US 12,768,577 B1Granted

Segmented refrigerant leak isolation system and method

OwnerKenneth Ray Green, Kevin Mark Klughart +1inventors

InventorsKenneth Ray Green, Kevin Mark Klughart, Mitchell Wade Butler

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Abstract

A segmented refrigerant leak isolation system/method for use in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is disclosed that allows accurate isolation of a HVAC component exhibiting a refrigerant leak, including but not limited to evaporator coils, condenser coils, and/or refrigerant lines in the HVAC system. The system uses a set of modified refrigerant line flare fittings (RFF) incorporating refrigerant Schrader valves (RSV) to isolate a HVAC component under test (CUT) from the remainder of the HVAC system and individually pressurize the CUT to detect a potential leak in the CUT. The system/method provides for retrofit of existing HVAC components with male/female flare fittings (MFF/FFF) and/or refrigerant shutoff valves (RSV) in situations where the existing HVAC system does not incorporate refrigerant line fittings (RLF).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A Schrader port insert (SPI) segmented refrigerant leak isolation system (LIS) for use in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, said LIS comprising:

(a) Schrader port insert (SPI) (9701);
(b) Schrader port valve (SPV) (1402);
and
(c) female flare nut (FFN) (9702);
wherein:
said SPI comprises a first distal end (EDE) and a second distal end (SDE);
said SPI comprises Schrader port external threading (SPT) on said FDE;
said SPI comprises internal threads configured to support insertion and mating of said SPV;
said SPI comprises a Schrader internal void (SIV) from said FDE to said SDE;
said SPI comprises a Schrader fitting seal (SFS) on said SDE;
said SPI comprises a Schrader nut seal (SNS) on an outer periphery of said SPI between said FDE and said SDE;
said FEN comprises a first flare end (FFE) and a second flare end (SFE);
said FFN comprises a flare internal void (FIV) from said FEE to said SFE;
said FFN comprises a female threaded end (FTE) at said FFE;
said FFN comprises a female flare seat (FFS) (within said FIV;
said SFS conforms to the angle and size of said FFS;
said SPI FDE is inserted into said FIV and mated with said FEN such that said FES touches said SNS;
and
said FTE is coupled to a male flare fitting (MFF) in said HVAC system to allow said SPT to apply pressurized gas to said HVAC system or monitor pressure within said HVAC system.

16 more elements

A segmented refrigerant leak isolation method (LIM) for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) identifying the connections and determining connection types from a HVAC component under test (CUT) to a refrigerant line (RFL) (1601);
(2) retrofitting said CUT/RFL connections with male flare fittings (MEF), female flare fittings (FFF), and/or ball valves based on said connection types to form segment pairs of said CUT/RFL (1602);
(3) isolating said CUT/REL segments using Schrader-Port-Fittings (SPF) and/or said ball valves at segment ends (1603);
(4) pressurizing said GUT/RFL segments with said SPF attached to a dry nitrogen source (DNS) (1604);
(5) installing pressure gauges in said CUT/RFL segments using said CUT/RFL SPF (1605);
(6) determining if there is a pressure drop detected in said segments over a predetermined time interval, and if not, proceeding to step (8) (1606);
(7) repairing/replacing defective HVAC components in said CUT/REL segments and proceeding to step (4) (1607);
(8) restoring connections between said CUT and said REL (1608);
and
(9) terminating the leak detection method (LIM) (1609);
wherein:
said SPF comprises:
(a) Schrader port insert (SPI) (9701);
(b) Schrader port valve (SPV) (1402);
and
(c) female flare nut (FFN) (9702);
said SPI comprises a first distal end (FDE) and a second distal end (SDE);
said SPI comprises Schrader port external threading (SPT) on said FDE;
said SPI comprises internal threads configured to support insertion and mating of said SPV;
said SPI comprises a Schrader internal void (SIV) from said FDE to said SDE;
said SPI comprises a Schrader fitting seal (SFS) on said SDE;
said SPI comprises a Schrader nut seal (SNS) on an outer periphery of said SPI between said FDE and said SDE;
said FFN comprises a first flare end (FFE) and a second flare end (SEE);
said FFN comprises a flare internal void (FIV) from said FFE to said SFE;
said FFN comprises a female threaded end (FTE) at said FFE;
said FFN comprises a female flare seat (FFS) within said FIV;
said SFS conforms to the angle and size of said FFS;
said SPI FDE is inserted into said FIV and mated with said FFN such that said FFS touches said SNS;
and
said FTE is coupled to a male flare fitting (MFF) in said HVAC system to allow said SPT to apply pressurized gas to said HVAC system or monitor pressure within said HVAC system.

27 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.