 31 controlled by a low pressure activated electrical control device 27 having a pressure gauge indicator associated with it. The control 27 will automatically shut down compressor 30 when the pressure in conduit 31 drops to virtually zero PSIG. Oil from the bottom of oil separator 20 can be discharged through fluid conduit 28 controlled by solenoid valve 29.
Fluid conduit 31 extends through the outer wall of compressor 30 and a short distance into its interior as illustrated. Compressor 30 is provided with a fluid csnduit outlet 32 and an oil sight gauge and oil supply device 33.
Outlet conduit 32 has a high pressure activated electrical - :-control device 34 associated with it and is in fluid communication with conduit 15 of heat exchanger 10 and is thus -in fluid communication with conduit 41, which in turn is in fluid communication with a condenser 40 through condenser inlet conduit 42. If preseure in conduit 32 is too high, control 3q acts automatically to shut down compressor 30.
Outlet conduit 43 connects condenser 40 in fluid communication with chill tank 50, which as illustrated is an elongated, cylindrical pressure tank arranged with its longitudinal axis extending vertically and having upper and -lower ends of partially spherical shape. Outlet end 51 of fluid conduit 43 is located substantially on the axis of chill _5_ ~; ~- ' .
13283~5 tank S0. At the bottom of the chill tank 50 there is a fluid conduit 52 controlled by solenoid valve 53 and arranged in fluid communication with the interior of chill tank 50. At the upper end of chill tlnk 50 there is an air outlet conduit ' 54 controlled by solenoid valve 55 having a pressure gauge indicator associated with it. Conduit 54 is v-nted to the atmosphere through a small orifice to prevent an explosive discharge of air. Fluid conduits 52 and 54 open into the interior of chill tank S0 at points preferably on the longitudinal axis of the tank. Also located at the upper end of chill tank 50 is a high pressure activated safety valve 56.
~ ocated partially within and partially outside chill tank S0 is a cooling and recycling system 60 composed of a conduit 61 in fluid communication with conduit 52 and 20 controlled by solenoid valve 62. The fluid conduit 61 is in fluid communication with filter-dryer 63, which in turn is connected in fluid communication with an expansion device 64, illustrated in the drawing as being a capillary tube. The expansion device 64 is in fluid communication with conduit 65 arranged in the form of a coil within chill tank 50. The cooling coil 65 is in fluid communication with conduit 66, which in turn is in fluid communication with inlet conduit 31 of compressor 30.
All the elements of the reclaim system of this invention can be mounted within a mobile cabinet (not shown having a control panel in one outer surface and casters underneath it.
T,he control panel includes a power on-off switch which, depending on the positions o~ various valves and the pressures at various points in the system, energizes the compressor 30 and the valves 12, 29, 55, 53 and 62. Since controls 27 and 3q shut down or start up compressor 30 . . . . - . : . . - - , . . ~. . . . . . . .
automatically when power is on, and since relief valve 56 responds automatically to pressure, the control panel need not include switches ~or manually activating these devices. Hence the control panel need include only, in addition to the power 10 on-off switch, switches for valve 12 (refrigerant in), valve 29 (oil out), valve 53 (refrigerant out), valve 55 (air out) and valve 62 (control for cooling and recycling system 60), or a total of six switches. The control panel also includes two pressure gauge indicators, one for displaying the pressure 15 entering conduit 31 and the other for displaying the pressure at valve 55 and the upper portion of chill tank 50. Details of the circuitry for electrically connecting switches, controls, valves and gauges will be apparent to those skilled in this art.
Chill tank 50, being the largest element of the reclaim system, and being about 40 inches in height, the cabinet should be about 62 inches in height including the height of the casters. The cabinet can be about 23 inches in width and 24 inches in depth if the cabinet contains the system illustrated in the drawing which has only one chill tank 50. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, if the cooling effect from one chill tank 50 is insufficient, one or more additional chill tanks can be provided and connected to run in parallel with the first chill tank 50. Each chill tank is preferably about 6 inches in diameter, has a capacity B to store or hold 45 lbs. of refrigerant such as*"Freon" 12, 22 or 502 and meets ASME and Underwriters Laboratory specifications for pressure tanks. The tank for oil separator 20 preferably meets the same specifications and is 36 inches long and 6 inches in diameter. Compressor 30 is of a type in which a combination sight gauge and oil inlet cap 33 can be provided for maintaining proper lubrication in compressor 30.
