US2537720A - Refrigerant gas drying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 9, 1951 H. c. WAGNER 2,537,720

REFRIGERANT GAS DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1949 COMPRESSOR INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERANT GAS DRYING AirAitA'rUs Harry 0. Wagner, North Apollo, Pal Application September 24, 1949', Serial N6. 117,630 5 Claims. (Cl. 62117-.85)

This invention relates, as indicated, to refrig- 'erant gas drying apparatus, and, more particularly, to an improved arrangement of such ap para'tus comprising a device which may be conveniently connected in the gas circulating conduit of a refrigerating system for removing moisture or entrained water from the gas circulating through the conduit.

One of the most common troubles encountered in refrigerating systems wherein a gas is employed as the refrigerant comes from moisture collecting in the circulating conduit through which the gas flows. Collection of moisture in the system results in corrosion of the metal parts and reduces the operating efficiency of the system, If sufhcient Water collects in the system, it may be rendered inoperative.

When moisture has collected in a gas reiriger ating system, it is necessary to take steps to remove such moisture in order to restore the chiciency of the system and to prevent deterioration of the parts of the system. For this purpose, the connection in the gas circulating conduit of cartridges containing dehydrating material has been proposed These cartridges have been connected in the circulating conduit in such manner that the gas is caused to flow through the dehydrating material in the cartridge. These cartridges have in many cases proven unsuccessfui due in part to the dehydrating material becoming clogged and thus interfering with the normal operatin pressures of the system. The clogging in many cases is caused by collection of the lubricant carried by the refrigerant in the dehydrating material. The collection of the lubricant in the dehydrating'mater'ial in this manner presents an additional objectionable feature in that its removal from the gas being circulated interferes with the lubrication of the compressor.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an improved drying apparatus which may be connected in the circulating conduit of a gas refrigerating system for the purpose of removing moisture from the gas being circulated.

A further object is to provide an improved arrangement of such apparatus which will not clog or interfere with the circulation of gas, whichwill not remove the lubricant from the gas being circulated, and which issiinple in construction and may be manufactured andinstalled at a minimum cost.

To the accomplishment of the above and re= lated ends, there is provided a container in the nature of an elongated cylinder having dehydrating material in its lower portion and an un- 2 obstructed chamber in its upper portion. The upper portion of the cylinder is provided with a pair of openings for connection in the gas circulating conduit so that the gas being circulated will flow through the chamber in the upper end of the cylinder. The openings by which the cylinder' is connected in the gas circulating conduit are positioned out of alignment with each other so that the path of movement of the gas will be changed as it travels from one opening to another. This arrangement has been found effective to separate moisture out the gas being circulated which falls by gravity to the bottom of the chani= her where it contacts the dehydrating material. Any lubricant deposited in the cylinder along with the moisture flows downwardly through the do hydrating material by gravity and out of an open ing provided in the bottom of the cylinder;- The opening in the bottom of the cylinder is provided with a" conduit for returning the lubricant to the refrigerant circulating system. The moisture deposited in the cylinder is absorbed by the dehydrating material and is thus prevented from being returned to the circulating conduit. The opening in the bottom of the cylinder and its connectionwith the gas circulating conduit, in addition to providing for the return of lubricant, is effective to prevent the formation of any pressure condition in the bottom of the cylinder which would otherwise" be effective to trap lubricant therein.

Other objects and advantages will become ap parent from the following description.

In the drawing, the single figure illustrates diagrammatically a gas refrigerating system having connected therein a drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the principle of this invention, the drying apparatus being shown in vertical section Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates'a compressor having a belt drive 2 for dri'v in itfrom a motor 3. The compressor l is provided with high pressure outlet and low pressure inlet openings (not shown) which are connected respectively with delivery and return conduits 4 and 5. The conduits 4 and 5 constitute part of a gas conduit or circulating system by which the gas refrigerant is fed from the compressor to refri'g'erating coils 6 and returned to the compressor through the return conduit 5. The refrigerating system maybe any conventional system in which gas is employed as the refrigerant and which is provided with conventional controls (not shown) commonly provided in such systems.

The apparatus for removing moisture from the refrigerant is indicated as a whole by the numeral 1 and is connected between the high pressure outlet and low pressure inlet of the compressor l. The dryin apparatus 1 comprises an elongated cylinder 8 having a closure cap 9 at its upper end and a closure cap ill at its lower end. The cylinder 8 with its caps 9 and it constitute a container which is approximately half filled with dehydrating material ii. The dehydrating material H is preferably calcium chloride although silica gel or other suitable dehydrating materials may be employed for the purposes of this invention. The upper surface l2 of the dehydrating material i l defines the lower end of a compartment or unobstructed chamber l3 in the upper portion of the cylinder 8. The cap 9 is provided with a pair of openings [4 and i5. The opening I4 is connected by a conduit l6 and the refrigerating coils 6 to the high pressure conduit i. The opening is connected by a conduit IT with the low pressure intake of the compressor l through the conduit 5. In this manner, gas being circulated through the system by the compressor I is caused to flow through the chamber iii in the upper portion of the cylinder 8.

The openings i l and i5 are placed in positions out of alignment with each other so that the direction of travel of the gas will be reversed in its movement through the chamber l3. In this manner, moisture contained in the gas moving through the chamber 13 will be deposited in the chamber l3 and will fall by gravity into the dehydrating material 12.

The cap it at the lower end of the cylinder 8 isprovided with an opening it which is connected by a conduit iii to the return conduit 5 and the low pressure side of the compressor l. The opening [8 and conduit [9 are for the purpose of returning lubricant deposited in the container 8 to the gas circulating system. Particles of lubricant which are deposited in the chamber l3 by the gas passing therethrough flow downwardly by gravity through the dehydrating material Ii. The particles of water which aredeposited in the chamber it are prevented from passing to the opening I8 by the dehydrating material Ii which absorbs the moisture but permits the oil to pass therethrough. In addition, the conduit I9 being connected with the conduit It prevents the formation of pressure conditions in the lower end of the container 3 which would otherwise be effective to interfere with the flow of lubricant through the dehydrating material I I. When installing the cylinder, it is positioned with its base vertically above the intake to the compressor so that an oil trap will not be formed between it and the compressor. As pointed out above, the, dehydrating material H is preferably calcium chloride in a granulated form so that the lubricant may flow by gravity therethrough.

Any other dehydrating material may be employed which will permit the how of lubricant by gravity therethrough, and, for this purpose, a removable cartridge containing dehydrating material may be inserted in the lower end of the cylinder 8 in place of dehydrating material in bull; form as illustrated.

In operation, the refrigerant gas upon leaving the cooling coils E flows through the opening l4 into the chamber 13. In flowing through the chamber 53, its direction of travel is reversed as it passes through the outlet opening it to the low pressure side of the compressor i. Moisture contained in the gas is deposited in the chamber l3 and falls by gravity into contact with the dehydrating material H which absorbs such moisture. Oil deposited in a similar manner in the chamber i3 flows downwardly by gravity through the dehydrating material H and out of the cylinder 3 through the opening 18, and is returned by the conduit l9 to the gas circulating conduit 5.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the device '1' is operative to remove moisture from a gas refrigerant circulating conduit. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the removal of the moisture is accomplished without passing the gas through any dehydrating material and without any possibility of clogging the circulating system or preventing movement of the gas through the compressor 8. Attention is also particularly directed to the fact that the removal of the moisture is accomplished without removing the lubricant from the circulating gas and without interfering with the lubrication of the compressor l.

While I have illustrated and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is merely by way of illustration, and that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the contemplation of my invention and under the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A drier for insertion in a gas refrigerant conduit having high and low pressure ends comprising a container having an upper portion with a first opening therein for connection to the high pressure end of the conduit and a second opening for connection to the low pressure end of the conduit, said openings being out of direct alignment so that the gas will not travel in a direct line through said upper portion as it moves from said first to said second opening, a lower portion with a third opening therein for connection to said low pressure end through which lubricant may return by gravity from said container to said conduit, and moisture absorbing material in said lower portion for preventing the flow to said third opening of moisture separated out of gas flowing from said first to said second opening.

2. Adrier for insertion in a gas refrigerant conduit .to remove moisture from gas flowing therethrough comprising a container having water absorbing material in its lower portion, its upper portion providing an unobstructed chamber through which gas may flow, said container having a pair or" openings in said upper portion by which it may be connected in said conduit so that the gas flowing through said conduit will flow through said chamber, said openings being in positions out of alignment with each other to reverse the direction of movement of the gas as it passes through said chamber, the moisture deposited in said chamber by gas flowing there- ,through falling by gravity to said material for absorption thereby, said container having an opening in its lower portion through which lubricant deposited in said container by the gas may drain by gravity, and a conduit connected with said opening for returning the lubricant to said refrigerant conduit. 7

3. In refrigerating apparatus having a compressor with a high pressure outlet and a low pressure intake for refrigerant gas, and a refrigerating system including a circulating conduit connecting the compressor outlet with its intake, the invention which comprises a device for re moving moisture from gas circulating through said conduit and including a container having a lower portion with moisture absorbing material therein, an upper portion defining an unobstructed chamber above said material, said upper portion having a pair of openings for connection in said conduit to circulate the gas through said chamber, the moisture deposited in said chamber by the gas flowing by gravity to contact said water absorbing material, said container having an opening in said bottom portion through which lubricant deposited in said container by the gas may flow by gravity.

4. In refrigerating apparatus having a compressor with a high pressure outlet and a low pressure intake for refrigerant gas, and a refrigerating system including a circulating conduit connecting the compressor outlet with its intake, the invention which comprises a device for removing moisture from gas circulating through said conduit and including a container having a lower portion with moisture absorbing material therein, an upper portion defining an unobstructed chamber above said material, said upper portion having a pair of openings for connection in said conduit to circulate the gas through said chamber,

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said opening is positioned vertically above the compressor inlet so that the lubricant may return to the compressor by gravity.

HARRY C. WAGNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 320,308 Suckert June 16, 1885 950,491 Nenzel Mar. 1, 1910 1,280,765 Kramer Oct. 8, 1918 1,443,435 Rohrer Jan. 30, 1923 2,430,692 Touburg Nov. 11, 1947

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