Refrigerant regenerating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11719475-B2
Application number	US-202117410067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2021
Priority date	Aug 25, 2020
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A refrigerant regenerating apparatus is disclosed. A refrigerant regenerating apparatus of the present disclosure includes: a regenerator into which a refrigerant flows and from which the refrigerant is discharged, the regenerator configured to separate and discharge oil contained in a refrigerant flowing in the regenerator; and a recoverer into which the refrigerant discharged from the regenerator flows, the recoverer including a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant flowing in the recoverer and a heat exchanger configured to condense a refrigerant discharged from the compressor, in which the regenerator includes: a charger configured to charge oil contained in the refrigerant flowing in the regenerator with positive ions or negative ions using corona discharge; and a collector configured to electrically collect the oil charged through the charger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerant regenerating apparatus comprising:
a regenerator into which a refrigerant flows and from which the refrigerant is discharged, the regenerator configured to separate and discharge oil contained in a refrigerant flowing in the regenerator; and
a recoverer into which the refrigerant discharged from the regenerator flows, the recoverer including a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant flowing in the recoverer and a heat exchanger configured to condense a refrigerant discharged from the compressor,
wherein the regenerator comprises:
a charger configured to charge oil contained in the refrigerant flowing in the regenerator with positive ions or negative ions using corona discharge; and
a collector configured to electrically collect the oil charged through the charger.

2. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the charger further comprises:
a discharge electrode disposed in a channel for a refrigerant flowing into the charger;
a ground electrode spaced apart from the discharge electrode and electrically connected to the discharge electrode; and
a power source configured to apply a voltage between the discharge electrode and the ground electrode.

3. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the discharge electrode is formed in a wire shape and the ground electrode is formed in a plate shape.

4. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the ground electrode further comprises a pair of ground electrodes spaced apart from each other with the discharge electrode therebetween, and
the discharge electrode is elongated in parallel with the pair of ground electrodes.

5. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the longitudinal direction of the discharge electrode crosses the flow direction of a refrigerant flowing into the charger.

6. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the discharge electrode further includes a plurality of discharge electrodes spaced apart from each other in the flow direction of a refrigerant flowing into the charger, and
the width of the pair of ground electrodes corresponds to an arrangement length of the plurality of discharge electrodes.

7. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the discharge electrode is elongated in a direction crossing the ground electrode and has a tip facing the ground electrode.

8. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tip of the discharge electrode is disposed in the channel for the refrigerant flowing into the charger, and
the ground electrode is a circular plate or a ring-shaped plate.

9. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the discharge electrode further comprises a plurality of discharge electrodes spaced apart from each other in the flow direction of a refrigerant flowing into the charger, and
the width of the ground electrode corresponds to an arrangement length of the plurality of discharge electrodes.

10. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the discharge electrode further comprises: a first part elongated in parallel with the ground electrode; and a second part connected to the first part, elongated in a direction crossing the ground electrode, and having a tip.

11. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collector further comprises:
a collection plate disposed in a channel for a refrigerant flowing into the collector;
a ground plate spaced apart from the collection plate and electrically connected to the collection plate; and
a power source generating an electric field by applying a voltage to the collection plate and the ground plate.

12. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the collection plate is elongated in a vertical direction,
the oil charged through the charger flows to the collection plate and is collected on the collection plate together with the refrigerant passing through the charger, and is moved down along the collection plate and accumulated on the bottom inside the collector; and
the collector further comprises a discharge pipe configured to discharge the oil accumulated on the bottom inside the collector, and a discharge pipe configured to discharge the refrigerant flowing in the collector.

13. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the collection plate further comprises a plurality of collection plates each being a flat plate and spaced apart from each other, and
the ground plate further comprises a plurality of ground plates each being a flat plate and disposed between the plurality of collection plates.

14. The refrigerant regenerating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the collection plate further comprises a plurality of collection plates each formed in a roll shape and spaced apart from each other, and
the ground plate further comprises a plurality of ground plates each formed in a roll shape and disposed between the plurality of collection plates.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yang Hongjoo
• Ryu Byoungjin
• Cha Wooho
• Jung Chungwoo

Classifications

• F25B45/00 Primary

  Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant · CPC title

• F25B31/002

  Lubrication · CPC title

• F25B43/02 Primary

  for separating lubricants from the refrigerant · CPC title

• F25B2345/002

  Collecting refrigerant from a cycle · CPC title

• H01T19/00

  Devices providing for corona discharge (for charging electrographic elements G03G15/02) · CPC title