Refrigerant recovery method
AssigneeYork International Corporation
InventorsSakin R. Cakmakci, Walter A. Lobodinsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerant recovery system for use in connection with a refrigeration system having an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser, and a purge unit connected to the condenser for receiving gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from the condenser. A tank connects to the purge unit by a line for receiving purged gaseous refrigerant and purged non-condensable gases from the purge unit. The tank contains adsorbent material for recovering the purged gaseous refrigerant from the purged non-condensable gases. The system includes means for determining when a predetermined amount of purged gaseous refrigerant is received by the tank and means for controlling the flow of fluids to and from the tank.
Claims21
A method for recovering refrigerant to a refrigeration system having an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and a purge unit connected to the condenser for receiving gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from the condenser, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying purged gaseous refrigerant and purged non-condensable gases from the purge unit to a tank filled with adsorbent material;
- adsorbing the purged gaseous refrigerant from the purged non-condensable gases by the adsorbent material;
- determining when a predetermined amount of purged gaseous refrigerant has been supplied to the tank;
- venting the purged non-condensable gases from the tank;
- recovering the adsorbed refrigerant from the adsorbent material once the adsorbent material reaches a predetermined degree of saturation;
- returning the recovered refrigerant to the evaporator;
- and
- cooling the adsorbent material, without the supply of purged gaseous refrigerant and purged non-condensable gases to the tank, to increase the adsorption capability of the adsorbent material.
A method for recovering refrigerant to a refrigeration system having an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and a purge unit connected to the condenser for receiving gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from the condenser, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying purged gaseous refrigerant and purged non-condensable gases from the purge unit to a tank filled with adsorbent material;
- adsorbing the purged gaseous refrigerant from the purged non-condensable gases by the adsorbent material;
- determining when a predetermined amount of purged gaseous refrigerant has been supplied to the tank;
- venting the purged non-condensable gases from the tank;
- recovering the adsorbed refrigerant from the adsorbent material once the adsorbent material reaches a predetermined degree of saturation;
- directing the flow of purged gaseous refrigerant and purged non-condensable gases from an exit of the purge unit to an entrance of the purge unit during the refrigerant recovering step;
- and
- returning the recovered refrigerant to the evaporator.
A method for recovering refrigerant to a refrigeration system having an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and a purge unit connected to the condenser for receiving gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from the condenser, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying purged gaseous refrigerant and purged non-condensable gases from the purge unit to a tank filled with adsorbent material;
- adsorbing the purged gaseous refrigerant from the purged non-condensable gases by the adsorbent material;
- determining when a predetermined amount of purged gaseous refrigerant has been supplied to the tank;
- venting the purged non-condensable gases from the tank;
- recovering the adsorbed refrigerant from the adsorbent material once the adsorbent material reaches a predetermined degree of saturation;
- removing the recovered refrigerant from the tank;
- and
- cooling the adsorbent material, without the venting of purged non-condensable gases from the tank, to increase the adsorption capability of the adsorbent material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.