# US 9,519,891 B1 · System and method for recycling non-reusable refrigerant containers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,891 B1 - Document ID: US9519891B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/252,899 - Filed: 2014-04-15 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2007-10-14 - Assignees: Hudson Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Hudson Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Kevin Zugibe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519891B1 ## CPC - G06Q 10/30: Administration of product recycling or disposal - F25B 45/00: Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant - Y02W 90/00: Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A system and method for recycling non-reusable refrigerant transport containers. At least one intact refrigerant transport container is received into a sealed chamber. The refrigerant transport container is punctured to release residual refrigerant, which is removed and compressed. The container is shredded and/or compacted. A refrigerant transport container deposit program is provided, comprising: encoding a deposit container prior to use; receiving the encoded spent container and releasing the imposed deposit; automatically removing residual refrigerant from the spent container; and recycling materials from the refrigerant transport container. A database storing a record relating to the encoded refrigerant transport containers may be employed for tracking. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for recycling refrigerant, comprising: receiving a container having refrigerant content; determining an identification of the container; automatically determining a refrigerant content of the container; removing substantially all refrigerant content from the container; and accounting for the received container in an automated database. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises a refrigerant transport container, and the contents comprises residual refrigerant in the refrigerant transport container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein said determining comprises automatically determining a type of refrigerant content of the refrigerant transport container by at least one of reading a machine readable code associated with the refrigerant transport container and determining a color of the refrigerant transport container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, further comprising compressing and storing the residual refrigerant removed from the refrigerant transport container in one of a plurality of available storage vessels selectively in dependence on a type of residual refrigerant. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein said determining comprises performing an automated refrigerant composition analysis of the residual refrigerant. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, further comprising storing the residual refrigerant in one of a plurality of storage vessels selectively in dependence on a type of refrigerant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said accounting comprises accounting for at least a deposit on the container. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising puncturing the container within a chamber to allow removal of the refrigerant, and at least one of shredding and compacting the punctured container with at least one of a shredder and a compactor, wherein the at least one of the shredder and the compactor is isolated from the chamber during the puncturing and removing. ### Claim 9 A system for recycling a refrigerant container having refrigerant content, comprising: an electronic reader configured to identify the refrigerant container; an automated control, configured to control processing of the refrigerant container in dependence on the identification; a compressor configured to compress refrigerant removed from the refrigerant container; and a plurality of storage vessels, each configured to separately store refrigerant from respective refrigerant containers, wherein the compressed refrigerant from the compressor is stored in a respective storage vessel selectively in dependence on the automated control. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the refrigerant container comprises a refrigerant transport container, and the contents comprises residual refrigerant in the refrigerant transport container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10, wherein the automated control is further configured to automatically determine a type of refrigerant content of the refrigerant transport container by at least reading a machine readable code associated with the refrigerant transport container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10, wherein the automated control is further configured to automatically determine a type of refrigerant content of the refrigerant transport container by at least reading a color associated with the refrigerant transport container. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10, further comprising a refrigerant composition analyzer configured to determine a type of refrigerant composition in the refrigerant transport container by performing a refrigerant composition analysis of the residual refrigerant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, further comprising a database configured to account for the recycling of the refrigerant content of the refrigerant container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, further comprising a chamber, wherein the refrigerant container is punctured within the chamber to release the refrigerant content, and at least one of a shredder and a compactor which is isolated from the chamber during the puncturing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, further comprising a database configured to store records for tracking a plurality of refrigerant containers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, further comprising: an encoding associated with the refrigerant container; a database storing a record relating to the refrigerant container, said database record relating at least to a deposit charged for the refrigerant container; and an automated control, configured to update the database record for the refrigerant container based on the refrigerant recycling. ### Claim 18 A method for implementing a refrigerant container deposit program, comprising: encoding a refrigerant container; imposing a deposit on the encoded refrigerant container; receiving an encoded refrigerant container at a refrigerant recycling facility; automatically releasing the imposed deposit by updating a database record associated with recycling of refrigerant from the refrigerant container; automatically removing residual refrigerant from the refrigerant container; and recycling the encoded container separate from the residual refrigerant. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein: the refrigerant recycling facility comprises a recycling machine, configured to automatically remove residual refrigerant from the encoded refrigerant transport container with a vacuum pump and to compress the removed residual refrigerant to a form liquid, which is selectively stored in one of a plurality of storage vessels in dependence on a composition of the residual refrigerant. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the composition of the residual refrigerant is automatically determined by a real-time analyzer.