Low charge packaged refrigeration systems
A packaged, pumped liquid, recirculating refrigeration system with charges of 10 lbs or less of refrigerant per ton of refrigeration capacity. The compressor and related components are situated in a pre-packaged modular machine room, and in which the condenser is mounted on the machine room and the evaporator is close coupled to the pre-packaged modular machine room. Prior art large receiver vessels may be replaced with a single or dual phase cyclonic separator also housed in the pre-packaged modular machine room.
1. A refrigeration system comprising:
a refrigerant condenser; and
a transportable pre-fabricated modular refrigeration machine room sized to allow entry of a technician therein for servicing, said transportable pre-fabricated modular refrigeration machine room containing:
a vapor/liquid separation structure configured to be connected to an outlet of an evaporator via refrigerant line;
a refrigerant compressor connected to an outlet of said vapor/liquid separation structure via refrigerant line and connected to an inlet of said condenser via refrigerant line;
a collection vessel connected to an outlet of said refrigerant condenser via refrigerant line;
refrigerant line connecting an outlet of said collection vessel to an inlet of said vapor/liquid separation structure;
wherein said vapor/liquid separation structure has an outlet that is configured to be connected via refrigerant line to an inlet of an evaporator;
said refrigeration system further comprising refrigerant in an amount of less than six pounds of refrigerant per ton of refrigeration capacity.
2. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , further comprising an evaporator connected to an inlet of said vapor/liquid separation structure and connected to an outlet of said vapor/liquid separation structure.
3. A refrigeration system according to claim 2 , wherein said evaporator is mounted in a prefabricated modular evaporator room.
4. A refrigeration system according to claim 2 , wherein said evaporator is mounted in a refrigerated space adjacent to or below said transportable pre-fabricated refrigeration modular machine room.
5. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , further comprising a recirculator pump situated in a refrigerant flow path between a fluid outlet of said vapor/liquid separation structure, and an inlet of an evaporator.
6. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 , wherein said condenser is an air-cooled condenser comprising coils and a fan that are configured to be mounted on top of said transportable prefabricated modular refrigeration machine room.