Systems and methods for purging a chiller system

Abstract

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a refrigerant loop configured to flow a refrigerant and a purge system configured to purge the HVAC system of non-condensable gases (NCG). The purge system includes a purge heat exchanger configured to receive a mixture of the NCG and the refrigerant. The purge heat exchanger is configured to separate the NCG of the mixture from the refrigerant of the mixture utilizing a chilled fluid. The purge system also includes a thermoelectric assembly configured to remove heat from the chilled fluid.

1 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a refrigerant loop configured to flow a refrigerant; and   a purge system configured to purge the HVAC system of non-condensable gases (NCG), the purge system comprising:
 a purge heat exchanger configured to receive a mixture comprising the NCG and the refrigerant, wherein the purge heat exchanger is configured to separate the NCG of the mixture from the refrigerant of the mixture utilizing a non-refrigerant fluid; and 
 a thermoelectric assembly configured to remove heat from the non-refrigerant fluid. 
   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-refrigerant fluid comprises water, brine, a water/glycol mixture, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the purge system comprises a closed fluid loop configured to flow the non-refrigerant fluid through a conduit and a purge coil of the purge heat exchanger, and wherein the thermoelectric assembly is coupled to the conduit and configured to remove heat from the non-refrigerant fluid as the non-refrigerant fluid flows through the conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate the refrigerant through the refrigerant loop;   an evaporator disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a first cooling fluid; and   a condenser disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a second cooling fluid.   
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 4 , wherein the non-refrigerant fluid comprises a portion of the first cooling fluid, wherein the purge system comprises an open fluid loop configured to draw the non-refrigerant fluid from a flow path flowing the first cooling fluid, flow the non-refrigerant fluid through a conduit and a purge coil of the purge heat exchanger, and return the non-refrigerant fluid to the flow path, and wherein the thermoelectric assembly is coupled to the conduit and is configured to remove heat from the non-refrigerant fluid as the non-refrigerant fluid flows through the conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 4 , wherein the non-refrigerant fluid comprises a first non-refrigerant fluid and the thermoelectric assembly is a first thermoelectric assembly, wherein the purge heat exchanger is also configured to separate the mixture utilizing a second non-refrigerant fluid separate from the first non-refrigerant fluid, and wherein the purge system comprises a second thermoelectric assembly configured to remove heat from the second non-refrigerant fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the purge system comprises a closed fluid loop configured to flow the first non-refrigerant fluid through a first conduit and a purge coil of the purge heat exchanger, wherein the first thermoelectric assembly is coupled to the first conduit and configured to remove heat from the first non-refrigerant fluid as the first non-refrigerant fluid flows through the first conduit, wherein the second non-refrigerant fluid comprises a portion of the first cooling fluid, wherein the purge system comprises an open fluid loop configured to draw the second non-refrigerant fluid from a flow path flowing the first cooling fluid, flow the second non-refrigerant fluid through a second conduit and the purge coil of the purge heat exchanger, and return the second non-refrigerant fluid to the flow path, and wherein the second thermoelectric assembly is coupled to the second conduit and configured to remove heat from the second non-refrigerant fluid as the second non-refrigerant fluid flows through the second conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system of  claim 7 , wherein the purge coil comprises a first purge coil and a second purge coil, wherein the closed fluid loop comprises the first purge coil, and wherein the open fluid loop comprises the second purge coil. 
     
     
         9 . The HVAC system of  claim 7 , wherein the purge coil comprises a single purge coil, wherein the closed fluid loop comprises the single purge coil, and wherein the open fluid loop comprises the single purge coil. 
     
     
         10 . The HVAC system of  claim 4 , comprising a pump configured to draw the mixture from the condenser, increase a pressure of the mixture, and deliver the mixture to the purge heat exchanger. 
     
     
         11 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising a vacuum pump coupled to the purge heat exchanger, wherein the vacuum pump is configured to pump gas from the purge heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The HVAC system of  claim 11 , wherein the vacuum pump is configured to pump the mixture from the purge heat exchanger to an adsorption chamber configured to separate the NCG from the refrigerant. 
     
