OIL MANAGEMENT FOR HEATING VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

摘要

A method of lubricant management in a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes flowing a volume of a compressor lubricant and refrigerant mixture from an evaporator into a lubricant still and stopping the flow of the compressor lubricant and refrigerant mixture into the lubricant still when the mixture fills the lubricant still to a selected level. Compressor lubricant is distilled from the mixture via a thermal energy exchange, and the distillation is stopped when a concentration of compressor lubricant in the lubricant still exceeds a predetermined concentration level. The distillate is urged from the lubricant still.

主权项

1. A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
a compressor having a flow of compressor lubricant therein, the compressor compressing a flow of vapor refrigerant therethrough; an evaporator operably connected to the compressor including a plurality of evaporator tubes through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed for a thermal energy exchange with a liquid refrigerant in the evaporator; and a lubricant management system including:
a lubricant still receptive of a flow of compressor lubricant and refrigerant mixture from the evaporator;an inlet flow control device to stop the flow of the mixture into the lubricant still when a mixture level in the still reaches a selected level; andan outlet flow control device to urge distillate from the lubricant still when a concentration of lubricant in the distillate reaches a selected concentration level.