Refrigeration – Processes – Assembling – charging – or repairing of refrigeration producer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2002-07-30
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Processes
Assembling, charging, or repairing of refrigeration producer
C062S292000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06425252
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a purging apparatus for conducting an air purge required when an equipment such as a split type air conditioner is installed or repaired, and to a to-be purged apparatus and a purging method.
BACKGROUND TECHNIQUE
Conventionally, in the case of a split type air conditioner, since its connecting pipes and its indoor heat exchanger are exposed to atmosphere and air exists therein, a purging operation for removing the air is required. Such an operation will be explained with reference to FIG.
25
. In a general split type air conditioner, before it is installed, a refrigerant gas is charged in an outdoor unit
101
. The outdoor unit
101
and an indoor unit
102
are connected using connecting pipes
103
by installing operation. After installing operation is completed, in order to remove the air existing in an indoor heat exchanger
104
and the connecting pipes
103
, the refrigerant gas in the outdoor unit
101
is sent out from a 2-way valve
105
little by little to push out the air in the indoor heat exchanger
104
and the connecting pipes
103
to discharge the air from a service port
107
of a 3-way valve
106
which is another connection valve mounted to the outdoor unit
101
.
Japanese Patent Application No. H9-133440 discloses a similar example of the purging method in a system using a refrigerant including hydro fluorocarbon as a working fluid. Constituent members having the same functions as those shown in
FIG. 25
are designated by the same reference numerals, and explanations thereof will be omitted. As shown in
FIG. 26
, after the separate air conditioner is connected, a container
108
into which hydrocarbon gas having a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure is charged is connected to the service port
107
. Another service port
110
capable of opening into atmosphere is mounted also to a connection 3-way valve
109
of the other outdoor unit. With this structure, the hydrocarbon gas is released into the system to push the inside air, and the service port
110
is opened into the atmosphere to conducting the air purge.
There is another method to remove non-condensation gas such as air by connecting a vacuum pump to the service port
107
in
FIG. 25
to forcibly remove the inside air. This method is generally carried out in the installing and repairing operation.
However, according to the above-described conventional methods, the refrigerant gas which is sent out as an exchanger gas is discharged out into atmosphere at the time of air purge, which may adversely affect global environment such as global warming. Further, when the replacing gas(hereinafter sometimes referred to as exchanger gas) is a flammable material or a toxic material, there is a problem that such gas must be discharged out, which may bring a worker and the circumferential environment into an extremely dangerous state.
In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a purging method, a purging unit and a to-be purged unit which has a simple structure and which does not discharge the refrigerant gas to atmosphere when an equipment such as a split type air conditioner requiring the air purge is installed.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to claim
1
, a purging method uses: a to-be purged apparatus having a to-be purged room with two or more valve openings capable of connecting to a main circuit or to a circuit other than the main circuit; and a purging apparatus having a replacing gas container into which a replacing gas to be exchanged for a to-be purged gas is previously charged and a gas collecting container for collecting gas including the to-be purged gas, one of the valve openings of the to-be purged room and the replacing gas container can be connected with each other, and the other valve opening of the to-be purged room and the gas collecting container can be connected with each other; the method comprising the steps of: sending the replacing gas in the replacing gas container, thereby pushing out the to-be purged gas in the to-be purged apparatus; and collecting the to-be purged gas into the gas collecting container.
With this structure, by exchanging air in the to-be purged room to the replacing gas, it is possible to remove non-condensation gas such as air which may adversely affect the actual operation of the equipment. Further, a room of the replacing gas used for purging is collected into the gas collecting container together with the to-be purged gas and therefore, it is possible to prevent a material causing global warming such as refrigerant gas or a dangerous material such as flammable gas from being discharged into atmosphere.
According to claim
2
, a to-be purged apparatus comprises a to-be purged room for exchanging a gas therein for a replacing gas, the to-be purged room having a valve opening for connecting with a main circuit and two or more valve openings for connecting with circuit other than the main circuit.
With this structure, the to-be purged apparatus has two or more valve openings, and if an arbitrary valve opening is selected and connected to the purging apparatus, the purging method in claim
1
can be realized.
According to claim
3
, a purging apparatus comprises a replacing gas container into which a replacing gas to be exchanged for to-be purged gas is previously charged, and a gas collecting container for collecting gas including the to-be purged gas, one of valve openings of the to-be purged room and the replacing gas container, and other valve opening of the to-be purged room and the gas collecting container are capable of connecting with each other.
With this structure, there are provided the container in which the replacing gas to be exchanged for the to-be purged gas is charged and the gas collecting container for collecting the to-be purged gas partially having the replacing gas, it is possible to realize the purging method of claim
1
which does not discharge the replacing gas.
According to claim
4
, the number of the valve openings is two, and the two valve openings are mounted at opposite ends of a pipe requiring purging operation. With this structure, since the farthest opposite ends among the to-be purged paths are provided with valve openings for connection with the purging apparatus, the gas can be exchanged without forming a stagnation of to-be purged gas in the to-be purged paths and therefore, the apparatus can be constituted using the minimum number of valves.
According to claim
5
, the purging apparatus further comprises gas moving means for moving the replacing gas or the to-be purged gas. With this structure, gas in the system can easily be moved toward the gas collection container by providing the gas moving means in the path of the to-be purged room and therefore, it is unnecessary to excessively increase the pressure of the replacing gas in the replacing gas container for moving the replacing gas by the pressure difference, it is unnecessary to charge the replacing gas excessively, and a container and piping device which can withstand a high pressure are unnecessary.
According to claim
6
, the gas collecting container is provided therein with a replacing gas adsorbing material inside for adsorbing the replacing gas and/or replaced gas(such as air or so). With this structure, since the replacing gas adsorbing material is contained in the gas collecting container, the replacing gas sent into the gas collecting container together with the to-be purged gas and adsorbed in the adsorbing material. Therefore, the pressure in the collection container is reduced by the adsorbed amount of the replacing gas, the internal pressure of the gas collecting container is correspondingly reduced, the to-be purged gas can be collected into the gas collecting container more easily and the purging operation can be carried out effectively.
According to claim
7
, the gas collecting container is evacuated into vacuum or is depressurized. With this structure, since the pressure at the gas collecting container side is lowered, the pressure difference is gener
Fujitaka Akira
Kobayashi Yoshinori
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Doerrler William
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Shulman Mark
LandOfFree
Purging method, apparatus to be purged and purging apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Purging method, apparatus to be purged and purging apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Purging method, apparatus to be purged and purging apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2874811