Patent ID: 9732999
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: F25B

Claim:
1. A refrigerant recovery system comprising: a first oil separator including a chamber configured to receive refrigerant from an air conditioning system; a heat exchanger disposed within the first oil separator; a compressor including a low pressure side fluidly connected to the chamber and a high pressure side fluidly connected to the heat exchanger; a first valve disposed in a first flow line that is fluidly connected between an inlet of the first oil separator and a source of refrigerant; a second valve disposed in a second flow line that fluidly connects the compressor and the heat exchanger; and a controller operably connected to the compressor, the first valve, and the second valve and configured to (i) operate the first valve to open to enable refrigerant to pass into the chamber of the first oil separator, (ii) operate the second valve to open after the operating of the first valve to open; (iii) activate the compressor after operation of the first and second valves and while the second valve is open so as to form a closed flow loop through which the refrigerant recirculates through the heat exchanger and the compressor, the compressor heating the refrigerant flowing through the dosed flow loop, and (iv) subsequent to the activation of the compressor, commence a refrigerant recovery operation.