US3664147A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Purge apparatus for refrigeration system
Assignee: Carolina Products Inc
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Filing: 1970-08-19
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1990-08-19
Abstract
Abstract A purge apparatus for removing foreign non-condensable gases from a refrigeration system including a closed vessel adapted to receive the foreign gases together with a portion of the refrigerant from the high pressure region of the system. The vessel is cooled to condense the refrigerant, and a float actuated electrical switch is provided within the vessel to open a first valve for discharging the condensed refrigerant upon the refrigerant reaching a predetermined level, and a second valve for venting the non-condensable gases to the atmosphere upon a drop in the refrigerant level. The discharged condensed refrigerant is utilized to cool the vessel by evaporating the same in an area about the outer walls of the vessel, and then returned to the low pressure region of the system.
Inventors
- 👤 John G Blackmon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 06:54
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B43/00; F25B43/04; F25B43/043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
In a refrigeration system including a compressor, a relatively high pressure region including a condenser, and a relatively low pressure region including an evaporator, the combination herewith of a purge apparatus for removing noncondensable gases from the refrigerant comprising, a separation vessel including an outer wall, inlet means communicating with said high pressure region of the system for transferring refrigerant and non-condensable gases through said wall and into the vessel, and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said separation vessel, first outlet means for transferring condensed refrigerant from said vessel to said low pressure region and including an electrically operable valve, orifice means for creating a pressure differential to at least partially evaporate the refrigerant transferred thereacross, and means for contacting the vessel outer wall with the evaporated refrigerant to cool the vessel and thereby condense the refrigerant therein, second outlet means adjacent the top of the vessel and including an electrically operable valve for discharging the noncondensable gases therefrom, and electrical switch means operatively controlled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in the vessel and connected to said first outlet valve and said second outlet valve for opening said first outlet valve only when the refrigerant reaches a predetermined level and for opening said second outlet valve only when the refrigerant is below said predetermined level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
In a refrigeration system including a compressor, a relatively high pressure region including a condenser, and a relatively low pressure region including an evaporator, the combination herewith of a purge apparatus for removing noncondensable gases from the refrigerant comprising, a separation vessel including an outer wall, inlet means communicating with said high pressure region of the system for transferring refrigerant and non-condensable gases through said wall and into the vessel, and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said separation vessel, first outlet means for transferring condensed refrigerant from said vessel to said low pressure region and including an electrically operable valve, orifice means for creating a pressure differential to at least partially evaporate the refrigerant transferred thereacross, and means for contacting the vessel outer wall with the evaporated refrigerant to cool the vessel and thereby condense the refrigerant therein, second outlet means adjacent the top of the vessel and including an electrically operable valve for discharging the noncondensable gases therefrom, and electrical switch means operatively controlled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in the vessel and connected to said first outlet valve and said second outlet valve for opening said first outlet valve only when the refrigerant reaches a predetermined level and for opening said second outlet valve only when the refrigerant is below said predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A refrigeration system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for contacting the vessel outer wall with the evaporated refrigerant includes a shell surrounding said vessel wall in spaced apart relation to define an enclosed area therebetween.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A refrigeration system as defined in claim 1 wherein said separation vessel includes third outlet means positioned at a level intermediate said first and second outlet means for discharging condensed water which may enter the system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A refrigeration system as defined in claim 1 wherein said inlet means includes a conduit having first and second parallel paths, means for independently connecting either one of said first and second paths into said inlet means such that the gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases are transferred through the selected path, and an auxiliary compressor operatively connected in one of said paths such that the refrigerant and non-condensable gases may be transferred into said vessel by said auxiliary compressor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A refrigeration system as defined in claim 4 further comprising means for disconnecting said auxiliary compressor from the system whereby the auxiliary compressor may be used independently thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A refrigeration system as defined in claim 4 wherein said auxiliary compressor includes an inlet side and an outlet side, said inlet side including valve means for closing the same during non-operation of the auxiliary compressor and said outlet side including capillary means for venting the auxiliary compressor into said evaporator during periods of non-operation of the auxiliary compressor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
162 words
A purge apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from the refrigerant in a refrigeration system having a relatively high pressure region and a relatively low pressure region comprising, a closed vessel, inlet means for introducing the refrigerant containing non-condensable gases from the high pressure region into said closed vessel and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said closed vessel, means for cooling said vessel to condense the refrigerant therein, an electric switch operatively controlled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in said vessel, first outlet means includinG an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging a portion of the condensed refrigerant from the vessel into said low pressure region upon the rise of condensed refrigerant above a predetermined level, and second outlet means including an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging the non-condensable gases from said vessel upon a drop in condensed refrigerant level below said predetermined level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
162 words
A purge apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from the refrigerant in a refrigeration system having a relatively high pressure region and a relatively low pressure region comprising, a closed vessel, inlet means for introducing the refrigerant containing non-condensable gases from the high pressure region into said closed vessel and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said closed vessel, means for cooling said vessel to condense the refrigerant therein, an electric switch operatively controlled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in said vessel, first outlet means includinG an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging a portion of the condensed refrigerant from the vessel into said low pressure region upon the rise of condensed refrigerant above a predetermined level, and second outlet means including an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging the non-condensable gases from said vessel upon a drop in condensed refrigerant level below said predetermined level.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said cooling means comprises an outer shell surrounding said vessel in spaced apart relation to define an enclosed area therebetween, and said first outlet means includes means for admitting the condensed refrigerant into said enclosed area and orifice means for maintaining the pressure in said enclosed area substantially equal to that in said low pressure region such that the refrigerant at least partially evaporates therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said electric switch includes a magnetic float in said vessel.