~t~ k -7-.. , . ; . ; . , ~:
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The following is a compilation of the items which are standard devices which can be purshased, together with an identification of these items:
10 Item Description Manufacturer ~dentification No.
Compressor ~0 Copeland Corp. SSC4-0200 Condenser 40 Snow Coil Co. 585aM736 Heat Exchanger 10 Packless Industries AES001672 Control 34 Ranco Inc. 016-42 Control 27 Penn Corp. P70AB-2 1- Solenoid val~es 12, 62, 55, 53 & 29 Sporelan Valve Co. E 35-130 Safety Valve 56 superior 3014-400 Gauges on control panel Ashcroft Laboratory quality Filter-Drier 63 Sporlan Valve Co. 384 cubic in.
A unit constructed as disclosed above weighs about 325 lbs.
When the system illustrated is utilized in repair of the refrigerating system of an air conditioner, for example, fluid conduit 11 is connected to a refrigerant outlet in the 2~ refrigeration system, the power is turned on and valve 12 is o~ened. Control 27 at the inlet to the compressoc is activated when it senses pressure in fluid conduit 31, and with the power turned on compressor 30 begins to function.
~efrigerant from the refrigeration system is drawn into the reclaim system through conduit 11. Normally the refrigerant at this point will be a liquid, which has been illustrated in the drawings by double cross hatching inside the fluid conduit. At some point in fluid conduit 13 of heat exchanger 10 the refrigerant is converted to gaseous form by the heat transferred to it from conduit 15 carrying the output of compressor 30. The single cross hatching in fluid conduit 13 is illustrative of refrigerant in gaseous form. Throughout -a-4;
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s the drawing double cross-hatching indicates liquid and single cross-hatching gas or ~apor. The refrigerant flows through fluid conduits 15 and 21 into oil separator 20. It is at this point relatively hot and is an expanding gas rising rapidly 10 within the tank of oil separator 20. The upward flow of gas is abruptly interrupted by the baffle 23 causing oil to be separated and to drop to the bottom of the tank. The gaseous refrigerant passes around the outer (lower) edge of skirt 25 which is spaced from the interior wall of the surrounding tank by an amount providing a total open area which is approximately equal to the open area at the upper end of conduit 22. The gaseous refrigerant passes around skirt 25 into the upper end of fluid conduit 22, then through fluid conduit 26 into fluid conduit 31.
so long as there is sufficient pressure in fluid conduit 31 to indicate that the refrigeration system of the air conditioner has not been completely evacuated, compressor -30 will continue to run. Refrigerant from fluid conduit 31 passes into the compressor, is compressed and discharged -through fluid conduit 32 and passes through the heat exchanger in fluid conduit 15 and then through fluid conduit 41 into condenser 40 through condenser inlet 42. The gaseous refrigerant entering the condenser is converted into a liquid 30at some point in the condenser such as 44.
Liquid refrigerant passes out of the condenser 40 into conduit 43 and through that conduit into the upper portion of chill tank 50. At this point valves 53 and 62 are closed and.the compressor will continue to withdraw 3 refrigerant from the refrigeration system of the air conditioner, and to cause liquid refrigerant to be discharqed into chill tank 50 until the pressure at the inlet to ..
compressor 30 drops to virtually zero PSIG indicating all of .- .
_g_ ~ ~ ' .. " , , ',., ` ' . ! . ... ' ' 132835~
the refrigerant has been removed from the refrigeration system of the air conditioner. At this point control 27 will act to shut down oompressor 30.
After waiting to see if pressure again will build up in conduit 31 and cause the compressor to start up again, the operator will close ~alve 12 (refrigerant intake) and open valve 62 causing liquid refrigerant to leave the chill tank 50 through fluid conduit 52 and pass into the filter dryer 63 through fluid conduit 61. The liquid refrigerant then passes through expansion device 64, where it is converted into a gas and passes through coil 65 to cool the liquid refrigerant, illustrated in the drawing as filling approximately 3/4 of chill tank 50 and having the coil 65 submerged in it. When 20 expanding gas from coil 65 reaches the compressor inlet conduit 31 via fluid conduit 66, there will be sufficient pressure to actuate control 27, and the compressor will automatically start running again.
