Refrigerant recycling system

Apparatus capable of receiving a polar refrigerant from a system containing said polar refrigerant, storing said polar refrigerant for a selected time, and selectively dispensing said polar refrigerant to said system comprising:

• a vessel having a pressure sealed chamber and gas inlet means for being connected to said system containing said polar refrigerant,
• a solid adsorbent salt capable of forming a complex coordinated compound with said polar refrigerant, which compound is capable of adsorbing at least 25% of said polar refrigerant, by weight, of said compound, and
• heat exchange means exposed in said sealed chamber comprising a plurality of heat exchange conduits substantially all of said conduits having said solid adsorbent secured thereon whereby said polar refrigerant may be adsorbed along substantially all of said conduits, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said fluid inlet including means for being connected to a fluid supply source for directing a heat exchange fluid through substantially all said conduits for adsorbing said polar refrigerant, and for directing a heat exchange fluid through substantially all of said conduits for desorbing said polar refrigerant.

A method of supply a polar refrigerant to a refrigeration system utilizing an apparatus comprising a vessel having a pressure sealed chamber, gas outlet means for directing polar refrigerant from said chamber, connection means for connecting said gas outlet to a refrigeration system, a complex compound comprising a reaction product of said polar refrigerant and a metal salt capable of alternately adsorbing and desorbing said polar refrigerant thereon, said complex compound secured in heat exchange communication with a plurality of heat exchange conduits exposed in said chamber for directing heat exchange fluid therethrough, and fluid inlet and outlet means communicating exteriorly of said vessel for directing said heat exchange fluid to and from said conduits, said method comprising:

• connecting said gas inlet means of said apparatus with said refrigeration system, connecting the fluid inlet means of said apparatus to a source of heat exchange fluid having a temperature sufficient to induce desorption of said polar refrigerant from said complex compound, directing said heat exchange fluid through said heat exchange conduits to desorb said polar refrigerant from said complex compound, and directing said desorbed polar refrigerant to said refrigeration system.

A method of supplying a refrigeration system with a refrigerant in a gaseous state, utilizing an apparatus comprising a vessel having a chamber capable of maintaining a pressurized gas therein, gas inlet means for directing gaseous refrigerant to and from said chamber, and connection means for connecting said gas inlet to a refrigeration system, a solid adsorbent capable of alternatively adsorbing and desorbing said gaseous refrigerant and secured in heat exchange communication with a plurality of heat exchange conduits, said solid adsorbent having said refrigerant adsorbed thereon and capable of being desorbed therefrom, and a plurality of heat exchange conduits exposed in said chamber for directing heat exchange fluid therethrough, and fluid inlet and outlet means communicating exteriorly of said vessel for directing said heat exchange fluid to and from said conduits, said method comprising:

• connecting the fluid inlet means of said apparatus to a source of heating fluid having a temperature sufficient to induce desorption of said refrigerant in a gaseous state from said solid adsorbent, connecting the gas inlet means of said apparatus with a gas line of said refrigeration system, directing said heating fluid through said heat exchange conduits to desorb said refrigerant from said solid adsorbent, and supplying said desorbed refrigerant to said refrigeration system.