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of purging a refrigeration system to remove non-condensable gases from the refrigerant comprising the steps of, withdrawing gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from a relatively high pressure region of the refrigeration system wherein the non-condensable gases accumulate, cooling the refrigerant and non-condensable gases to at least partially condense the refrigerant, then transferring the same to a separation vessel, cooling the vessel to condense the refrigerant by withdrawing a portion of the condensed refrigerant from the vessel upon its reaching a predetermined level, reducing the pressure of the withdrawn refrigerant to at least partially evaporate the same, and contacting the walls of said vessel with the evaporated refrigerant, and venting the vessel to the atmosphere upon the refrigerant dropping below said predetermined level to exhaust the non-condensable gases.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of purging a refrigeration system to remove non-condensable gases from the refrigerant comprising the steps of, withdrawing gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from a relatively high pressure region of the refrigeration system wherein the non-condensable gases accumulate, cooling the refrigerant and non-condensable gases to at least partially condense the refrigerant, then transferring the same to a separation vessel, cooling the vessel to condense the refrigerant by withdrawing a portion of the condensed refrigerant from the vessel upon its reaching a predetermined level, reducing the pressure of the withdrawn refrigerant to at least partially evaporate the same, and contacting the walls of said vessel with the evaporated refrigerant, and venting the vessel to the atmosphere upon the refrigerant dropping below said predetermined level to exhaust the non-condensable gases.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 10 including the further step of returning the evaporated refrigeration to a relatively low pressure region of the system after contacting the walls of the vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a refrigeration system including a compressor, a relatively high pressure region including a condenser, and a relatively low pressure region including an evaporator, the combination herewith of a purge apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from the refrigerant comprising, a separation vessel including an outer wall, inlet means communicating with said high pressure region of the system for transferring gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases through said wall and into the vessel and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said separation vessel, first outlet means for transferring condensed refrigerant from said vessel to said low pressure region and including an electrically operable valve, second outlet means adjacent the top of the vessel and including an electrically operable valve for discharging the non-condensable gases therefrom, and electrical switch means operatively controlled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in the vessel and connected to said first outlet valve and said second outlet valve for opening said first outlet valve only when the refrigerant reaches a predetermined level and for opening said second outlet valve only when the refrigerant is below said predetermined level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a refrigeration system including a compressor, a relatively high pressure region including a condenser, and a relatively low pressure region including an evaporator, the combination herewith of a purge apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from the refrigerant comprising, a separation vessel including an outer wall, inlet means communicating with said high pressure region of the system for transferring gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases through said wall and into the vessel and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said separation vessel, first outlet means for transferring condensed refrigerant from said vessel to said low pressure region and including an electrically operable valve, second outlet means adjacent the top of the vessel and including an electrically operable valve for discharging the non-condensable gases therefrom, and electrical switch means operatively controlled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in the vessel and connected to said first outlet valve and said second outlet valve for opening said first outlet valve only when the refrigerant reaches a predetermined level and for opening said second outlet valve only when the refrigerant is below said predetermined level.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
152 words
A purge apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from the refrigerant in a refrigeration system having a relatively high pressure region and a relatively low pressure region comprising, a closed vessel, inlet means for introducing the refrigerant containing non-condensable gases from the high pressure region into said closed vessel and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said closed vessel, an electric switch operatively cOntrolled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in said vessel, first outlet means including an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging a portion of the condensed refrigerant from the vessel into said low pressure region upon the rise of condensed refrigerant above a predetermined level, and second outlet means including an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging the non-condensable gases from said vessel upon a drop in condensed refrigerant level below said predetermined level.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
152 words
A purge apparatus for removing non-condensable gases from the refrigerant in a refrigeration system having a relatively high pressure region and a relatively low pressure region comprising, a closed vessel, inlet means for introducing the refrigerant containing non-condensable gases from the high pressure region into said closed vessel and including condensing means for at least partially condensing the refrigerant before entry into said closed vessel, an electric switch operatively cOntrolled by the level of the condensed refrigerant in said vessel, first outlet means including an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging a portion of the condensed refrigerant from the vessel into said low pressure region upon the rise of condensed refrigerant above a predetermined level, and second outlet means including an electrically operable valve operatively controlled by said switch for discharging the non-condensable gases from said vessel upon a drop in condensed refrigerant level below said predetermined level.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of purging a refrigeration system to remove non-condensable gases from the refrigerant comprising the steps of, withdrawing gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from a relatively high pressure region of the refrigeration system wherein the non-condensable gases accummulate, cooling the refrigerant and non-condensable gases to at least partially condense the refrigerant then transferring the withdrawn refrigerant and non-condensable gases to a separation vessel, withdrawing a portion of liquid refrigerant from the vessel upon the liquid refrigerant reaching a predetermined level therewithin, and venting the vessel to the atmosphere upon the liquid refrigerant dropping below said predetermined level to exhaust the non-condensable gases.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of purging a refrigeration system to remove non-condensable gases from the refrigerant comprising the steps of, withdrawing gaseous refrigerant and non-condensable gases from a relatively high pressure region of the refrigeration system wherein the non-condensable gases accummulate, cooling the refrigerant and non-condensable gases to at least partially condense the refrigerant then transferring the withdrawn refrigerant and non-condensable gases to a separation vessel, withdrawing a portion of liquid refrigerant from the vessel upon the liquid refrigerant reaching a predetermined level therewithin, and venting the vessel to the atmosphere upon the liquid refrigerant dropping below said predetermined level to exhaust the non-condensable gases.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |