Non-concentric oil separator

Claim 2

An oil separator for use in a refrigeration system, where the system employs a compressor, comprising: a discharge conduit having an open end; and a generally cylindrical vertically upstanding housing, said discharge conduit penetrating and extending into the interior of said housing, the centerlines of said discharge conduit and said housing being generally parallel but offset from each other, said housing defining an inlet which opens tangentially into the interior of said housing at a location vertically between said open end of said discharge conduit and the location at which said discharge conduit penetrates said housing, flow through said inlet into the interior of said housing being unimpeded by said discharge conduit, the unobstructed width of said inlet being limited by the maximum distance between said discharge conduit and the inner side wall of said housing.

Claim 3

The oil separator according to claim 1 wherein the open end of said discharge piping is downward facing and said inlet opens tangentially into the interior of said housing at a location above said open end of said discharge conduit.

Claim 4

The oil separator according to claim 2 wherein said inlet, taken in cross section with respect to the direction of flow of a mixture entering said housing through said inlet, is circular and further comprising conduit connecting said compressor to said housing inlet, said connecting conduit terminating in said inlet without penetrating into the interior of said housing.

Claim 5

The oil separator according to claim 3 wherein said housing includes a cap, said cap closing the upper end of said housing and being penetrated by said discharge conduit.

Claim 6

The oil separator according to claim 4 wherein said cap defines said housing inlet.

Claim 7

The oil separator according to claim 2 wherein said inlet is penetrated by inlet conduit connecting said compressor to said housing, said inlet conduit penetrating into the interior of said housing to a position proximate said discharge conduit.

Claim 8

The oil separator according to claim 1 wherein said discharge conduit opens downwardly into and has an enlarged distal end interior of said housing, said distance between the discharge conduit and the inner side wall of said housing being a distance measured other than from said enlarged distal end of said discharge conduit.

Claim 9

The oil separator according to claim 7 wherein said housing defines a sump and further comprising a permeable baffle disposed interior of said housing between said distal end of said discharge conduit and said sump.

Claim 10

The oil separator according to claim 7 wherein said enlarged distal end of said discharge conduit is a discrete member attached to said discharge piping.

Claim 11

The oil separator according to claim 1 wherein said housing defines an oil sump and further comprising a baffle which is open to flow, said baffle being disposed interior of said housing between said open end of said discharge conduit and said sump.

Claim 12

A refrigeration system comprising: a condenser; means for metering refrigerant, said metering means being in flow communication with said condenser; an evaporator, said evaporator being in flow communication with said metering device; a compressor, said compressor being in flow communication with said evaporator and discharging, in operation, a mixture of refrigerant gas in which oil is entrained; an oil separator, said oil separator having a generally cylindrical vertically upstanding housing in the lower portion of which an oil sump is defined, said housing defining a discharge outlet and an inlet, said inlet defining a flow area opening tangentially into the interior of said housing with respect to the centerline of said housing and said outlet being in a plane generally perpendicular to the centerline of said housing; discharge conduit penetrating into the interior of said oil separator housing through said outlet and connecting the interior of said housing for flow to said condenser, the centerline of said discharge conduit being parallel to but offset from the centerline of said housing and the flow of said mixture into the interior of said separator through said inlet being unimpeded by said discharge conduit, the width of said flow area, taken in cross section with respect to the direction of flow of said mixture as it enters said housing, being constrained, in order that the entry of said mixture into the interior of said housing be unimpeded by said discharge conduit, only by the maximum distance between said discharge conduit and the inner side wall of said housing; inlet conduit connecting said compressor to said oil separator inlet so that said mixture of oil and refrigerant gas discharged from said compressor in operation is delivered tangentially into the interior of said separator housing; and conduit means connecting said sump to said compressor.

Claim 13

A refrigeration system comprising: a condenser; means for metering refrigerant, said metering means being in flow communication with said condenser; an evaporator, said evaporator being in flow communication with said metering device; a compressor, said compressor being in flow communication with said evaporator and discharging, in operation, a mixture of refrigerant gas in which oil is entrained; an oil separator, said oil separator having a generally cylindrical vertically upstanding housing in the lower portion of which an oil sump is defined, said housing defining a discharge outlet and an inlet, said inlet defining a flow area opening tangentially into the interior of said housing with respect to the centerline of said housing and said outlet being in a plane generally perpendicular to the centerline of said housing; discharge conduit penetrating into the interior of said oil separator housing through said outlet and connecting the interior of said housing for flow to said condenser, the centerline of said discharge conduit being parallel to but offset from the centerline of said housing and the flow of said mixture into the interior of said separator through said inlet being unimpeded by said discharge conduit, the width of said flow area, taken in cross section with respect to the direction of flow of said mixture as it enters said housing, being constrained, in order that the entry of said mixture into the interior of said housing be unimpeded by said discharge conduit, only by the maximum distance between said discharge conduit and the inner side wall of said housing; inlet conduit connecting said compressor to said oil separator inlet so that said mixture of oil and refrigerant gas discharged from said compressor in operation is delivered tangentially into the interior of said separator housing; and conduit means connecting said sump to said compressor.

Claim 14

A refrigeration system according to claim 11 wherein said discharge conduit has an enlarged distal end interior of said separator.

Claim 15

The refrigeration system according to claim 11 further comprising a baffle member disposed between the distal end of said discharge conduit and said oil sump.

Claim 16

The refrigeration system according to claim 11 wherein said discharge outlet is disposed in the upper portion of said housing, wherein said discharge conduit opens downwardly into the interior of said housing and wherein said housing includes a cap, said cap closing the upper end of said housing and defining said inlet and said discharge outlet, said inlet conduit terminating in said cap without penetrating into the interior of aid housing.

Claim 17

The refrigeration system according to claim 14 wherein said discharge conduit opens into the interior of said housing at a location below said housing inlet.

Claim 18

The refrigeration system according to claim 14 wherein said cap defines said inlet to said separator housing.

Claim 19

The refrigeration system according to claim 11 wherein said conduit means connecting said compressor to said oil separator inlet penetrates into the interior of said oil separator housing to a position proximate said discharge conduit.

Claim 20

The refrigeration system according to claim 11 wherein said discharge conduit opens downwardly into and has an enlarged distal end interior of said separator and further comprising a baffle member disposed between the distal end of said discharge conduit and said oil sump, said distance between the discharge conduit and the inner side wall of said housing being a distance measured other than from said enlarged distal end of said discharge conduit.

Claim 23

The method according to claim 19 wherein said inlet is defined in the upper portion of said housing, wherein said open end of said conduit opens downwardly into the interior of said housing and further comprising the step of providing an enlarged entryway, interior said housing, to the open end of said discharge conduit.

Claim 24

The method according to claim 19 further comprising the steps of defining an oil sump in the separator housing and disposing a baffle member between the oil sump and the conduit which connects the interior of the housing to the system condenser.