With valve 12 closed, the cold side of heat exchanger 25 10 and the entirety of oil separator 20 are shut down. With pressure in fluid conduit 31, the compressor continues to operate and the gaseous refrigerant which entered the compressor through conduits 66 and 31 is compressed and discharged from the compressoc through fluid conduit 32 and 30 thence through the heat exchanger 10 and condenser 40 back into the chill tank 50 and the cycle just described is repeated again and again until the temperature of the liquid refrigerant in chill tank 50 has been reduced to the desired ~-level, normally about 38 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
3~ The repeated passing of liquid refrigerant through filter dryer 63 removes substantially all acid and water from the liquid refrigerant. During this recycling, normally a certain amount of air will be separated from the refrigerant .
--10-- .. :
.
and collect in the upper portion of chill tank 50 causing the pressure there to rise. Air can be re~oved from the reclaim system by opening valve 55 so that the air escapes through conduit 54. This is normally done when the pressure within 10 chill tank 50 reaches something in excess of 300 PSIG and is done by activating a switch, preferably a push button, on the control panel. In the event for some reason pressure should reach a level of about 400 PSIG, safety valve 56 will be actuated and gases in the system will be vented. -Before any liqùid refrigerant is returned to the refrigeration system of the air conditioning unit, which is done by closing valve 62 and opening valve 53, any oil which has been collected in the bottom of oil separator 20, as schematically illustrated in the drawing, should be removed through outlet 2B by opening valve 29. The amount of oil removed should be measured so that an appropriate amount of oil can be resupplied to the refrigeration system.
~ he refrigerant reclaim system of this invention can be utilized to transfer refrigerant from one container to another. This is done by connecting the fluid conduit 11 to the container from which refrigerant is to be taken (the first container~ and fluid conduit 52 to the receiving or second container. Upon opening valve 12 and supplying power to compressor 30, refr$gerant will be removed from the container and p~s6ed through the heat exchanger 10, the oil remover 20, the compressor 30, the condenser 40, and into chill tank 50.
Operation is continued in this mode until the pressure display on the control panel indicates the first container has been evacuated. As in other operations when all of the refrigerant has bcen removed fro~ the first container, pressure in line 31 will drop to virtually zero PSIG, thus actuating control 27 and shutting off the compressor which will not begin to run , ~ . , .. , , . , . . . ~
~., . . . . , ~ ,. : .
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s again until there is pressure in line 31 from the gaseous refrigerant exiting from the cooling device 60. Valve 12 is then closed. Since it will facilitate discharging the refrigerant into the receiving container, it is desirable that valve 53 first be closed and valve 62 opened so that cooling device 60 will be operative. Operation in this mode is continued fot a sufficient period to reduce the liquid refrigerant in chill tank 50 to the desired temperature. When the desired temperature is reached, valve 62 is closed, valve 53 opened, and liquid refrigerant will flow from the chill tank 50 into the receiving container by gravity, and any pressure from gases in the upper portion of chill tank 50.
Claims (34)
1. In an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, means for removing refrigerant from a container and separating oil from the refrigerant, comprising a heat exchanger having a hot side and a cold side, means connecting the cold side of the heat exchanger to the refrigerant container, means for connecting the hot side of the heat exchanger to a source of hot gaseous refrigerant, means for causing refrigerant from the container to flow through the cold side of the heat exchanger, means for passing heated gaseous refrigerant from the heat exchanger into the lower portion of an elongated vertically extending separator tank, baffle means in the upper portion of the separator tank for interrupting the flow of rising expanding hot gaseous refrigerant, the periphery of the baffle means providing a narrow opening between the baffle and the inner wall of the tank to permit escape of gaseous refrigerant around the baffle and a fluid conduit having an inlet above the baffle for removing gaseous refrigerant from the separator tank.
2. In an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, means for removing refrigerant from a container and separating oil from the refrigerant, comprising a heat exchanger having inner and outer tubes, a spirally extending means positioning the inner tube within the outer tube and defining a spirally extending channel between the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube, means connecting one end of the inner tube to the refrigerant container, means connecting the opposite end of the outer tube to a source of relatively hot gaseous refrigerant, means for causing refrigerant from the container to flow through the inner tube in one direction and for causing the relatively hot gaseous refrigerant to flow in the opposite direction through the spirally extending channel between the tubes, means for passing heated gaseous refrigerant from the the exchanger into the lower portion of an elongated vertically extending separator tank, baffle means in the upper portion of the separator tank for interrupting the flow of rising expanding hot gaseous refrigerant, the periphery of the baffle means providing a narrow opening between the baffle and the inner wall of the tank to permit escape of gaseous refrigerant around the baffle and a fluid conduit having an inlet above the baffle for removing gaseous refrigerant from the separator tank.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the inlet to the outer tube of the exchanger is connected in fluid communication with the output side of a compressor and the means above the baffle in said tank is connected in fluid communication with the suction side of said compressor.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the area of the narrow opening and the area of the inlet above the baffle are approximately equal.
