Apparatus and method for recovering refrigerant through a double conduit connection

Abstract

An apparatus for transferring a fluid from and/or to a system, e.g., an air conditioning system, includes a main compartment having at least one pumping device for pumping the fluid from/to the system, an interface module having at least one gauge which is configured for displaying the pressure of the fluid, and a fluid connection fluidly connecting the gauge to the main compartment. The fluid connection is formed in a double conduit design in order to prevent any leakage of the fluid from the fluid connection.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transferring a fluid at least one of from and to an air conditioning system, the apparatus comprising: a main compartment having at least one pumping device pumping the fluid at least one of from and to the air conditioning system; an interface module having at least one gauge which is configured to display the pressure of the fluid; a fluid connection fluidly connecting the gauge to the main compartment, wherein the fluid connection is formed in a double conduit configuration to prevent leakage of the fluid from the fluid connection, the double conduit configuration including an inner and an outer conduit, wherein the outer conduit is configured to receive any fluid leaking out of the inner conduit, and wherein the inner and outer conduits are substantially concentric to one another, the outer conduit being in communication with the main compartment; at least one fitting connecting the inner and outer conduits to the gauge, the at least one fitting including at least one sensor configured to allow operation of the apparatus only after the at least one fitting is properly connected; a leakage pumping device to which the outer conduit is fluidly connected, the leakage pumping device being configured to pump a leaking fluid stream from the outer conduit into the main compartment when the inner conduit leaks the leaking fluid stream; and a sensor configured to sense the leaking fluid stream in the outer conduit in order to activate the leakage pumping device; wherein the at least one fitting is permanently attached to a body of the gauge, wherein the outer conduit is fluidly connected to the leakage pumping device, which is configured for pumping the leaking fluid stream into the main compartment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the fitting is brazed onto the body of the gauge.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one gauge is fluidly connected to a reservoir located inside the main compartment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid connection is disposed adjacent to a plurality of electrical components in the interface module, wherein the leaking fluid stream is directed to the main compartment by way of the outer conduit rather than coming in contact with the plurality of electrical components.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid connection includes: the inner conduit providing a fluid connection between the gauge and the main compartment.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the inner conduit includes a safety valve.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the inner and outer conduits is formed as one of a hose or a pipe.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one pumping device includes at least two pumping devices which are configured for two different pressure ranges.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one gauge includes at least two gauges which are configured for two different pressure ranges.

10. A method of fluidly connecting a gauge configured to display the pressure of a fluid to a main compartment of an apparatus for transferring the fluid at least one of from and to an air conditioning system, the method comprising: providing an inner conduit for a fluid connection between the gauge and the main compartment, and an outer conduit configured to receive any fluid leaking out of the inner conduit, wherein the inner and outer conduits are substantially concentric to one another; connecting the inner conduit to the gauge only after connecting the outer conduit to the gauge with at least one fitting, the at least one fitting including at least one sensor configured to allow operation of the apparatus only after the at least one fitting is properly connected; permanently attaching the at least one fitting to a body of the gauge; connecting at least one pumping device to the outer conduit and the main compartment, the at least one pumping device being configured to pumping the leaking fluid received on the outer conduit from the outer conduit to the main compartment; and providing a sensor configured to sense the leaking fluid in the outer conduit in order to activate the at least one pumping device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of a gauge of the apparatus securely connected to a conduit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 2 according to the invention comprising a main compartment 9 housing a pumping device, which is configured for pumping the fluid from/to the system and which is not visible in FIG. 1.

(4) An interface for fluidly connecting the apparatus 2 to the system is provided at the rear side of the apparatus 2, which is also not visible in FIG. 1.

(5) The apparatus 2 comprises rollers 5 and handles 7 in order to allow moving the apparatus 2 easily.

(6) At its upper front side the apparatus 2 comprises an interface module (control panel) 3 comprising inter alia a keyboard 3a allowing to enter commands for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

(7) Above the keyboard 3a the interface module 3 of the apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 1 comprises two gauges 4a, 4b which are configured to display, in operation, the pressure of the fluid transferred from/to the system. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a low pressure gauge 4a (left) and a high pressure gauge 4b (right).

(8) In order to display the pressure of the fluid, the gauges 4a, 4b need to be fluidly connected to a fluid reservoir located inside the main compartment 9.

(9) Said fluid connection, which may be realized by a pipe or hose, represents a location which is critical for the safety of the apparatus 2, as fluid may be distributed to the environment if said connection leaks. Since said fluid connection is located close to the electrical components comprised in the interface module 3, any leakage of fluid comprising inflammable components from said connection is very dangerous, as fluid leaving the connection through the leak may immediately come into contact with the electrical components of the interface module 3, which might ignite the flammable components of the fluid.

(10) One solution of this safety problem would be to design the electrical components of the interface module 3 in accordance with the ATEX, ANSI/ISA 12.12.01 safety standard. This, however, would be expensive and would not prevent leaking fluid from being ignited by other means.

(11) Therefore, according to the invention, the conduit connecting the gauges 4a, 4b to the main component 9 is designed so that the distribution of fluid from said conduit to the environment is reliably prevented.

(12) FIG. 2 shows details of an embodiment of the invention, in particular the back side of one of the gauges 4a connected to a conduit 13.

(13) The conduit 13 is realized in a double conduit design comprising an inner conduit 6 fluidly connecting the gauge 4a to a pressurized fluid reservoir located within the main compartment 9 and an outer conduit 8 enclosing the inner conduit 6.

(14) In case of a leakage of the inner conduit 6 the fluid leaving the inner conduit 6 through said leak will be collected in the outer conduit 8 instead of being discharged to the environment. The end of the outer conduit 8 located at the side of the main compartment may be fluidly connected to a pumping device, which is configured for pumping said fluid into the main compartment 9 for further use.

(15) The conduits 6, 8 may be respectively formed as a hose or a pipe or a combination thereof.

(16) In order to ensure a reliable and sealingly enclosed connection between the gauge 4a and the outer conduit 8 a fitting 10 is brazed to the body of the gauge 4a. The fitting 10 is configured for receiving a corresponding fitting 12 which is sealingly fixed to the outer conduit 8. The fittings 10, 12, which might for example be realized as a plug and a socket ensure a reliable and sealingly enclosed connection between the gauge 4a and the outer conduit 8.

(17) The fittings 10, 12 may further provide a fluid connection of the inner conduit 6 to the gauge 4a, which may be configured so that the inner conduit 6 may be fluidly connected to the gauge 4a only after the outer conduit 8 has been properly connected to the gauge 4a.

(18) The fittings 10, 12 may further comprise sensors 16, 18, which are configured to allow the operation of the apparatus 2 only after and as long as the fittings 10, 12 are properly connected.

(19) Alternatively or additionally the fitting 10, 12 connecting the inner conduit 6 may comprise a safety valve 15, which is configured to open only after the fitting 12 has been securely fixed to the corresponding fitting 10 of the gauge 4a in order to avoid that fluid is distributed from the inner conduit 6 to the environment in case the fitting 12 is not securely connected to the gauge 4a.