RAC

Refrigerant leakage and detection –

charging of refrigerant – system controls
 REFRIGERANT LEAKAGE AND DETECTION
The Most Common Refrigerants Used Are Ammonia (Nh3) Or Freons and the leakage in these refrigersnts can
be detected by the following methods.

1. Ammonia leakage detection

a.test paper

b.sulphur test

c.litmus test

1. Freon leakage detection

a.Halide torch detector

b.Alcohol test
Ammonia (NH) refrigerant leakage and detection

(i) Test paper

Ammonia is alkaline hence soft paper is dipped in solution of half a gram of phenolphthalein in a point of
alcohol and is allowed to dry.

The dry paper is now cut in small strips.To check for any leaks, the test paper is first wetted with waterand
held it near suspectful areas of leaks

If the ammonia leak, paper will turn pink.

This is the best method for checking leaks

Sulphur test

● A sulphur fumes candle is used to locate the leak by lighting the candle and holding near suspected
areas of leaks.
● Sulphur fumes when comes in contact with ammonia, white vapour can be seen.

Litmus paper

● Litmus paper is brought to the suspected areas of leaks.

● If there is any ammonia leaks, then the litmus paper turns blue
62 Freon-12 leakage and detection

Halide torch detector

● Halide torch is used to detect Freon-12 refrigerant leak

● Halide torch detector which is known as acetylene produces nearly colourless flame
● Air is drawn through tube at base of burner for combustion producing flame which burns through metallic
copper element.
● When air tube is brought near suspected leaks then the flame turns brilliant green.
● This type of torch detects 0.01 percent of low concentration of Freon-12 refrigerants.
62 Freon-12 leakage and detection

Alcohol test

● Here leak detector turns alcohol, but works on same principle as halide detectors .
● The detector is pump up type similar to blow torch.
● If there is any Freon vapour in the air round the torch, then flame will burn green continuously.

Note: Leak detection test described for Freon-12 is applicable for all Freon group refrigerants like Freon-11,
Freon-12, Freon-13
CHARGING OF REFRIGERANT
The amount of refrigerant to the charged depends upon size,type of installations and length of connecting pipes.

The following hints may be used for charging.:

1.Clean (oil and moisture free) drums should be used

2.New system should be evacuated

3.Air should not be drawn into the system along with refrigerant, in order to ensure it, that the charging lines are purged and all
connection tightened.

4.The cylinder valve controls suction pressure so that it is not allowed to rise above 2 bar when charging

5. Liquid refrigerants are not allowed in compressor in any situation

6. The charging lines are not allowed to be flexible.

7.To avoid overcharging. the head pressure should be watched

Methods of charging refrigerant
Charging through suction valve

1.Refrigerant is charged through suction valve, before doing so the system is fully evacuated and charged as follows. Refer Fig.
Valve B is back-seated (closed) and valve A is discharged. (ie open)

2.Connect charging line to suction valve and attach pressure gauge to discharge valve and open half turn

3 Connect other end of charging line to refrigerant cylinder.

4. Open cylinder valve slightly and loosen the nut between cylinder and compressor inlet.

5.Close suction valve line, so that gas is drawn by compressor for cylinder

6. Required refrigerant quantity is d e compressor and suction pressure is not allowed to be more than 2 bar gauge .

7.Now close cylinder valve and allow compressor to run for sometime so that pressure in charging line drops to 0 bar gauge.

8.Now stop the compressor and suction valve is back-seated. Disconnectand detach the charging line and attach compound
gauge. Turn the valve ta one-half turn
The system is now ready for testing and normal operation .

● Refrigerant quantity to be charged is often (measured) weighed.

● For this, the cylinder carrying refrigerant is kept on weighting platform or suspended from spring scale.
● Cylinder can be kept in warm water to quicken charging
Charging through discharge valve

● This is least used method

● Refrigerant flow by pressure difference between
cylinder and high side
● Until the unit is charged, the compressor is not
allowed to operate.

