On-Site Refrigerant Conversion to Reduce GWP and Shipping Costs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current refrigerant recovery methods often require shipping refrigerants to central processing sites for destruction or reuse, which is inefficient and does not effectively address the high global warming potential (GWP) of existing refrigerants.
Innovation Solution
On-site conversion of original refrigerants into lower GWP refrigerants by adding or removing components within the refrigerant fluid circuit or in a container, allowing for in situ reclamation and repurposing, with the use of filters and dryers to ensure compatibility and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If refrigerant is shipped to central processing sites for destruction or reuse, then refrigerant can be recovered and reused, but shipping costs and handling complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized refrigerant recovery system into distributed on-site processing units. Each HVAC system or refrigeration unit has its own conversion capability, eliminating the need to ship refrigerant to central facilities. This segmentation allows independent processing at each location, reducing shipping and handling complexity while maintaining reliable refrigerant recovery and reuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing HVAC systems to convert their own refrigerant on-site without external processing facilities. The conversion apparatus integrates directly with the refrigerant circuit, allowing the system to autonomously convert high-GWP refrigerant to low-GWP alternatives, eliminating dependency on centralized processing and reducing handling requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If original refrigerant is converted to lower GWP refrigerant by adding/removing components, then GWP is reduced, but conversion process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the refrigerant by adding or removing specific components to transform high-GWP refrigerant into low-GWP alternatives. The system controls the ratios and amounts of refrigerant components to achieve the desired GWP reduction while maintaining appropriate thermodynamic properties for the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The conversion process selectively removes certain refrigerant components that contribute to high GWP while retaining and recombining with beneficial components. This selective discarding and recovering approach reduces GWP while maintaining system performance, and the process is integrated into the existing refrigerant circuit to minimize added complexity.
3Loss of energy
If refrigerant conversion is performed on-site in operating circuit, then shipping costs are reduced, but system reliability during conversion may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion system is designed to dynamically operate within the running HVAC system, allowing conversion to occur while the system continues to function. The apparatus can adjust conversion rates and refrigerant flow dynamically to maintain system performance and reliability during the conversion process, ensuring continuous operation without interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The conversion apparatus acts as an intermediary component integrated into the refrigerant circuit, facilitating the transformation of refrigerant while maintaining system operation. The intermediary design allows the conversion process to occur without removing refrigerant from the system, preserving system reliability and avoiding shutdowns while still achieving GWP reduction.
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 approach enables the creation of a drop-in replacement refrigerant with reduced GWP, reducing shipping costs, handling complexity, and greenhouse gas emissions, while meeting low-GWP regulations through efficient on-site recycling and reuse.
Implementation Method 1
a filter and/or dryer is employed when converting the original refrigerant to the converted refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A method of converting a refrigerant includes recovering a refrigerant from a refrigeration unit with an evacuation pump and containing the recovered refrigerant in a container. The method also includes testing the recovered refrigerant and converting the recovered refrigerant. The converted refrigerant is different from the recovered refrigerant. A system for converting a refrigerant includes an evacuation pump, a container, and one or more refrigerant containers. The evacuation pump and container are configured to recover a refrigerant from a refrigeration unit. The one or more containers deliver one or more refrigerant components into the container to convert the recovered refrigerant.