Crankcase heater - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Crankcase_heater

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A crankcase heater is an electrical component in a compressor in an air-conditioning system, heat pump

system, or chiller system. The crankcase heater is normally on all the time, even when the unit is not
running, though temperature sensors and set points may turn it off when not needed. A crankcase heater's
sole purpose is to prevent refrigerant migration and mixing with crankcase oil when the unit is off, and to
prevent condensation of refrigerant in the crankcase of a compressor. The crankcase heater keeps refrigerant
at a temperature higher than the coldest part of the system. A crankcase heater generally has the same
electrical symbol as a resistor because it converts electricity directly into heat via electrical resistance. The
resistance in the heater coil determines the heat it produces when voltage is applied.[1]

1 Installation
2 Start-up
3 Operation
4 See also
5 References

Some air conditioning equipment manufacturers install crankcase heaters either in the compressor (insertion
type), or mount them externally around the base of the compressor (bellyband type). The two wires of the
heater are wired directly to the input side of the contact from the main power supply, and power is always
supplied to the heater. Caution should be used since the heater can become very hot and cause second degree
burns as well as cause electrical danger due to live circuits.

Most manufacturers of air conditioning require that the heater be energized for 24 hours before system
start-up. The compressor must have crankcase heat before start-up or damage occurs to the compressor.[2]
The crankcase pressure of the compressor always drops when the compressor starts to turn.[3]

While the system is running, there is enough heat being generated by the compressor running to prevent
refrigerant migration from occurring. Refrigerant vapor always migrates to the coldest part of the system
(the compressor). The refrigerant migrates to the compressor crankcase where it is attracted to the
compressor oil. This refrigerant vapor condenses and returns to a liquid in the off cycle. On the next start of
the compressor, the oil is in a watery state and washes the bearings out, which leads to locked-up, frozen or
totally burnt-out compressors.[4] The temperature is sensed at the compressor, indoor coil, and outdoors. The
sensed temperatures are compared and if the compressor temperature is not a specified amount higher than
the lower of the other two sensed temperatures, then the crankcase heater is energized. When the compressor
temperature rises to or is a specified amount above the lower of the other two temperatures, the crankcase
heater is de-energized.[5]

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Crankcase heater - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crankcase_heater

Crankcase heat is common in air conditioning (cooling) systems where R-22 has been used for many years.
The home owner often shuts off the disconnect to the outdoor condensing unit for the winter, leaving the
compressor without crankcase heat. If the homeowner then starts the unit without some time for the heat to
boil the refrigerant out the oil, damage likely occurs to the compressor. On start-up, the crankcase pressure
reduces as soon as the compressor starts to turn. The refrigerant boils and turn the oil to foam. The oil and
refrigerant (some of the refrigerant may be in liquid state) is pumped out of the compressor. Valve and
bearing damage may occur and the compressor may be operated with a limited oil charge until it returns to
the crankcase from the evaporator.

Refrigeration compressors typically operate all seasons and do not have this seasonal shutdown, but if they
are shut down for a period of time, the preceding situation occurs, so it is likely that crankcase heat will
become popular.[6]

Freeze stat

1. Kissell, Thomas E. (2008). Electricity, Electronics, and Control Systems for HVAC (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Prentice Hall. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-13-199568-0.
2. Whitman, William C.; Johnson, William M.; Tomczyk, John (2004). "Reciprocating Chiller Start-Up".
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology (5th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning.
pp. 12201. ISBN 978-1-4018-3765-5.
3. Whitman, William C.; Johnson, William M.; Tomczyk, John (2004). "Crankcase Heat". Refrigeration & Air
Conditioning Technology (5th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. pp. 50810.
ISBN 978-1-4018-3765-5.
4. http://www.myhvacparts.com/subsite3/Catalogue/Air%20Conditioning/Crankcase%20Heater.htm
5. US patent 5012652 (https://worldwide.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US5012652), Dudley, Kevin
F., "Crankcase heater control for hermetic refrigerant compressors", published May 7, 1991
6. Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology fourth edition Whitman. Johnson.Tomczyk

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Categories: Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning

This page was last modified on 30 October 2016, at 00:31.

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