Heated Pressure Regulator for Rapid Refrigerant Sample Vaporization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing refrigerant sample preparation methods are time-consuming, typically taking 90 minutes or more, which limits the amount of recovered refrigerant that can be analyzed, and fail to meet the increasing regulatory demands for comprehensive analysis, such as those defined in AHRI Standard No. 700-2006.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a heated pressure regulator assembly and a filter assembly that vaporizes and filters the refrigerant sample, allowing for rapid preparation and analysis, including a pressure regulator with heating elements and coalescing filter cartridges to remove contaminants, connected to an analytical instrument for composition analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional manual sample preparation steps are used (drawing liquid refrigerant, injecting into sample bomb, vaporizing, filtering, and manually introducing), then the refrigerant sample can be prepared for analysis, but the preparation time is excessively long (90 minutes or more)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate preparation steps (vaporization, filtration, and sample introduction) into a single integrated system where the refrigerant sample flows continuously through heated tubing, filters, and into the analytical instrument without manual intervention, thereby dramatically reducing preparation time while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables automatic self-service operation where the refrigerant sample automatically vaporizes in the heated pressure regulator, passes through filters to remove contaminants, and is introduced into the analytical instrument without requiring manual drawing, injection, or introduction steps, thus eliminating the time-consuming manual operations
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive analysis of recovered refrigerant is conducted to meet regulatory demands, then analysis quality improves, but the analysis throughput decreases due to time-consuming preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes continuous operation where refrigerant samples flow continuously through the preparation system and into the analytical instrument without interruption or manual intervention between samples, enabling multiple samples to be processed back-to-back and significantly increasing analysis throughput while maintaining comprehensive analysis quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary vaporization and filtration of the refrigerant sample before it enters the analytical instrument, preparing the sample in advance during its flow through the heated pressure regulator and filter assembly, which eliminates the need for time-consuming manual preparation steps and allows immediate analysis
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system significantly reduces the preparation time for refrigerant sample analysis, enabling more comprehensive analysis of recovered refrigerants and compliance with regulatory standards by efficiently vaporizing and filtering the refrigerant samples, thereby increasing the throughput of refrigerant analysis.
Implementation Method 1
The refrigerant sample within the interior region of the pressure regulator is heated to vaporize the refrigerant sample
Implementation Method 2
The vaporized refrigerant sample is distributed through a filter to remove contaminants in the refrigerant sample
Data Source
AI summary
A system for preparing a refrigerant sample for analysis including a pressure regulator assembly including a pressure regulator and provisions for heating a refrigerant sample contained within an interior region of the pressure regulator. The pressure regulator defines an inlet through which the refrigerant sample is delivered and an outlet through which the refrigerant sample is expelled. The system also includes a filter assembly having an inlet that is fluidly connected to the outlet of the pressure regulator to receive the vaporized refrigerant sample from the pressure regulator, at least one filter for removing contaminants from the refrigerant sample, and an outlet that is configured to be coupled to a refrigerant analysis system for analyzing a composition of the refrigerant sample.