Test kit for detecting acids in refrigerant lubricating oils and method of use
First Claim
1. A test kit for separating from a pressurized refrigerant withdrawn from a refrigerant system at least a portion of a lubricating oil entrained in the refrigerant to provide a lubricating oil sample, and then testing the lubricating oil sample for acidity, the test kit comprising:
- a collection chamber having an interior wall and an observation location, and comprising an inlet end having an inlet-end opening and an outlet end having an outlet-end opening, the collection chamber defining a fluid flow path extending therethrough to the outlet-end opening, the inlet-end opening being configured to operate a system access valve of such pressurized refrigerant system to flow such refrigerant and its entrained lubricating oil via the inlet-end opening along the fluid flow path;
a flow control valve disposed in the fluid flow path and configured to automatically throttle the flow of such pressurized refrigerant through the collection chamber to thereby enhance both (1) separation of some of the entrained lubricating oil from the pressurized refrigerant to provide the lubricating oil sample as a liquid lubricating oil, and (2) retention of the liquid lubricating oil sample within the collection chamber;
the collection chamber being configured to have dispensed therein a pH indicator to mix with such liquid oil sample to thereby form at the observation location a test liquid comprising a mixture of such liquid oil sample and such pH indicator, the collection chamber being sufficiently transparent at least at the observation location whereby visual observation of any color change which takes place in the test liquid may be observed from exteriorly of the test kit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A test kit (110) includes an at least partially transparent or translucent tubular collection chamber (122) which has a flow control valve (111) at the inlet end (122a) thereof. Flow control valve (111) has a mouth (112a) that is used to engage a Schrader valve (132) of a HVACR system to flow pressurized refrigerant fluid into the collection chamber (122) via flow control valve (111). The flow of the pressurized refrigerant fluid is throttled by flow control valve (111) to ensure that sufficient lubricating oil is separated from the refrigerant fluid and remains within the collection chamber (122), even as refrigerant is expelled from collection chamber (122) via vent holes (124). A collector (126) serves to accumulate separated lubricating oil. A frangible ampoule (128) which contains a liquid pH indicator (130) is crushed to contact the pH indicator with the separated lubricating oil to test the pH of the oil by color change of the pH indicator.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A test kit for separating from a pressurized refrigerant withdrawn from a refrigerant system at least a portion of a lubricating oil entrained in the refrigerant to provide a lubricating oil sample, and then testing the lubricating oil sample for acidity, the test kit comprising:
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a collection chamber having an interior wall and an observation location, and comprising an inlet end having an inlet-end opening and an outlet end having an outlet-end opening, the collection chamber defining a fluid flow path extending therethrough to the outlet-end opening, the inlet-end opening being configured to operate a system access valve of such pressurized refrigerant system to flow such refrigerant and its entrained lubricating oil via the inlet-end opening along the fluid flow path; a flow control valve disposed in the fluid flow path and configured to automatically throttle the flow of such pressurized refrigerant through the collection chamber to thereby enhance both (1) separation of some of the entrained lubricating oil from the pressurized refrigerant to provide the lubricating oil sample as a liquid lubricating oil, and (2) retention of the liquid lubricating oil sample within the collection chamber; the collection chamber being configured to have dispensed therein a pH indicator to mix with such liquid oil sample to thereby form at the observation location a test liquid comprising a mixture of such liquid oil sample and such pH indicator, the collection chamber being sufficiently transparent at least at the observation location whereby visual observation of any color change which takes place in the test liquid may be observed from exteriorly of the test kit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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5. A method for separating lubricating oil from a pressurized refrigerant in which the lubricating oil is entrained, and testing the separated oil for acidity, the method comprising:
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(a) introducing the pressurized refrigerant into a test kit comprising a collection chamber having an inlet-end opening at or adjacent to which a flow-throttling flow control valve is disposed, and an outlet-end opening, the test kit defining a fluid flow path for the pressurized refrigerant, the fluid flow path extending from the inlet-end opening to the outlet-end opening; (b) flowing the pressurized refrigerant along the flow path and discharging the pressurized refrigerant from the outlet-end opening, and throttling the flow of the pressurized refrigerant through the test kit by flowing the pressurized refrigerant through the flow control valve, to thereby enhance retention within the collection chamber of a liquid lubricating oil sample disentrained from the pressurized refrigerant; (c) contacting a pH indicator with the liquid lubricating oil sample to form a test liquid; and (d) observing any color change taking place in the test liquid. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification