System and method for reconditioning a chiller

Abstract

A system and method for reconditioning a chiller in which moisture has contaminated a refrigerant side of the chiller includes draining refrigerant from the refrigerant side of the chiller and operating a moisture removal assembly connected thereto to remove remaining moisture. The chiller is then recharged with refrigerant and a refrigerant purification assembly connected to the chiller is operated to remove contaminates, such as particulate matter, from the refrigerant. The refrigerant purification assembly includes a vacuum line connected to the chiller for receiving refrigerant drawn out of the chiller and a diaphragm pump connected to the vacuum line and operable to draw refrigerant out of the chiller and through the vacuum line to the pump. A filter assembly is disposed in the vacuum line intermediate the chiller and the pump for filtering contaminates out of refrigerant drawn through the vacuum line.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for reconditioning a chiller in which moisture has contaminated a refrigerant side of the chiller, the chiller being of the type having a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, an evaporator and a refrigerant continuously cycled through the refrigerant side of the chiller, the system comprising: 
 a moisture removal assembly adapted for connection to the chiller in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller after the chiller has been drained of refrigerant, the moisture removal assembly being operable to remove moisture remaining in the chiller after the chiller has been drained; and    a refrigerant purification assembly adapted for connection to the chiller in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller after the chiller has been recharged with refrigerant following the removal of moisture from the refrigerant side of the chiller, the refrigerant purification assembly comprising a vacuum line connected to the chiller for receiving refrigerant drawn out of the chiller, a diaphragm pump connected to the vacuum line for fluid communication with the chiller, the diaphragm pump being operable to draw refrigerant out of the chiller and through the vacuum line to the pump, a filter assembly disposed in the vacuum line intermediate the chiller and the pump for filtering contaminates out of refrigerant drawn from the chiller through the vacuum line, and a discharge line connected to the pump for receiving filtered refrigerant discharged from the pump.    
     
     
         2 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the vacuum line of the refrigerant purification assembly is connected to the evaporator of the chiller generally below the liquid level of refrigerant in the evaporator.  
     
     
         3 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the discharge line of the refrigerant purification assembly is further connected to the chiller for delivering filtered refrigerant discharged from the diaphragm pump back into the chiller.  
     
     
         4 . A system as set forth in  claim 3  wherein the discharge line of the refrigerant purification assembly is connected to the evaporator of the chiller generally below the liquid level of the refrigerant in the evaporator.  
     
     
         5 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the moisture removal assembly comprises a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller for drawing air and moisture out of the chiller and a cold trap intermediate the chiller and the pump for condensing and collecting moisture therein to inhibit moisture from being drawn into the vacuum pump.  
     
     
         6 . A refrigerant purification assembly for removing particulate matter from a refrigerant side of a chiller of the type having a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, an evaporator and a refrigerant continuously cycled through the refrigerant side of the chiller, the refrigerant purification assembly comprising: 
 a vacuum line connected to the chiller for receiving refrigerant drawn out of the chiller,    a diaphragm pump connected to the vacuum line for fluid communication with the chiller, the diaphragm pump being operable to draw refrigerant out of the chiller and through the vacuum line to the pump;    a filter assembly disposed in the vacuum line intermediate the chiller and the diaphragm pump for filtering contaminates out of refrigerant drawn from the chiller through the vacuum line; and    a discharge line connected to the pump for receiving filtered refrigerant discharged from the diaphragm pump.    
     
     
         7 . A refrigerant purification assembly as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the vacuum line is connected to the evaporator of the chiller generally below the liquid level of refrigerant in the evaporator.  
     
     
         8 . A refrigerant purification assembly as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the discharge line is further connected to the chiller for delivering filtered refrigerant discharged from the diaphragm pump back into the chiller.  
     
     
         9 . A refrigerant purification assembly as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the discharge line is connected to the evaporator of the chiller generally below the liquid level of the refrigerant in the evaporator.  
     
     
         10 . A refrigerant purification assembly as set forth in  claim 8  further comprising an isolation valve disposed in the vacuum line upstream of the filter assembly and being open during operation of the refrigerant purification assembly, and another isolation valve disposed in the discharge line and being open during operation of the refrigerant purification assembly, the isolation valves each being movable to a closed position when the refrigerant purification assembly is inoperable to isolate the refrigerant purification assembly from the refrigerant side of the chiller.  
     
