Refrigeration system comprising a purge system and associated method of operating a purge system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chiller systems face contamination issues due to leaks drawing air into the system, degrading performance, and existing purge systems are large, complex, and often lose refrigerant during the contamination removal process.
Innovation Solution
A vapor compression loop with a purge system that includes a separator and a movement mechanism to increase the pressure of the purge gas, using a compressor to drive the gas through a separator with a separating material, such as a membrane or sorbent, to separate contaminants from the refrigerant, and a phase separator to return liquid refrigerant to the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing purge systems use a vapor compression cycle to separate contaminant gas from refrigerant, then contamination can be removed, but the systems become large, complex, and lose refrigerant in the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of contaminant separation from the complex vapor compression cycle by using a simple separator that removes only the non-condensable gases (contaminants) while retaining the refrigerant. This extraction approach eliminates the need for complex compression and expansion mechanisms dedicated to purge operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards only the contaminant portion of the gas mixture while recovering and returning the refrigerant to the system. The separator allows refrigerant to condense and return to the vapor compression loop, while only the non-condensable contaminants are vented, thus recovering valuable refrigerant material.
2Reliability
If existing purge systems use a vapor compression cycle to separate contaminant gas from refrigerant, then contamination can be removed, but refrigerant is lost in the process
Solution Approach 1:
The system discards only the contaminant portion of the gas mixture while recovering and returning the refrigerant to the system. The separator allows refrigerant to condense and return to the vapor compression loop, while only the non-condensable contaminants are vented, thus recovering valuable refrigerant material.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator utilizes phase transition (condensation) to differentiate between refrigerant and contaminants. By cooling the gas mixture, the refrigerant condenses into liquid form and can be separated and returned to the system, while the non-condensable contaminants remain in gaseous form and are vented.
3Productivity
If the purge gas pressure is increased to improve contaminant separation, then membrane performance improves and air removal rate increases, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator utilizes phase transition (condensation) to differentiate between refrigerant and contaminants. By cooling the gas mixture, the refrigerant condenses into liquid form and can be separated and returned to the system, while the non-condensable contaminants remain in gaseous form and are vented.
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 effectively increases the air removal rate, improves membrane performance, reduces costs, and allows the chiller to reach peak efficiency quickly by enhancing the separation of contaminants from refrigerant while minimizing refrigerant loss.
Implementation Method 1
The pressure of the purge gas drives the purge gas through the separator
Implementation Method 2
the at least one membrane includes a porous material having pores sized to allow the contaminants to pass through the at least one membrane and restrict a flow of a refrigerant through the at least one membrane
Implementation Method 3
the separating material includes a sorbent material
Implementation Method 4
the phase separator includes a first outlet in fluid communication with the separator and a second outlet in fluid communication with the vapor compression system
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigeration system 10 includes a vapor compression loop and a purge system 30 in communication with the vapor compression loop. The purge system 30 includes: a separator 32 for separating contaminants from a purge gas provided from the vapor compression loop to the separator 32; and a movement mechanism 42 operable to increase a pressure of the purge gas. The pressure of the purge gas drives the purge gas through the separator 32.