Refrigerant analyzer and a method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018356337-A1
Application number	US-201615748112-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 28, 2016
Priority date	Jul 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and an analyzer for detecting impurities in refrigerant (e.g. methyl chloride (R40) or Chlorodifiuoromethane (R22)), wherein the refrigerant analyzer ( 12 ) includes a first sensing device ( 16 ), preferably a non-dispersive infrared sensor (NDIR), in flow communication with a second sensing device ( 18 ), preferably an electrochemical sensor. The first sensing device is configured to determine a first characteristic of a refrigerant (e.g. absorbance in the IR range), and the second sensing device is configured to detect a second characteristic of the refrigerant (e.g. concentration in ppmv). Preferably, the refrigerant analyzer is a part of a system for detecting impurities ( 10 ) and further preferably it comprises flow regulators ( 20 ), a scrubber ( 24 ) and a processor ( 22 ). The scrubber is preferably in flow communication with the first sensing device and it preferably comprises a packing material comprising alumina (Al2O3, aluminum oxide).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of detecting impurities in a refrigerant utilizing a refrigerant analyzer, wherein the refrigerant analyzer includes a first sensing device in flow communication with a second sensing device, the method comprising:
(a) passing a refrigerant through the first sensing device to detect a first characteristic of the refrigerant; and (b) passing the refrigerant through the second sensing device to detect a second characteristic of the refrigerant.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first characteristic comprises absorption of a wavelength of light by the refrigerant.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first characteristic comprises absorption of a wavelength of light by the refrigerant and the wavelength is less than or equal to approximately 15,500 nanometers.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second characteristic comprises a measured concentration level based at least in part on a sensed output.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second characteristic comprises a measured concentration level based at least in part on a sensed output and the measured concentration level is greater than or equal to approximately 1000 ppmv.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing the refrigerant through a scrubber.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing the refrigerant through the scrubber and wherein the scrubber comprises a packing material comprising alumina.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising first passing the refrigerant through the scrubber.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising splitting the refrigerant into a first refrigerant stream and a second refrigerant stream and passing the first refrigerant stream through the scrubber while not passing the second refrigerant stream through the scrubber.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
(c) operating the refrigerant analyzer to provide an indication if it is determined that a contaminant is present.

11 . A refrigerant analyzer comprising:
a first sensing device, wherein the first sensing device is configured at least to determine a first characteristic of a refrigerant; and a second sensing device in flow communication with the first sensing device, the second sensing device configured at least to determine a second characteristic of the refrigerant.

12 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , further comprising a scrubber in flow communication with the first sensing device.

13 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 12 , wherein the scrubber comprises a packing material comprising alumina.

14 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , wherein the first sensing device comprises a non-dispersive infrared sensor.

15 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , wherein the second sensing device comprises an electrochemical sensor.

16 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , further comprising a processor in communication with the first sensing device and the second sensing device.

17 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , wherein the first characteristic comprises absorption of a wavelength of light by the refrigerant.

18 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 17 , wherein the first characteristic comprises absorption of a wavelength of light by the refrigerant and the wavelength is less than or equal to approximately 15,500 nanometers.

19 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , wherein the second characteristic comprises a measured concentration level based at least in part on a sensed output.

20 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 19 , wherein the measured concentration level is greater than or equal to approximately 1000 ppmv.

21 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , wherein the scrubber is fluidly upstream of the first sensing device.

22 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , wherein the scrubber is fluidly upstream of the second sensing device.

23 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 11 , further comprising a flow regulator operably coupled to the scrubber and the second sensing device, wherein the flow regulator is configured to create a first refrigerant stream and a second refrigerant stream.

24 . The refrigerant analyzer of claim 23 , wherein the first refrigerant stream passes through the scrubber and the second refrigerant stream does not pass through the scrubber.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Chen Lei
• Yang Zhiwei
• Postgate Farley William
• Clough Warren
• Rydkin Ivan

Classifications

• G01N33/0032

  using two or more different physical functioning modes · CPC title

• G01N21/61

  Non-dispersive gas analysers {(G01N21/3504 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N21/3504 Primary

  for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis · CPC title

• G01N21/94

  Investigating contamination, e.g. dust (G01N21/85 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/4074

  for detection of gases other than oxygen · CPC title