5. In an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, an oil separator comprising an elongated tank oriented with its longitudinal axis extending vertically, baffle means mounted in the upper portion of the interior of the tank, said baffle means including a central plate having attached to its periphery a downwardly and outwardly extending skirt, there being a narrow opening between the lower extremity of the skirt and the interior wall of the tank, means above the baffle having an opening permitting gaseous refrigerant to leave the tank, means in the lower portion of the tank permitting entry of gaseous refrigerant into the tank and means for withdrawing oil from the bottom of the tank.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the area of the narrow opening is approximately equal to the area of the opening permitting gaseous refrigerant to leave the tank.
7. In an apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant, means for holding refrigerant within the apparatus while repeatedly cleaning and cooling the refrigerant, said means comprising, a compressor for compressing and discharging gaseous refrigerant, means for condensing the gaseous refrigerant to a liquid, means for conducting the liquid refrigerant into a closed elongated chill tank the longitudinal axis of which extends vertically, means for withdrawing liquid refrigerant from the bottom of the chill tank and passing it successively through a filter-drier, an expansion device and a fluid conduit within the chill tank extending upwardly from the lower portion of the chill tank, and means outside the chill tank for connecting the fluid conduit in fluid communication with the intake of the compressor.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the fluid conduit is a coil positioned below the normal level of liquid refrigerant in the chill tank.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 comprising an opening in the upper extremity in the tank and means for discharging air through the opening.
10. The apparatus of Claim 9 comprising means for withdrawing liquid refrigerant from the bottom of the chill tank and discharging it into a container.
11. An apparatus for reclaiming refrigerant comprising, a refrigerant intake, a heat exchanger having a cold side and a hot side, fluid conduit means connecting the intake in fluid communication to the cold side of the heat exchanger, fluid conduit means leading from the cold side of the heat exchanger into the lower portion of an elongated oil separator tank having its longitudinal axis extending vertically, a baffle in the upper portion of the tank, the baffle having a central plate portion and a downwardly and outwardly extending skirt portion providing a narrow opening between the outermost edge of the skirt and the interior wall of the oil separator tank, a fluid conduit having an opening near the uppermost portion of the inner wall of the oil separator tank and connected in fluid communication with the suction side of a compressor, the area of the narrow opening being approximately equal to the area of the opening near said uppermost portion, means connecting the pressure side of the compressor in fluid communication with the hot side of the heat exchanger, a condenser, means connecting the hot side of the heat exchanger in fluid communication with the condenser, an elongated chill tank having its longitudinal axis extending vertically, means for discharging liquid refrigerant from the condenser into the chill tank, fluid conduit means leading from the bottom of the chill tank and connected in fluid communication with other fluid conduit means leading into a filter-dryer, valve means permitting discharge of liquid refrigerant from the chill tank either into a container or into the filter-dryer, an expansion device connecting the filter-dryer in fluid communication with a fluid conduit extending through the lower portion of the interior of the chill tank to the upper portion of the chill tank and being connected in fluid communication with the fluid conduit connecting the oil separator tank in fluid communication with the suction side of the compressor and pressure-responsive control means arranged to automatically shut down the compressor when the pressure in the fluid conduit at the suction side of the compressor is at virtually zero PSIG.
12. A method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising, drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container, heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state, expanding the gaseous stream in an upwardly flowing path, separating oil from the gaseous stream by abruptly interrupting the flow of the stream and thereby separating oil from it by gravity.
13. The method of claim 12 comprising passing the gaseous stream through a narrow ring-like opening after interruption of the stream and then passing the gas through an opening having an area approximately equal to the area of the ring-like opening.