When charging by this method, empty cylinder is weighed

to know accurate amount of charge needed by system.
After knowing amount of charge needed. all cylinder
contents are transferred.
The system is evacuated and following procedures are
undergone
 Charging through discharge valve

● Suction and discharge valve are back-seated

● Until valves are wide open, gauge port of each valveis plugged or closed.
● Attach compound gauge to suction valve and turn the valve for one half tum. The discharge valve is installed with pipe-to-
flare adapter and this adapter connects the charging line too
● Connect other charging line end to cylinder, loosen the flare nut
● remove air from charging line. Then tighten the nut. Tum valve A about half way
● As Refrigerant flow in liquid form into condenser, the cylinder is placed bottom side
● After refrigerant flows into condenser, discharge valve is back seated. Then close cylinder valve and remove charging line.
● Attach pressure gauge and turn valve about one-half turn and open the liquid valve. Now system is ready for testing and
operation
 Charging through charging valve

This is safest, fastest method for charging.

Charging valve is located between receiver valve and filter (or dehydrator) This valve reduces the charging time.
The charging refrigerant cylinder acts as receiver when charging valve is connected to it.
Liquid refrigerant enters system where before entering compressor it expands by liquid control valve. This avoids the liquid to
enter compressor which is a potential dangers and also eliminates high vacuum occurrence which would cause oil to leave the
crankcase.
The procedure for charging is described below
● Evacuate the system and connect pressure gauge to discharge valve and compound gauge to suction valve. Gauge will read
when valves are open for one-half turn.
● Close receiver valve and connect refrigerant cylinder to charging valve by tubing
● Open cylinder valve and lose flare nut too remove from charging line and tighten the nut.
 ● To ensure liquid at valve end, tip the cylinder and open the charging and cylinder valves
● start the compressor and charge the system to a needed amount. Frost is formed at bottom of cylinder and charging line
when cylinder becomes empty.
● Close the cylinder valve once system is charged. Now run compressor to empty charging line. Close charging valve and
remove it. The charging valve is capped to prevent leakage.
● Open receiver valve R and now system is ready for testing and operation

When charging ammonia refrigerant, the cylinder on the floor should be vertical and so valve stem points up.
Charge connection for ammonia should be made of rigid steel pipe and fittings.
For other refrigerants copper tubing is used and flexible connect is dangerous
SYSTEM CONTROL
 SYSTEM CONTROL

To ensure economic working of refrigerator,

controls are much essential.
Connection of domestic refrigerator is shown in Figure.
 Starting relay
● It provides starting torque required by motor for it to start.
start compressor motor, thermostat should be closed.
● When electric current passes through running winding and starting
relay, the armature is pulled, along starting winding contacts due
to electromagnetism
● Current through starting winding provides starting torque to start
the motor.
● As motor speed increases, current through motor winding decreases
thus disconnecting starting winding by opening starting winding
contacts
 Overload protector

● It functions to protect compressor winding from excessive current thus preventing damage due to overloading It has
bimetallic strip and this strip gets heated and bends when overloading occurs, there by it opens the motor contacts
(contacts are closed during normal working of compressor) and de-energies it
● Abnormal behaviour (like overloading) of compressor is due to low voltage, high voltage, high load, low suction pressure,
high Suction and discharge pressure
● The overload protector is placed on compressor body which operates when heat produced due to current flow through
metallic strip and heater element
 Thermostat

Thermostat controls the refrigerator temperature. Thermostat bulb is clamped to evaporator or freezer.
Bulb is charged with few drops of refrigerant.
Thermostat is set to maintain different temperature at a time.When desired temperature is reached, thermostat bull the liquid
present in bulb compresses and bellows of the thermistor operates opening compressor motor contact and compressor is
stopped.
The temperature at which compressor motor stops is called cut-out temperature.
When there is increase in temperature, bellows of thermostat operates closing compressor motor contact thus liquid in the bulb
expands and compressor is started
The cut in temperature is the temperature at which compressor motor starts
The thermostat reduces running time of compressor thereby cutting the operation cost as well as improving the compressor life
da to non-continuous working.