초록 ▼

A method and device is disclosed for removing residual oil and other contaminants from the refrigerant stream flowing to low-temperature stages of a cryogenic refrigerator. A stream of vapor and liquid refrigerant is injected into a cyclone chamber [32] through the inlet tube [34]. While the liquid

A method and device is disclosed for removing residual oil and other contaminants from the refrigerant stream flowing to low-temperature stages of a cryogenic refrigerator. A stream of vapor and liquid refrigerant is injected into a cyclone chamber [32] through the inlet tube [34]. While the liquid drains down a conical section [36] and out through a liquid line [38], the vapor phase moves up into a packing of metal platelets [42] which is, in a particular embodiment, cooled by a returning stream of cold vapor passing through a tube [48] wrapped around the column. A portion of the vapor condenses on the platelets and is maintained in equilibrium with the vapor. Since high-molecular-weight contaminants are more soluble in the liquid phase, they are carried down the column with the drops of condensate and are swept out with the liquid fraction through the liquid line [38]. Consequently, the vapor sent out a vapor line [46] and into the low-temperature stages of the refrigeration system is cleansed of all oil residues and contaminants. A low-temperature refrigeration system with such a device can be operated continuously for many months with no signs of clogging. Moreover, the fractionating column is inexpensive, contains no moving parts, and does not add significant volume to the system.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of closed-cycle low-temperature refrigeration comprising:compressing a multi-component refrigerant in a compressor to form a high-pressure refrigerant stream containing contaminants;separating a vapor fraction from the refrigerant stream;filtering droplets of contaminants

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of closed-cycle low-temperature refrigeration comprising:compressing a multi-component refrigerant in a compressor to form a high-pressure refrigerant stream containing contaminants;separating a vapor fraction from the refrigerant stream;filtering droplets of contaminants from the vapor fraction;condensing a portion of the vapor fraction to form a condensate;placing the vapor fraction and the condensate in phase-equilibrium with each other;dissolving into the condensate residual contaminants present in the vapor fraction while the vapor fraction and the condensate are in phase-equilibrium;removing the filtered droplets and the condensate containing the residual contaminants from the vapor fraction to produce a purified vapor stream; andpassing the purified vapor stream through low-temperature stages of a refrigeration cycle and thereafter back to the compressor.