Apparatus for recovering and recycling refrigerants

摘要

Apparatus for recovering and recycling refrigerant fluid includes an external or open drive compressor having a suction side and a discharge side, an inlet port for receiving refrigerant fluid from a refrigeration unit, a suction conduit communicating between the inlet port and the suction side of the compressor, an outlet port for expelling refrigerant fluid from the apparatus and a discharge conduit communicating between the discharge side of the compressor and the outlet port. The apparatus further includes a filter for filtering moisture and other contaminants from the incoming refrigerant and an evaporator for substantially completely vaporizing the incoming refrigerant before it reaches the suction side of the compressor. The apparatus does not include a dedicated condenser, but rather the refrigerant discharged by the compressor is condensed in a series of heat exchange processes, whereby the warmer refrigerant discharged from the compressor gives up heat to the cooler incoming refrigerant. The high temperature, high pressure vapor discharged by the compressor is used to help vaporize the incoming refrigerant. A combination accumulator/heat exchanger is provided for accumulating unvaporized refrigerant before the refrigerant enters the compressor and for condensing the refrigerant discharged by the compressor. A feedback line is provided for providing a flow of refrigerant from the discharged conduit to the suction conduit when the apparatus is operated in a "pump down" mode.