Method and apparatus for extracting a refrigerant and state unit

Abstract

A method and device for extracting a refrigerant with a suction station (13) are provided, in which the refrigerant used is ascertained (2) before the extraction process, the pressure and the temperature of the refrigerant are ascertained repeatedly during the extraction process, a phase state of the refrigerant is determined (4) from the pressure and the temperature, and a suction valve of the suction station (13) is controlled (6, 7) on the basis of the phase state of the refrigerant.

1 . A method for extracting a refrigerant with a suction station ( 13 ), the method comprising:
 ascertaining the refrigerant used ( 2 ) before the extraction process, including repeatedly ascertaining a pressure and a temperature of the refrigerant ( 3 ) during the extraction process;   determining a phase state of the refrigerant ( 4 ) from the pressure and the temperature; and   controlling a suction valve ( 6 ,  7 ) of the suction station ( 13 ) based on the phase state of the refrigerant.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising controlling the suction valve ( 14 ) of the suction station ( 13 ) in an automated manner depending on the phase state of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising, to control the suction valve, outputting information about the position of the suction valve ( 14 ), and a user of the suction pump adjusting the suction valve ( 14 ) based on the output information. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the information about the position of the suction valve ( 14 ) includes at least one of a representation ( 26 ) of the operating element of a suction valve ( 14 ) or directional information ( 27 ) for moving an operating element of the suction valve ( 14 ). 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the information also includes a representation ( 28 ) of the phase state of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ascertaining of the refrigerant includes ascertaining of the refrigerant in an automated manner includes using a refrigerant sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ascertaining of the pressure includes ascertaining the pressure in an automated manner using a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ascertaining of the temperature includes ascertaining the temperature in an automated manner using a temperature sensor ( 24 ). 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a phase diagram to a refrigerant and the phase state of the refrigerant is determined ( 4 ) according to the ascertained pressure and the ascertained temperature based on the assigned phase diagram. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising reducing an opening of the suction valve ( 6 ) if a liquid phase state of the refrigerant is determined and increasing the opening of the suction valve ( 7 ) if a gaseous phase state of the refrigerant is determined. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus ( 10 ) for extracting a refrigerant, the apparatus comprising:
 a suction pump ( 15 );   a controllable suction valve ( 14 );   a state unit ( 12 );   a pressure sensor; and   a temperature sensor;   wherein the state unit ( 12 ) is configured to determine a phase state of the refrigerant such that the suction valve ( 14 ) is controllable depending on the phase state.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the suction valve ( 14 ) is controlled in an automated manner depending on the phase state. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising an information unit ( 22 ), which is designed to output information for controlling the suction valve ( 14 ) manually based on the phase state of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , the information unit ( 22 ) being designed to display the information visually. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising at least one of a) the pressure sensor being arranged in a suction station ( 13 ), and a control connection ( 23 ) communicates the pressure values to the state unit ( 12 ), b) the temperature sensor being an external temperature sensor ( 24 ), and the control connection ( 25 ) communicates the temperature values to the state unit ( 12 ), c) the state unit ( 12 ) has the control connection ( 21 ) to the suction station ( 13 ) for controlling the suction valve ( 14 ), or d) at least one of the pressure sensor or the temperature sensor is arranged in the state unit ( 12 ). 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus ( 1 ) is arranged in a device or wherein the state unit ( 12 ) is comprises a separate device. 
     
     
         17 . A state unit ( 12 ), comprising:
 at least one refrigerant input ( 17 ,  18 );   a refrigerant output ( 29 );   a pressure sensor;   a temperature sensor;   the state unit ( 12 ) being configured to determine a phase state of the refrigerant based on inputs from the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor, and to control a suction valve ( 14 ) of a suction station ( 13 ) for extracting refrigerant depending on the phase state.