HVACR system using environmentally-friendly refrigerant with purge
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Solution Overview
Problem
In HVACR systems, non-condensables like air and moisture can leak into the refrigerant circuit, increasing condensing pressure and compressor power requirements, reducing efficiency and cooling capacity, especially when using environmentally-friendly refrigerants, where traditional purge methods may employ less environmentally-friendly refrigerants and increase system complexity.
Innovation Solution
A purge circuit with multiple heat exchangers is used to separate refrigerant and non-condensables from a purge stream, allowing for the efficient removal of non-condensables without a secondary compressor or additional refrigerants, utilizing environmentally-friendly refrigerants and minimizing material impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional purge methods are used to remove non-condensables, then system efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases and less environmentally-friendly refrigerants may be required
Solution Approach 1:
The purge circuit is divided into multiple heat exchangers arranged in series, each performing a specific condensation stage. This segmentation allows progressive separation of refrigerant and non-condensables, improving purification efficiency while keeping each individual heat exchanger relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The purge circuit uses the environmentally-friendly refrigerant itself as the cooling medium in the heat exchangers, making it multi-functional. The refrigerant serves both its primary cooling purpose and as the heat transfer medium for purging non-condensables, eliminating the need for secondary refrigerants and reducing system complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If environmentally-friendly refrigerants are used, then environmental impact is reduced, but system complexity increases due to additional purification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The environmentally-friendly refrigerant is used dual-purpose: as the working fluid for cooling and as the heat transfer medium in the purge circuit heat exchangers. This eliminates the need for separate purge refrigerants and reduces overall system complexity despite the added purification function.
Solution Approach 2:
The purge circuit utilizes the refrigerant's own thermal properties and circulation to perform the purging function. The refrigerant circulates through the heat exchangers and automatically condenses non-condensables through heat exchange, serving its own purification needs without external intervention or additional substances.
3Power
If non-condensables are removed from the refrigerant circuit, then compressor power requirements are reduced, but refrigerant loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchangers utilize phase transition of the refrigerant (condensation from gas to liquid) to separate and remove non-condensables. By controlling the temperature and pressure conditions, the refrigerant condenses while non-condensables remain gaseous and are purged, efficiently reducing compressor workload while minimizing refrigerant loss through the purge valve.
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
This solution effectively removes non-condensables, maintaining system efficiency and reducing complexity by using environmentally-friendly refrigerants, while minimizing the loss of refrigerant and avoiding the use of additional refrigerants with higher global warming potential.
Implementation Method 1
The purge circuit includes a plurality of heat exchangers for condensing the purge stream such that the non-condensables and the refrigerant in the purge stream are separated
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration system is disclosed. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator fluidly connected. A purge circuit is fluidly connected to the condenser. The purge circuit is configured to receive a purge stream from the condenser. The purge stream is a mixture including a refrigerant and non-condensables. The purge circuit includes a plurality of heat exchangers for condensing the purge stream such that the non-condensables and the refrigerant in the purge stream are separated.