     
         13 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
 a refrigerant loop;   a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop;   an evaporator disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a first cooling fluid;   a condenser disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a second cooling fluid; and   a purge system configured to purge the HVAC system of non-condensable gases (NCG), the purge system comprising:
 a purge heat exchanger configured to separate a mixture drawn from the condenser utilizing a first refrigerant flow of the refrigerant drawn from the evaporator and utilizing a non-refrigerant fluid, wherein the mixture comprises the NCG and a second refrigerant flow of the refrigerant drawn from the condenser, and wherein the purge heat exchanger is configured to separate the NCG of the mixture from the second refrigerant flow of the mixture; and 
 thermoelectric assemblies configured to remove thermal energy from the first refrigerant flow and the non-refrigerant fluid. 
   
     
     
         14 . The HVAC system of  claim 13 , wherein the non-refrigerant fluid comprises a portion of the first cooling fluid and the purge system comprises:
 a purge refrigerant loop configured to flow the first refrigerant flow and comprising:
 a first conduit and purge coils of the purge heat exchanger; and 
   an open fluid loop configured to flow the non-refrigerant fluid and comprising:
 a second conduit and the purge coils of the purge heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         15 . The HVAC system of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoelectric assemblies comprise a first thermoelectric assembly and a second thermoelectric assembly, wherein the first thermoelectric assembly is coupled to the first conduit and is configured to remove heat from first refrigerant flow, and wherein the second thermoelectric assembly is coupled to the second conduit and is configured to remove heat from the non-refrigerant fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The HVAC system of  claim 14 , wherein the purge refrigerant loop comprises a refrigerant pump configured to pump the first refrigerant flow through the purge refrigerant loop, and wherein the open fluid loop comprises a non-refrigerant liquid pump configured to pump the non-refrigerant fluid through the open fluid loop. 
     
     
         17 . The HVAC system of  claim 14 , wherein the purge coils comprise a first purge coil and a second purge coil, wherein the purge refrigerant loop comprises the first purge coil, and wherein the open fluid loop comprises the second purge coil. 
     
     
         18 . The HVAC system of  claim 14 , wherein the purge coils comprise a single purge coil, wherein the purge refrigerant loop comprises the single purge coil, and wherein the open fluid loop comprises the single purge coil. 
     
     
         19 . The HVAC system of  claim 13 , wherein the non-refrigerant fluid comprises water, brine, a water/glycol mixture, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a refrigerant loop;   a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop;   an evaporator disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a first cooling fluid;   a condenser disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a second cooling fluid; and   a purge system configured to purge the HVAC system of non-condensable gases (NCG), the purge system comprising:
 a purge heat exchanger configured to receive a mixture comprising the NCG and the refrigerant, wherein the purge heat exchanger is configured to separate the NCG of the mixture from the refrigerant of the mixture utilizing a chilled fluid of a chilled fluid loop; and 
 a thermoelectric assembly configured to chill the chilled fluid in conjunction with an intermediate fluid of an open fluid loop. 
   
     
     
         21 . The HVAC system of  claim 20 , wherein the thermoelectric assembly is a first thermoelectric assembly, and wherein the purge system comprises a second thermoelectric assembly configured to remove heat from the intermediate fluid of the open fluid loop. 
     
     
         22 . The HVAC system of  claim 20 , wherein the chilled fluid loop is a closed fluid loop, and wherein the chilled fluid of the chilled fluid loop is a non-refrigerant fluid. 
     
     
         23 . The HVAC system of  claim 20 , wherein the chilled fluid comprises water, brine, a water/glycol mixture, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The HVAC system of  claim 20 , wherein the chilled fluid of the chilled fluid loop comprises refrigerant drawn from the evaporator. 
     
     
         25 . The HVAC system of  claim 20 , wherein the chilled fluid loop comprises a first conduit and a purge coil of the purge heat exchanger, wherein the open fluid loop comprises a second conduit, wherein the thermoelectric assembly is coupled to the first conduit at a first side of the thermoelectric assembly and is coupled to the second conduit at a second side of the thermoelectric assembly, wherein the thermoelectric assembly is configured to absorb heat from the chilled fluid via the first side of the thermoelectric assembly, and wherein the intermediate fluid is configured to absorb heat from the second side of the thermoelectric assembly.