PURPOSE: To return recovered refrigerant to a refrigeration cycle device without generating any liquid compression by a method wherein when refrigerant recovered from an existing refrigeration cycle device it returned again after adjusting it to its specified volume, an operation of the refrigeration cycle device is utilized.
CONSTITUTION: Refrigerant within a refrigeration cycle device 8 is recovered into a cooled tank 1 under a differential pressure between one within the tank and the other of a refrigeration cycle device 8. When a recovering amount of refrigerant reaches approximately to its limitation value, an amount of liquefied refrigerant is measured by a liquid surface sensor 26. An amount of lack of refrigerant is supplemented in that tank 1 and adjusted to its specified amount in the refrigerant cycle device 8, an outlet port 3 of the tank 1 and a connection port 7 are communicated to each other and then the recovered refrigerant within the tank 1 is returned back to the refrigeration cycle device 8. At this time, a state in which the liquid refrigerant is consumed is detected by the sensor 26 and then a refrigerant filling operation is started. The gaseous refrigerant remaining in the tank 1 is returned back to the refrigeration cycle device 8 until its pressure is equal to a suction pressure of the compressor.
KAGAWA KIYOSHI
KUMAZAWA KATSUYOSHI
ARAI YASUHIRO
SAITO TOSHIHIKO
