US5916249A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for the recovery of ammonia refrigerant
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1997-04-23
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Granted: 1999-06-29
•
Expires: 2017-04-23
Abstract
Abstract A method of and apparatus for recovery of ammonia refrigerant using paired evaporation condensation processes in which an essentially closed water loop is used to efficiently transfer heat energy from the evaporation process to the condensation process and which further allows excess heat to be purged from the system by evaporation of water in a forced draft condenser.
Inventors
- 👤 H. Wayne Baker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 13:18
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B45/00; F25B2345/00; F25B2345/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
An apparatus for cleaning and recovering refrigerant, comprising: (a) a liquid refrigerant introduced to the apparatus; (b) an evaporator, said evaporator comprising an evaporator liquid refrigerant input and an evaporator gaseous refrigerant output; (c) a compressor which induces a lowered ambient pressure inside said evaporator to convert a refrigerant therein from liquid state to gaseous state; (d) a condenser, said condenser comprising a condenser gaseous refrigerant input and a condenser liquid refrigerant output; (e) a gaseous refrigerant pathway, said pathway allowing said refrigerant to flow from said evaporator gaseous refrigerant output to said condenser gaseous refrigerant input; and (f) a heat transfer loop, said heat transfer loop containing a heat transfer liquid and passing through said evaporator and said condenser proximally to said refrigerant, such that said heat transfer liquid is heated as it passes through said condenser and cooled as it passes through said evaporator, wherein said evaporator further comprises a contaminate drain for the removal of contaminants separated from said refrigerant when said refrigerant is converted from a liquid state to a gaseous state.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
176 words
An apparatus for cleaning and recovering refrigerant, comprising: (a) a liquid refrigerant introduced to the apparatus; (b) an evaporator, said evaporator comprising an evaporator liquid refrigerant input and an evaporator gaseous refrigerant output; (c) a compressor which induces a lowered ambient pressure inside said evaporator to convert a refrigerant therein from liquid state to gaseous state; (d) a condenser, said condenser comprising a condenser gaseous refrigerant input and a condenser liquid refrigerant output; (e) a gaseous refrigerant pathway, said pathway allowing said refrigerant to flow from said evaporator gaseous refrigerant output to said condenser gaseous refrigerant input; and (f) a heat transfer loop, said heat transfer loop containing a heat transfer liquid and passing through said evaporator and said condenser proximally to said refrigerant, such that said heat transfer liquid is heated as it passes through said condenser and cooled as it passes through said evaporator, wherein said evaporator further comprises a contaminate drain for the removal of contaminants separated from said refrigerant when said refrigerant is converted from a liquid state to a gaseous state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerant is ammonia.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: (a) a refrigerant receiver tank, said refrigerant receiver tank providing for the storage and subsequent transfer of said refrigerant; and (b) a liquid refrigerant pathway, said liquid refrigerant pathway allowing the passage of said refrigerant from said condenser liquid refrigerant output to said refrigerant receiver tank.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said condenser is a forced-draft condenser, said forced-draft condenser comprising: (a) one or more coils through which said refrigerant may pass, each one of said one or more coils having two ends, one end communicatively connected to said condenser gaseous refrigerant input, and the other end communicatively connected to said condenser liquid refrigerant output; and (b) one or more pathways through which said heat transfer liquid may pass, said one or more pathways located such that said heat transfer liquid flowing through said one or more pathways makes substantial contact with said one or more coils.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heat transfer liquid is water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said condenser further comprises an external water source input, said external water source input allowing the introduction of additional water from an external source into said heat transfer loop.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for cleaning and recovering refrigerant, comprising the steps of: (a) moving a refrigerant in a liquid state from an external refrigeration system into an evaporator; (b) using a compressor to induce a lowered ambient pressure inside said evaporator to convert said refrigerant therein from a liquid state to a gaseous state; (c) moving said refrigerant in a gaseous state into a condenser and converting said refrigerant therein from a gaseous state to a liquid state; and (d) moving a heat transfer liquid in a recirculating path through said condenser and said evaporator proximally to said refrigerant such that said heat transfer liquid is heated as it passes through said condenser and said heat transfer liquid is cooled as it passes through said evaporator, further comprising the step of draining contaminates remaining in said evaporator from said evaporator once cleaning and recovery of said refrigerant is complete.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for cleaning and recovering refrigerant, comprising the steps of: (a) moving a refrigerant in a liquid state from an external refrigeration system into an evaporator; (b) using a compressor to induce a lowered ambient pressure inside said evaporator to convert said refrigerant therein from a liquid state to a gaseous state; (c) moving said refrigerant in a gaseous state into a condenser and converting said refrigerant therein from a gaseous state to a liquid state; and (d) moving a heat transfer liquid in a recirculating path through said condenser and said evaporator proximally to said refrigerant such that said heat transfer liquid is heated as it passes through said condenser and said heat transfer liquid is cooled as it passes through said evaporator, further comprising the step of draining contaminates remaining in said evaporator from said evaporator once cleaning and recovery of said refrigerant is complete.