Refrigeration cleaning and flushing system

A process for cleaning and flushing an installed refrigeration system including an installed compressor and a vaporizable liquid refrigerant used in the system;

• the process comprising:
• (a) disconnecting the refrigerant inlet and exit lines which join the installed compressor to the installed refrigeration system;
• (b) connecting the inlet and exit lines of the installed refrigeration system to corresponding input and output lines of a portable refrigeration cleaning and flushing system including a portable compressor, a condenser, a receiver, an evaporator, the same refrigerant as that of the system to be rejuvenated and means for cleaning the refrigerant;
• (c) operating the cleaning refrigeration system to flush the refrigerant as a hot gas through the installed system to clean the system and the refrigerant passing therebetween;
• (d) operating the portable refrigeration system to flush the refrigerant as a liquid through the installed system to clean the system and the refrigerant passing therebetween;
• (e) returning to the installed refrigeration system a suitable amount of the cleaned refrigerant for normal operation thereof;
• and
• (f) reconnecting the installed compressor into the rejuvenated installed refrigeration system by reconnecting the inlet and exit lines to the installed compressor.

A process for cleaning and flushing an installed commercial refrigeration system including a fluorocarbon refrigerant, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a receiver, and suitable valves, gauges, conduits, and other components of such a system;

• said process comprising:
• (a) disconnecting the conduits carrying refrigerant to and from said compressor of the installed system,
• (b) connecting the disconnected conduits to a portable cleaning and flushing refrigeration system including the identical refrigerant to that of the installed system, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a receiver, a filtering means, and a dehydrating means to form a closed circuit that includes the installed refrigeration system with its compressor excluded and said portable refrigeration system;
• (c) removing from the installed refrigeration system the internal flow restricting parts of any component thereof which can readily be so removed;
• (d) operating said portable refrigeration system to flush refrigerant in the form of a hot vapor through the installed system in the normal operating direction of flow and through the filtering means and said dehydrating means of said portable system;
• (e) operating said portable refrigeration system to flush refrigerant in the form of a liquid through the installed system in the normal operating direction of flow and through the filtering means and the dehydrating means of said portable system;
• (f) operating said portable refrigeration system to flush refrigerant in the form of a hot vapor through the installed system in the direction of flow reverse to that of step (d) and through the filtering means and dehydrating means of said portable system;
• (g) operating said portable refrigeration system to flush refrigerant in the form of a liquid through the installed system in the direction of flow reverse to that of step (e) and through the filtering means and the dehydrating means of said portable system;
• (h) returning to the installed system a suitable amount of the refrigerant employed in steps (d), (e), (f) and (g) to operate the installed system;
• and
• (i) reconnecting the installed compressor into the installed system by reconnecting the conduits disconnected in step (a), and reassembling the flow-restricting parts removed in step (c).

In a system for cleaning and flushing an installed refrigeration system including in a closed circuit a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, an evaporator, a vaporizable refrigerant and associated control apparatus;

• (a) an operable portable refrigeration cleaning and flushing system including a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, an evaporator, the same refrigerant as employed in the installed system, suitable associated conduits and control apparatus, a filtering means, and a dehydrating means;
• (b) means for disconnecting the compressor from the installed refrigeration system and connecting the operable portable refrigeration system in place of said compressor to maintain a closed circuit;
• (c) means for removing from the conduits and control apparatus of the installed system mechanism restricting the refrigerant flow therethrough while maintaining a closed circuit;
• (d) means for flushing through the installed system closed circuit refrigerant in the form of a liquid or a hot vapor propelled by the portable refrigeration system.
• (e) means for optionally causing the flow of flushing refrigerant to be in the normal operating direction of flow through the installed system or in the reverse direction;
• (f) means to cause the flow of flushing refrigerant to pass through said filtering means and/or said dehydrating means in both directions of flow specified in (e);
• and
• (g) means to apply heat to the evaporator of the portable refrigeration system to provide a suitable heat load thereon to cause the portable refrigeration system to operate a normal refrigeration cycle.