Oil separation system using superheat

A combination superheater and oil separator for a refrigeration system having a source of heated medium and a source of non-superheated refrigerant gas-oil mixture comprising:

• a sealed casing;
• a heat transfer unit within said casing having a heat transfer surface;
• means on said casing for connecting the interior of said casing to receive said mixture from said source thereof;
• means for connecting said heat source to supply heated medium at a temperature and heat transfer rate through said heat transfer surface to boil-off refrigerant gas from said mixture and produce superheated refrigerant gas;
• means on said casing for connecting the interior of said casing to deliver superheated refrigerant gas boiled off from said mixture in the interior of said casing;
• means on said casing below a predetermined level for connecting the interior of said casing to deliver oil remaining from the boil-off of super-heated refrigerant vapor from said mixture.