Quick-change coalescent oil separator
AssigneeRedi Controls, Inc.
InventorLuther D. Albertson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigeration system including a coalescent oil separator for removing oil from a refrigerant gas and oil mixture discharged from a compressor. Upon a pressure condition being exceeded a directional flow valve opens to allow the refrigerant gas and oil mixture to bypass the coalescent oil separator. There is included a method for servicing the coalescent oil separator without having to resort to shutting down the refrigeration system or removing the refrigerant material.
Claims20
An apparatus compromising:
- a refrigeration system including an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, said compressor including a compressor discharge through which flows a mixture including refrigerant gas and an oil;
- a coalescent oil separator having an inlet in fluid communication with said compressor discharge and an outlet in fluid communication with said condenser, said coalescent oil separator separating at least a portion of the oil from the refrigerant gas;
- and
- a by-pass check valve disposed between said inlet and said outlet, said by-pass check valve is normally closed but opens when the fluid pressure controlling its operation exceeds a threshold value thereby allowing the refrigerant gas and oil to bypass said coalescent oil separator and flow to said condenser.
An apparatus comprising:
- at least one refrigeration system including an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, said compressor has a compressor discharge through which flows a fluid including a refrigerant gas and an oil;
- a coalescent oil separator having an inlet in fluid communication with said compressor discharge and an outlet in fluid communication with said condenser, said coalescent oil separator separating at least a portion of the oil from the refrigerant gas;
- a first valve disposed between said compressor discharge and said inlet and being operable to block the flow of the fluid to said coalescent oil separator;
- a second valve disposed between said outlet and said condenser and being operable to block fluid flow from said outlet;
- and
- a by-pass check valve disposed between said first valve and said second valve, said by-pass check valve is normally closed but opens when the pressure acting on the by-pass valve exceeds a threshold value to allow the fluid to flow through a passageway around said coalescent oil separator and to said condenser.
A method for servicing a coalescent oil separator utilized to separate oil from a refrigerant gas and oil mixture that is discharged from a compressor within a refrigeration system, comprising:
- diverting the refrigerant gas and oil mixture from the compressor around the coalescent oil separator to a condenser of the refrigeration system;
- blocking the flow of the refrigerant gas and oil from the compressor to an inlet of the coalescent oil separator;
- blocking the flow from a coalescent oil separator outlet, the coalescent oil separator outlet is normally in fluid communication with the condenser;
- and
- servicing the coalescent oil separator during said diverting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.