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said refrigerant is ammonia.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of moving said refrigerant in a liquid state from said condenser to a refrigerant receiver tank for storage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of moving said refrigerant in a liquid state from said refrigerant receiver tank to said external refrigeration system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said condenser is a forced-draft condenser, wherein step (d) further comprises the steps of: (a) directing said heat transfer liquid along one or more pathways that flow over one or more coils in said condenser through which said refrigerant flows; and (b) allowing some portion of said heat transfer liquid to evaporate into the atmosphere to aid in the cooling of said refrigerant flowing through said one or more coils in said condenser.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said heat transfer liquid is water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of introducing an external source of water into said heat transfer loop.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step prior to step (a) of transporting all components necessary to perform the method to a location proximal to said external refrigeration system via a transportation device upon which said components are mounted.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transportation device upon which all other elements of said apparatus are mounted.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
171 words
An apparatus for cleaning and recovering ammonia refrigerant, comprising: (a) a liquid ammonia refrigerant introduced to the apparatus; (b) an evaporator, said evaporator comprising an evaporator liquid ammonia refrigerant input and an evaporator gaseous ammonia refrigerant output; (c) a heat source applied to said evaporator and a compressor which induces a lowered ambient pressure inside said evaporator to convert said liquid ammonia refrigerant therein from liquid state to gaseous state; (d) a condenser, said condenser comprising a condenser gaseous ammonia refrigerant input and a condenser liquid ammonia refrigerant output; and (e) a gaseous ammonia refrigerant pathway, said pathway allowing said ammonia refrigerant to flow from said evaporator gaseous ammonia refrigerant output to said condenser gaseous ammonia refrigerant input; (f) said heat source comprising a heat transfer loop, said heat transfer loop containing a heat transfer liquid and passing through said evaporator and said condenser proximally to said ammonia refrigerant, such that said heat transfer liquid is heated as it passes through said condenser and cooled as it passes through said evaporator.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
171 words
An apparatus for cleaning and recovering ammonia refrigerant, comprising: (a) a liquid ammonia refrigerant introduced to the apparatus; (b) an evaporator, said evaporator comprising an evaporator liquid ammonia refrigerant input and an evaporator gaseous ammonia refrigerant output; (c) a heat source applied to said evaporator and a compressor which induces a lowered ambient pressure inside said evaporator to convert said liquid ammonia refrigerant therein from liquid state to gaseous state; (d) a condenser, said condenser comprising a condenser gaseous ammonia refrigerant input and a condenser liquid ammonia refrigerant output; and (e) a gaseous ammonia refrigerant pathway, said pathway allowing said ammonia refrigerant to flow from said evaporator gaseous ammonia refrigerant output to said condenser gaseous ammonia refrigerant input; (f) said heat source comprising a heat transfer loop, said heat transfer loop containing a heat transfer liquid and passing through said evaporator and said condenser proximally to said ammonia refrigerant, such that said heat transfer liquid is heated as it passes through said condenser and cooled as it passes through said evaporator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a transportation device upon which all other elements of said apparatus are mounted.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said evaporator further comprises a contaminate drain for the removal of contaminants separated from said ammonia refrigerant when said ammonia refrigerant is converted from a liquid state to a gaseous state.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: (a) an ammonia refrigerant receiver tank, said ammonia refrigerant receiver tank providing for the storage and subsequent transfer of said ammonia refrigerant; and (b) a liquid ammonia refrigerant pathway, said liquid ammonia refrigerant pathway allowing the passage of said ammonia refrigerant from said condenser liquid ammonia refrigerant output to said ammonia refrigerant receiver tank.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
176 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said condenser is a forced-draft condenser, said forced-draft condenser comprising: (a) one or more coils through which said ammonia refrigerant may pass, each one of said one or more coils having two ends, one end communicatively connected to said condenser gaseous ammonia refrigerant input, and the other end communicatively connected to said condenser liquid ammonia refrigerant output; and (b) one or more pathways through which said heat transfer liquid may pass, said one or more pathways located such that said heat transfer liquid flowing through said one or more pathways makes substantial contact with said one or more coils, wherein said heat transfer liquid is water whereby some portion of said heat transfer liquid evaporates into the atmosphere to aid in the cooling of said ammonia refrigerant flowing through said one or more coils in said condenser; and further wherein said condenser further comprises an external water source input, said external water source input allowing the introduction of additional water from an external source into said heat transfer loop.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-06-28 | 2002-12-28 | 2003-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-06-28 | 2006-12-28 | 2007-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-06-28 | 2010-12-28 | 2011-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |