gas refrigerant recovery
Four ways to recover refrigerant
Recovery means transferring the gas from the cooling system to a cylinder. Below are listed four ways to carry out the process correctly.
1. In gas phase
This procedure is generally slower since the gas flow is lower in gas phase. It should be noted that the connecting hoses between the reclaimer machine, the cooling system and the recovery tank should be of minimal length and the maximum inner diameter as possible, in order to help improve process performance .
The refrigerant vapor is normally aspirated by the suction of the reclaimer machine and, once condensed, is sent to the recovery tank.
There are two ways to connect the machine to recover steam, as applicable:
In the game of gauges on both sides of the compressor (medium commercial systems)
Only low side, where you have to install a valve lancing to remove the refrigerant and the amount to be recovered is small (domestic refrigerators, air conditioners low capacity)
2. In liquid phase
Because reciprocating compressors can only work with refrigerant gas in the gas phase, it is necessary to evaporate it all and out of the system before it reaches the compressor. To evaporate the refrigerant is in liquid phase in the system, it is necessary to add heat (through safe practices).
Should the recovery machine does not have an evaporation system, protect against the arrival of coolant using the gauge set to go dosed by valves operation, income from the system to the machine (using them as if they were an expansion device) during the initial stages of recovery.
The liquid refrigerant can be recovered by decantation techniques, separation or push / pull, with consequent entrainment of oil.
3. Push / Pull (suction and feedback)
It is carried out using steam cylinder to push out liquid refrigerant system. a hose is connected from the liquid port of the unit, the refrigerant is required to extract, to the liquid valve on the recovery tank. another hose connects the steam valve from the boiler to the suction inlet of the recuperative tank and finally a third hose is connected from the outlet or discharge port recuperative steam machine equipment.
The recovery tank suck the liquid refrigerant (movement pull) air conditioning unit off when the reclaimer machine do reduce cylinder pressure. The sucked vapor recuperator reclaimer machine tank will be pushed back (push movement), compressed to the side corresponding to the HVACR steam deactivated unit.
Once most of the cooling system has been loaded to the regenerative tank reclaimer begin to cycle, controlled by the low pressure suction, removing the remaining refrigerant in vapor form. When the recovery machine no longer continue cycling and stops completely, that indicates that it has recovered all possible coolant system.
Do not use the method push / pull if
• The system has a lower burden of 9 kilos or 20 pounds of refrigerant.
• The equipment is a heat pump or other system where the liquid refrigerant could be isolated
• The computer has an accumulator between the service ports, used to recover liquid
• migration of coolant has occurred, and its location is unknown
• The pipeline design on the computer does not create a solid column of liquid
If the push / pull method is used
• a peephole You need to know that finished recovering all the liquid
• Having a third hose list
• After removing all the liquid, must be reconfigured to retrieve steam hoses, as this method does not make a vacuum in the system
4. liquid and vapor
It is important to know the type and amount of refrigerant to be recovered. Whenever possible, one must first remove the pivot or Schrader valves service port valves, use hoses with valves integrated ball and try to remove the liquid from the system first and then the remaining vapor, this action accelerates the rate of recovery gas.
With large amounts of refrigerant, it is better to use the push / pull method, it is three times faster than directly. When possible, it is advisable to recover gas high side and low side system pressure and use short hoses to the service (long hoses increase the processing time).
If the start withdrawing fluid from the system, the compressor sounds, you have to know that it hurts because it reduces its life considerably. ReSiempre recovery steam side should be in the recuperator tank, this reduces the possibility of the presence of liquid refrigerant remaining in the lines. And a cleaner process is guaranteed. During gas recovery, when picking hoses, could leave a line of liquid refrigerant to finish.
Note: Use a filter drier in all processes is a protection for reclaimer machine. This recommendation becomes relevant when a refrigerant system in which a compressor is burned to recover.