초록 ▼

A refrigeration process including a refrigeration cycle, and refrigerant purge and recovery operations is disclosed. The refrigeration cycle may be a vapor compression cycle or an absorption cycle, for example. A purge stream is withdrawn from the refrigeration cycle and subjected to treatment by me

A refrigeration process including a refrigeration cycle, and refrigerant purge and recovery operations is disclosed. The refrigeration cycle may be a vapor compression cycle or an absorption cycle, for example. A purge stream is withdrawn from the refrigeration cycle and subjected to treatment by means of a membrane separation unit. The purge-stream treatment operation produces an essentially pure refrigerant stream, suitable for return to the refrigeration cycle, and an air stream, clean enough for direct discharge to the atmosphere. The process is applicable to most refrigerants, but is particularly useful in minimizing atmospheric emissions of chlorofluorocarbons, such as CFC-11 and CFC-12.

대표청구항 ▼

A process, comprising: a) a refrigeration step, comprising compressing and expanding a refrigerant, said step being carried out in a refrigeration system; b) a purge step, comprising withdrawing from said refrigeration system a purge gas comprising said refrigerant and air; c) a purge-gas treatment

A process, comprising: a) a refrigeration step, comprising compressing and expanding a refrigerant, said step being carried out in a refrigeration system; b) a purge step, comprising withdrawing from said refrigeration system a purge gas comprising said refrigerant and air; c) a purge-gas treatment step, comprising (i) a condensation step, followed by (ii) a membrane separation step. wherein said condensation step comprises; bringing said purge gas to a condition characterized in that the concentration of said refrigerant is greater than its saturation concentration at said condition, so that condensation of a portion of said refrigerant occurs; withdrawing a condensed stream comprising said refrigerant in liquid form; withdrawing a non-condensed stream depleted in said refrigerant compared with said purge gas; and wherein said membrane separation step comprises; providing a membrane having a feed side and a permeate side; passing said non-condensed stream from said condensation step across said feed side; withdrawing from said permeate side a permeate stream enriched in said refrigerant compared with said non-condensed stream.