Oil separator and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An oil separator configured to separate oil from refrigerant in a refrigeration system is disclosed. For example, the oil separator may be deployed in a heat exchange system configured to liquefy one or more fluids that are gaseous at ambient temperature and pressure. By virtue of its design and method of manufacture, the oil separator may reduce costs associated with manufacture, reduce failure to leakage, reduce misalignment of components that impair function and/or result in other undesirable effects (e.g., undesirable noise during operation, etc.).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oil separator configured to separate oil from refrigerant, the oil separator comprising:
 (a) a cylindrical housing having a first end and a second end, the cylindrical housing including:   (1) an oil outlet opening in a sidewall of the cylindrical housing near the first end of the cylindrical housing, the oil outlet opening being configured to release oil that has been separated from refrigerant within the cylindrical housing out of the cylindrical housing,   (2) an inlet opening in the sidewall of the cylindrical housing spaced away from the oil outlet opening toward the second end of the cylindrical housing, the inlet opening being configured to receive a flow of refrigerant mixed with oil into the oil separator, and   (3) a refrigerant outlet opening at the second end of the cylindrical housing, the refrigerant outlet opening being configured to release refrigerant from which oil has been removed out of the cylindrical housing;   (b) a first annular seat disposed on an inner surface of the cylindrical housing between the inlet opening and the refrigerant outlet opening, wherein the first annular seat is a fixed annular protrusion from the inner surface of the cylindrical housing;   (c) a first screen seated on a side of the first annular seat facing toward the second end of the cylindrical housing, wherein the first screen has a shape that corresponds to the cross section of the cylindrical housing;   (d) a second annular seat disposed on an inner surface of the cylindrical housing between the first annular seat and the refrigerant outlet opening, wherein the second annular seat is a fixed annular protrusion from the inner surface of the cylindrical housing;   (e) a second screen seated on a side of the second annular seat facing toward the first end of the cylindrical housing, wherein the second screen has a shape that corresponds to the cross section of the cylindrical housing; and   (f) coalescing material disposed within the cylindrical housing to fill the volume of the cylindrical housing between the first screen and the second screen such that the coalescing material applies a force to the first screen that seats the first screen on the first annular seat, and applies a force to the second screen that seats the second screen on the second annular seat.   
     
     
         2 . The oil separator of  claim 1 , further comprising a ferrel having an annular rim that extends from the ferrel in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the ferrel, the rim of the ferrel being seated on the first annular seat and being held in place on the first annular seat by the first screen. 
     
     
         3 . The oil separator of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter seated within the cylindrical housing between the inlet opening and the oil outlet opening such that oil must pass through the filter before being released from the cylindrical housing through the oil outlet opening. 
     
     
         4 . The oil separator of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first annular seat and/or the second annular seat includes an unbroken annular protrusion that runs continuously about the inner surface of the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         5 . The oil separator of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical housing is closed on the first end and the second end by a structure that is formed by spinning the cylindrical material from which the cylindrical housing is formed. 
     
     
         6 . A method of manufacturing an oil separator configured to separate oil from refrigerant, the method comprising:
 (a) obtaining an open, hollow cylinder having a first end and a second end;   (b) forming an oil outlet opening in a sidewall of the cylinder near the first end of the cylinder, the oil outlet opening being configured to release oil that has been separated from refrigerant within the cylinder out of the cylinder;   (c) forming an inlet opening in the sidewall of the cylinder spaced away from the oil outlet opening toward the second end of the cylinder, the inlet opening being configured to receive a flow of refrigerant mixed with oil into the oil separator;   (d) enclosing the first end of the cylinder by spinning the first end of the cylinder;   (e) forming a first annular seat on an inner surface of the cylinder between the inlet opening and the refrigerant outlet opening, wherein the first annular seat is a fixed annular protrusion from the inner surface of the cylinder;   (f) subsequent to operation (e), seating a first screen within the cylinder on a side of the first annular seat facing toward the second end of the cylinder, wherein the first screen has a shape that corresponds to the cross section of the cylinder;   (g) subsequent to operation (f), inserting coalescing material into the cylinder such that the coalescing material applies a force to the first screen that seats the first screen on the first annular seat;   (h) subsequent to operation (g), inserting a second screen into the cylinder such that the second screen cooperates with the first screen to capture the coalescing material within the cylinder such that the coalescing material fills the volume of the cylinder between the first screen and the second screen;   (i) subsequent to operation (h), forming a second annular seat on the inner surface of the cylinder between the first screen and the second end of the cylinder such that the coalescing material applies a force to the second screen that seats the second screen on the second annular seat, wherein the second annular seat is a fixed annular protrusion from the inner surface of the cylinder.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein one or both of the first annular seat and/or second annular seat is formed by rolling a bead in the cylinder that results in an annular protrusion the projects into the cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, subsequent to operation (i), enclosing the second end of the cylinder, and forming a refrigerant outlet opening at the second end of the cylinder, the refrigerant outlet opening being configured to release refrigerant from which oil has been removed out of the cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, subsequent to operation (d) but before operation (e), installing a ferrel within the cylinder, the ferrel having an annular rim that extends from the ferrel in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the ferrel, wherein installing the ferrel within the cylinder includes seating the rim of the ferrel on the first annular seat so that the rim of the ferrel is held in place on the first annular seat by the first screen. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, prior to operation (e), installing a filter within the cylinder between the inlet opening and the oil outlet opening such that oil must pass through the filter before being released from the cylinder through the oil outlet opening. 
     
     
         11 . An oil separator configured to separate oil from refrigerant, the oil separator comprising:
 (a) a cylindrical housing having a first end and a second end, the cylindrical housing including:
 (1) means for releasing oil that has been separated from refrigerant within the cylindrical housing out of the cylindrical housing, 
 (2) means for receiving a flow of refrigerant mixed with oil into the cylindrical housing, and 
 (3) means for releasing refrigerant from which oil has been removed out of the cylindrical housing; 
   (b) means for coalescing oil out of a flow of refrigerant and oil;   (c) first means for capturing the means for coalescing within the cylindrical housing, wherein the first means for capturing is positioned between the means for receiving and the means for releasing refrigerant;   (d) means for retaining the first means for capturing within the cylindrical housing, wherein the first means for capturing is seated on a side of the means for retaining that faces the second end of the cylindrical housing;   (e) second means for capturing the means for coalescing within the cylindrical housing, wherein the second means for capturing is positioned on a side of the means for coalescing opposite the first means for capturing and between the means for receiving and the means for releasing refrigerant; and   (f) means for retaining the second means for capturing within the cylindrical housing, wherein the second means for capturing is seated on a side of the means for retaining that faces the first end of the cylindrical housing.   
     
     
         12 . The oil separator of  claim 11 , further comprising a ferrel having an annular rim that extends from the ferrel in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the ferrel, the rim of the ferrel being seated on the means for retaining the first capturing means and being held in place on the means for retaining the first capturing means and the first capturing means. 
     
     
         13 . The oil separator of  claim 11 , further comprising a means for filing oil being released from the cylindrical housing through the means for releasing oil. 
     
     
         14 . The oil separator of  claim 11 , wherein one or both of the means for retaining includes an unbroken annular protrusion that runs continuously about the inner surface of the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         15 . The oil separator of  claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical housing is closed on the first end and the second end by a structure that is formed by spinning the cylindrical material from which the cylindrical housing is formed.