14. A method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising, compressing gaseous refrigerant, condensing the refrigerant to a liquid, discharging the liquid into a pool of the liquid, withdrawing liquid from the bottom of the pool, filtering and drying the liquid, passing the liquid through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the liquid into a gaseous state and causing the gaseous refrigerant to expand in a passage extending through the pool of liquid thereby cooling the liquid and repeatedly performing the steps of compressing, condensing, filtering-drying, and cooling with the same body of refrigerant.
15. The method of claim 14 comprising discharging liquid refrigerant from the pool into a container.
16. A method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container, heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state, separating oil from the gaseous stream, compressing the gaseous refrigerant, heating the refrigerant as it is withdrawn from the container by passing the compressed gaseous refrigerant in thermally conduc-tive contact with the withdrawn refrigerant, condensing the com-pressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid, discharging the liquid into a pool of the liquid, withdrawing liquid from the bottom of the pool, filtering and drying the liquid, passing the liquid through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the liquid into a gaseous state and causing the gaseous refrigerant to expand in a passage extending through the pool of liquid thereby cooling the liquid, combining the expanding gaseous refrigerant with the gaseous refrigerant from which oil has been separated and compressing the combined gaseous refrigerant.
17. A refrigerant recovery and purification system compri-sing:
a refrigerant compressor;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor to a container from which a refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means in fluid communication with said com-pressor and in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said refrigerant storage means;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough; and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said refrigerant storage means through said filter means, said compressor, said condenser means and back to said refrigerant storage means.
a refrigerant compressor;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor to a container from which a refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means in fluid communication with said com-pressor and in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said refrigerant storage means;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough; and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said refrigerant storage means through said filter means, said compressor, said condenser means and back to said refrigerant storage means.
18 18. The system set forth in Claim 17 wherein said filter means comprises means for removing water vapor from refrigerant passing therethrough.
19. A refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising:
a refrigerant compressor;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor to a container from which a refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means in fluid communication with said compressor and in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said refrigerant storage means;
means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said refrigerant storage means through said compressor and back to said refrigerant storage means.
a refrigerant compressor;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor to a container from which a refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means in fluid communication with said compressor and in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said refrigerant storage means;
means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said refrigerant storage means through said compressor and back to said refrigerant storage means.
20. A refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising:
a compressor within said recovery and purification system and apart from a container or refrigerant system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
means for connecting said compressor to the container or refrigerant system from which a refrigerant is to be recovered;
refrigerant holding means within said recovery and purification system and in fluid communication with said compressor for holding the refrigerant recovered from said container or refrigerant system; and means for selectively circulating the recovered refrigerant in a closed path from said refrigerant holding means through said compressor and back to said refrigerant holding means.
a compressor within said recovery and purification system and apart from a container or refrigerant system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
means for connecting said compressor to the container or refrigerant system from which a refrigerant is to be recovered;
refrigerant holding means within said recovery and purification system and in fluid communication with said compressor for holding the refrigerant recovered from said container or refrigerant system; and means for selectively circulating the recovered refrigerant in a closed path from said refrigerant holding means through said compressor and back to said refrigerant holding means.
21. A refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising:
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port; and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said compressor to said first port.
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port; and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said compressor to said first port.
22. A method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising.
drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container;
heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state with heat exchange means for transferring heat energy;
separating oil from the gaseous stream;
compressing the gaseous refrigerant;
cooling the gaseous compressed refrigerant with said heat exchange means;
condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid;
discharging the liquid into a chamber of liquid refrigerant;
withdrawing refrigerant from said chamber;
passing said refrigerant through a filter; and returning said refrigerant to said chamber.
drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container;
heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state with heat exchange means for transferring heat energy;
separating oil from the gaseous stream;
compressing the gaseous refrigerant;
cooling the gaseous compressed refrigerant with said heat exchange means;
condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid;
discharging the liquid into a chamber of liquid refrigerant;
withdrawing refrigerant from said chamber;
passing said refrigerant through a filter; and returning said refrigerant to said chamber.
23. The method of Claim 22 further comprising:
passing the refrigerant withdrawn from said chamber through an expansion valve, thereby converting said refrigerant into the gaseous state; and condensing said gaseous refrigerant prior to returning said refrigerant to said chamber.
passing the refrigerant withdrawn from said chamber through an expansion valve, thereby converting said refrigerant into the gaseous state; and condensing said gaseous refrigerant prior to returning said refrigerant to said chamber.
