Method and Apparatus for Reducing the Noise Level Outputted by Oil Separator

• US 20080202151A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Girod, Xavier, Grabon, Miehal, Voluet, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,276,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/470
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/12 Sound
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 43/02 for separating lubricants from the refrigerant

Abstract

A muffling apparatus (100) is provided for placement within an oil separator of refrigeration or cooling system, wherein the apparatus has a non-straight shape and a lumen (160) defined therein to allow for noise-creating pressure pulsations/waves to come into contact with absorbing material (110) of the muffling apparatus in order to attenuate the energy of the pressure waves/pulsations into heat and thus reduce oil separator vibrations caused thereby.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the noise level outputted by an oil separator within a refrigeration or cooling system, comprising the steps of:

providing a muffling apparatus that includes an absorbing material; and

placing the muffling apparatus within an internal area of an oil separator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the muffling apparatus has a non-straight shape.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the non-straight shape is selected from the group consisting of a bent shape and a curved shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the muffling apparatus has a first end, a second end and a lumen defined therebetween, and wherein at least a portion of the absorbing material is in direct fluid communication with the lumen.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the absorbing material is in direct fluid communication with the lumen via a plurality of openings.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing the muffling apparatus within the internal area of the oil separator is accomplished by attaching the muffling apparatus to the internal area of the oil separator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the muffling apparatus is attached to a first end of a securing element, and wherein a second end of the securing element is attached to the internal area of the oil separator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second end of the securing element is curved.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the muffling apparatus is attached to a first end of a support element, and wherein a second end of the support element is attached to the internal area of the oil separator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the absorbing material is a fiberglass material.

11. A muffling apparatus for placement within an internal area of an oil separator, the muffling apparatus comprising:

a muffler body having a first end, a second end and a lumen therebetween, wherein the muffler body is at least partially constructed of an absorbing material.

12. The muffling apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the absorbing material is in direct fluid communication with the lumen

13. The muffling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the muffler body is comprised of:

an external shell;

an internal layer formed at least partially of the absorbing material, wherein the internal layer is surrounded by the external shell; and

an internal shell, wherein the internal shell surrounds the lumen.

14. The muffling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the internal layer has a plurality of openings defined therein to enable direct fluid communication between the absorbing material and the lumen.

15. The muffling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the absorbing material is a fiberglass material.

16. The muffling apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the external shell and the internal shell is made of a sheet metal material.

17. The muffling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the muffling apparatus has a non-straight shape.

18. The muffling apparatus of claim 17, wherein the non-straight shape is selected from the group consisting of a bent shape and a curved shape.

19. The muffling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second end of the muffling apparatus is attached to a first end of a securing element, wherein a second end of the securing element is adapted to be attached to the internal area of an oil separator.

20. The muffling apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second end of the securing element is curved.

21. The muffling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the muffling apparatus is attached to a first end of a support element, and wherein a second end of the support element is attached to the internal area of the oil separator.