     
         11 . A refrigerant purification assembly as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the refrigerant purification assembly is operable concurrently with operation of the chiller.  
     
     
         12 . A refrigerant purification assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein operation of the refrigerant purification assembly is responsive to operation of the chiller whereby shutting down the chiller causes the refrigerant purification assembly to shut down.  
     
     
         13 . A moisture removal assembly for removing moisture from a refrigerant side of a chiller after refrigerant has been drained from the chiller, the chiller being of the type having a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, an evaporator and a refrigerant continuously cycled through the refrigerant side of the chiller, the moisture removal assembly comprising a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller for drawing air and moisture out of the chiller and a cold trap intermediate the chiller and the pump for condensing and collecting moisture therein to inhibit moisture from being drawn into the vacuum pump  
     
     
         14 . A method of reconditioning a chiller following an event in which water enters a refrigerant side of the chiller, the chiller being of the type having a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, an evaporator and a refrigerant continuously cycled through the refrigerant side of the chiller, the method comprising the steps of: 
 draining refrigerant from the refrigerant side of the chiller;    removing moisture remaining in the chiller after draining refrigerant from the refrigerant side of the chiller;    recharging the chiller with refrigerant; and    removing contaminates from the chiller after the chiller has been recharged with refrigerant, the step of removing contaminates from the chiller comprising drawing refrigerant out of the chiller and directing the refrigerant to flow through a filter assembly to remove contaminates from the refrigerant, the step of drawing refrigerant out of the chiller comprising operating a diaphragm pump in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller to draw refrigerant out of the chiller and through a vacuum line to the diaphragm pump, the filter assembly being disposed in the vacuum line so that refrigerant drawn from the chiller through the vacuum line flows through the filter assembly before being drawn into the diaphragm pump.    
     
     
         15 . A method as set forth in  claim 14  further comprising directing filtered refrigerant discharged from the diaphragm pump to flow back into the chiller.  
     
     
         16 . A method as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the step of removing contaminates from the chiller is performed during operation of the chiller.  
     
     
         17 . A method as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the step of removing moisture remaining in the chiller after draining refrigerant from the refrigerant side of the chiller comprises: 
 connecting a moisture removal assembly to the chiller in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller; and  
 operating the moisture removal assembly to draw moisture and air from the refrigerant side of the chiller.  
 
     
     
         18 . A method as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the moisture removal assembly comprises a vacuum pump and a cold trap intermediate the chiller and the vacuum pump, the step of operating the moisture removal assembly to draw moisture and air from the refrigerant side of the chiller comprising operating the vacuum pump to draw moisture and air from the refrigerant side of chiller into the cold trap whereby moisture condenses and accumulates in the cold trap to inhibit moisture against being drawn into the vacuum pump.  
     
     
         19 . A method of removing contaminates from a refrigerant side of a chiller, the chiller being of the type having a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, an evaporator and a refrigerant continuously cycled through the refrigerant side of the chiller, the method comprising the steps of: 
 connecting a diaphragm pump to the chiller in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller;    operating the diaphragm pump to draw refrigerant out of the chiller to flow to the diaphragm pump; and    directing refrigerant drawn out of the chiller to flow through a filter assembly to remove contaminates from the refrigerant before the refrigerant is drawn into the pump.    
     
     
         20 . A method as set forth in  claim 19  comprising directing filtered refrigerant discharged from the diaphragm pump to flow back into the chiller.  
     
     
         21 . A method as set forth in  claim 19  wherein the diaphragm pump is operated to draw refrigerant from the chiller during operation of the chiller.  
     
     
         22 . A method as set forth in  claim 19  wherein the contaminates filtered from the refrigerant by the filter assembly comprise particulate matter.  
     
     
         23 . A method of removing moisture remaining in a chiller after refrigerant has been drained from a refrigerant side of the chiller, the chiller being of the type having a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, an evaporator and a refrigerant continuously cycled through the refrigerant side of the chiller, the method comprising the steps of: 
 connecting a moisture removal assembly to the chiller in fluid communication with the refrigerant side of the chiller after refrigerant has been drained from the refrigerant side of the chiller, the moisture removal assembly comprising a vacuum pump and a cold trap intermediate the chiller and the vacuum pump; and    operating the vacuum pump to draw moisture and air from the refrigerant side of chiller into the cold trap whereby moisture condenses and accumulates in the cold trap to inhibit moisture against being drawn into the vacuum pump.