초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for refrigerant recovery which removes refrigerant in liquid form from an air conditioning unit by cooling the refrigerant, thereby creating a temperature gradient between the air conditioning unit and the recovery apparatus which urges the refrigerant from the air conditioni

An apparatus and method for refrigerant recovery which removes refrigerant in liquid form from an air conditioning unit by cooling the refrigerant, thereby creating a temperature gradient between the air conditioning unit and the recovery apparatus which urges the refrigerant from the air conditioning unit into the apparatus, and then storing the refrigerant in a tank. Refrigerant vapor is pumped from the tank back into the air conditioning unit, thereby avoiding pressure buildup in the tank and also preventing the liquid refrigerant from being retained in the air conditioning unit due to vacuum created therein by the refrigerant removal. Cooling apparatus within the recovery apparatus uses a separate supply of refrigerant to cool the refrigerant, and neither the air conditioning unit itself nor the removed refrigerant is used for this purpose, allowing refrigerant removal from an inoperative air conditioning unit. The refrigerant recovery apparatus may also remove moisture and oil from the refrigerant during the removal and replacement operations. The apparatus may be configured to evacuate the air conditioning unit, to remove oil from the air conditioning unit, to distill the removed refrigerant, and to replace the refrigerant back into the air conditioning unit. The machine may be portable, or may be constructed as a recovery station for bulk processing of refrigerant.

대표청구항 ▼

A refrigerant recovery system, adapted to be connected to an air conditioning unit which uses a CFC refrigerant, said refrigerant having a liquid form and a vapor form, said refrigerant recovery system being additionally adapted to be connected to a storage tank, said air conditioning unit having: a

A refrigerant recovery system, adapted to be connected to an air conditioning unit which uses a CFC refrigerant, said refrigerant having a liquid form and a vapor form, said refrigerant recovery system being additionally adapted to be connected to a storage tank, said air conditioning unit having: a. refrigerant reservoir means for holding said refrigerant in said liquid form; b. first coupling means, in communication with the refrigerant reservoir means, for allowing removal from and return to said air conditioning unit of said refrigerant in said liquid form; and, c. second coupling means for allowing removal from and return to said air conditioning unit of said refrigerant in said vapor form; said storage tank having: a. first port means, in communication with the interior of the tank, for allowing said refrigerant in said liquid form to enter and exit said storage tank; and b. second port means, also in communication with the interior of the tank, for allowing said refrigerant in said vapor form to enter and exit said storage tank; said refrigerant recovery system comprising: a. cooling means, having an inlet and an outlet, for cooling said refrigerant as it passes through the cooling means from the inlet to the outlet by using a liquid coolant other than water to absorb heat from said refrigerant without commingling said coolant with said refrigerant, thereby cooling said refrigerant; b. a first tubing, connected at one end to the inlet of the cooling means, and adapted to be connected at the other end to said first coupling means of said air conditioning unit, for removal from said air conditioning unit of said refrigerant in said liquid form; c. a second tubing, connected at one end to the outlet of the cooling means, and adapted to be connected at the other end to said first port means of said storage tank; d. pump means having a suction inlet and an exhaust outlet for pumping said refrigerant in said vapor form from said suction inlet to said exhaust outlet; e. a third tubing, connected at one end to he suction inlet of the pump means, and adapted to be connected at the other end to said second port means of said storage tank; and, f. a fourth tubing, connected at one end to the exhaust outlet of the pump means, and adapted to be connected at the other end to said second coupling means of said air conditioning unit, for return to said air conditioning unit of said refrigerant in said vapor form.