24. A method for reclaiming refrigerant comprising:
drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container;
heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state;
separating oil from the gaseous stream;
compressing the gaseous refrigerant;
heating the refrigerant as it is withdrawn from the container by passing the compressed gaseous refrigerant in thermally conductive contact with the withdrawn refrigerant;
condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid;
discharging the liquid into a chamber;
withdrawing refrigerant from the chamber;
passing the refrigerant through a filter; and returning the refrigerant to the chamber.
drawing refrigerant to be reclaimed from its container;
heating the refrigerant to a gaseous state;
separating oil from the gaseous stream;
compressing the gaseous refrigerant;
heating the refrigerant as it is withdrawn from the container by passing the compressed gaseous refrigerant in thermally conductive contact with the withdrawn refrigerant;
condensing the compressed gaseous refrigerant to a liquid;
discharging the liquid into a chamber;
withdrawing refrigerant from the chamber;
passing the refrigerant through a filter; and returning the refrigerant to the chamber.
25. The method of Claim 24 further comprising:
passing the liquid refrigerant withdrawn from the chamber through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the refrigerant into a gaseous state; and condensing the gaseous refrigerant prior to returning said refrigerant to the chamber.
passing the liquid refrigerant withdrawn from the chamber through a narrow passage into a larger passage to convert the refrigerant into a gaseous state; and condensing the gaseous refrigerant prior to returning said refrigerant to the chamber.
26. A refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising:
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough; and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said filter means to said first port.
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough; and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said filter means to said first port.
27. The system set forth in claim 26 wherein said selectively-circulating means includes said compressor, and means for connecting said compressor input to said second port.
28. The system set forth in claim 26 wherein said filter means comprises means for removing water vapor from refrigerant passing therethrough.
29. A refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising:
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means for transferring heat from refrigerant from said compressor output to refrigerant in said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough;
and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said filter means to said first port.
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means for transferring heat from refrigerant from said compressor output to refrigerant in said evaporator means;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough;
and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said filter means to said first port.
30. The system set forth in claim 29 wherein said selectively circulating means includes said compressor and means for selectively connecting said compressor input to said second port.
31. The system set forth in claim 29 wherein said filter means comprises means for removing water vapor from refrigerant passing therethrough.
32. A refrigerant recovery and purification system comprising:
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means for liquefying refrigerant from said compressor output;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough;
and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said filter means to said first port.
a refrigerant compressor having an input and an output;
means including evaporator means for connecting said compressor input to a refrigeration system from which refrigerant is to be recovered;
condenser means coupled to said compressor output in heat exchange relation to said evaporator means for liquefying refrigerant from said compressor output;
refrigerant storage means having first and second ports;
means for feeding liquid refrigerant from said condenser means to said first port;
filter means for removing contaminants from refrigerant passing therethrough;
and means for selectively circulating refrigerant in a closed path from said second port through said filter means to said first port.
33. The system set forth in claim 32 wherein said selectively circulating means includes said compressor, and means for selectively connecting said compressor input to said second port.
34. The system set forth in claim 32 wherein said filter means comprises means for removing water vapor from refrigerant passing therethrough.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US10995887A | 1987-10-19 | 1987-10-19 | |
| US07/109,958 | 1987-10-19 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1328355C true CA1328355C (en) | 1994-04-12 |
Family
ID=22330498
