Refrigerant recovery system

A system for refrigerant recovery, re-cycling, purification and re-charging, the system comprising:

• (a) a hollow fluid-type pressure vessel having fluid input means and fluid output means;
• (b) a hollow, annular jacket having a surface thereof in thermal communication with said pressure vessel, said annular jacket having an axis in substantial alignment with the gravity vector, said jacket having, at the bottom thereof, liquid accumulation means, said jacket further including fluid input and output means;
• (c) fluid communication means for defining a fluid path for refrigerant purification, said path starting internally of said pressure vessel, passing through said vessel, through said fluid output means thereof, continuing externally of said vessel, and extending between said vessel and said input means of said jacket;
• (d) before said input means of said jacket, expansion means for selectively changing the volume of fluid flowing from said vessel prior to its entry into said jacket;
• and
• (e) condensing means in fluid communication with said output of said annular jacket, said condensing means itself having an output in fluid communication with said input means of said pressure vessel,
• whereby the temperature gradient between said vessel and said jacket may be controlled by reason of the thermal communication between said vessel and said jacket, thereby enhancing the efficiency of refrigerant purification of the system.