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000579857A Expired - Lifetime CA1328355C (en) | 1987-10-19 | 1988-10-12 | Refrigerant reclaim method and apparatus |
Country Status (8)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0383795B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH0633920B2 (en) |
| KR (1) | KR940003734B1 (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE89914T1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU628302B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1328355C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3881399T2 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1989003963A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1990007092A1 (en) * | 1988-12-19 | 1990-06-28 | Roads Corporation | Apparatus for separating contaminants from refrigerant |
| NL8902158A (en) * | 1989-08-25 | 1991-03-18 | Geert Harmannus Leemput En Her | DEVICE FOR DRAINING FLUIDUM THROUGH A WALL. |
| US5022230A (en) * | 1990-05-31 | 1991-06-11 | Todack James J | Method and apparatus for reclaiming a refrigerant |
| US5072594A (en) * | 1990-10-05 | 1991-12-17 | Squire David C | Method and apparatus for passive refrigerant retrieval and storage |
| US5088291A (en) * | 1990-10-05 | 1992-02-18 | Squires Enterprises | Apparatus for passive refrigerant retrieval and storage |
| US5214927A (en) * | 1990-10-05 | 1993-06-01 | Squires David C | Method and apparatus for passive refrigerant and storage |
| FR2758998B1 (en) * | 1997-02-05 | 1999-04-02 | Dehon Sa Anciens Etablissement | METHOD FOR REGENERATING A POLLUTED FLUID AND INSTALLATION FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD |
| US7172651B2 (en) * | 2003-06-17 | 2007-02-06 | J.M. Huber Corporation | Pigment for use in inkjet recording medium coatings and methods |
| DK176740B1 (en) | 2004-12-14 | 2009-05-25 | Agramkow Fluid Systems As | Process and plant for refrigerant loading on a refrigeration plant |
| KR101673676B1 (en) | 2014-10-10 | 2016-11-07 | 현대자동차주식회사 | Apparatus for elimination of high boiling point residue caused by used refrigerant and elimination methods high boiling point residue caused by used refrigerant |
| CN106524609A (en) * | 2016-11-29 | 2017-03-22 | 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 | Refrigerant purifying device |
Family Cites Families (14)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE544701C (en) * | 1930-07-04 | 1932-02-20 | Siller & Rodenkirchen G M B H | Evaporator with liquid separator for refrigeration systems |
| US2341319A (en) * | 1941-10-31 | 1944-02-08 | Lummus Co | Heat exchanger |
| GB658235A (en) * | 1949-11-04 | 1951-10-03 | Carl Thorwid | Improvements in refrigeration plant |
| US3309894A (en) * | 1965-03-17 | 1967-03-21 | Howa Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha A | Device for separating, removing, and storing non-condensable gas in absorption-type refrigerators |
| JPS4325141Y1 (en) * | 1966-05-25 | 1968-10-22 | ||
| GB1321551A (en) * | 1971-02-18 | 1973-06-27 | Lehmkuhl As | Tubular heat exchanger |
| US3699781A (en) * | 1971-08-27 | 1972-10-24 | Pennwalt Corp | Refrigerant recovery system |
| US4169356A (en) * | 1978-02-27 | 1979-10-02 | Lloyd Kingham | Refrigeration purge system |
| US4291548A (en) * | 1980-07-07 | 1981-09-29 | General Motors Corporation | Liquid accumulator |
| US4364236A (en) * | 1980-12-01 | 1982-12-21 | Robinair Manufacturing Corporation | Refrigerant recovery and recharging system |
| US4476688A (en) * | 1983-02-18 | 1984-10-16 | Goddard Lawrence A | Refrigerant recovery and purification system |
| US4646527A (en) * | 1985-10-22 | 1987-03-03 | Taylor Shelton E | Refrigerant recovery and purification system |
| US4766733A (en) * | 1987-10-19 | 1988-08-30 | Scuderi Carmelo J | Refrigerant reclamation and charging unit |
| US4768347A (en) * | 1987-11-04 | 1988-09-06 | Kent-Moore Corporation | Refrigerant recovery and purification system |
-
1988
- 1988-10-10 DE DE8888909071T patent/DE3881399T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-10-10 KR KR1019890701104A patent/KR940003734B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1988-10-10 AT AT88909071T patent/ATE89914T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1988-10-10 JP JP63508357A patent/JPH0633920B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-10-10 EP EP88909071A patent/EP0383795B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-10-10 AU AU25482/88A patent/AU628302B2/en not_active Expired
- 1988-10-10 WO PCT/US1988/003485 patent/WO1989003963A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1988-10-12 CA CA000579857A patent/CA1328355C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH0633920B2 (en) | 1994-05-02 |
| EP0383795A1 (en) | 1990-08-29 |
| KR890701965A (en) | 1989-12-22 |
| ATE89914T1 (en) | 1993-06-15 |
| AU2548288A (en) | 1989-05-23 |
| DE3881399T2 (en) | 1993-09-02 |
| EP0383795B1 (en) | 1993-05-26 |
| WO1989003963A1 (en) | 1989-05-05 |
| DE3881399D1 (en) | 1993-07-01 |
| KR940003734B1 (en) | 1994-04-28 |
| AU628302B2 (en) | 1992-09-17 |
| JPH03502236A (en) | 1991-05-23 |
| EP0383795A4 (en) | 1990-12-27 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20110412 |