PRELAB EXERCISES

2. Why is the capillary tube system called a fixed charge system?

- Capillary tube system are designed to modify the high-pressure liquid refrigerant into a low-pressure
refrigerant gas, depending on the length and inside diameter of the capillary tube.In this way, the
capillary tube is a fixed system that does not fluctuate with heat load changes.

How can you tell when a capillary tube system is not properly charged?

-The pressure on the two sides of the capillary equalizes when the refrigeration plant is stopped, one
should not overcharge the system with the refrigerant.

If the system is overcharged the discharge pressure from the compressor will be high and the
compressor would get overloaded. Thus the refrigerant charge in the refrigeration and air conditioning
systems with the capillary tube is critical

Why is there one specific amount of refrigerant that is best for the system?

-Most refrigerant problems stem from undercharged refrigerant, which can be created by leaks or
breaches in the system. While overcharged refrigerant can damage the compressor, causing the system
to shut down unexpectedly and eventually leading to the need to replace the compressor

3. If the capillary has too many restrictions for the system, what changes could be made

concerning the capillary tube to correct the malfunction?

-Excessive resistance of the capillary tube in a refrigeration system can be attributed to the capillar tube
being too long, too many turns of the capillary tube, or contamination of the system. Therefore, the
refrigeration system must be drained and cleaned, the unwound portions of the capillary tube must be
shortened or some of the wound portion must be straightened.

From the standpoint of a serviceman, what is the most practical correction?

-A serviceman would deem shortening the capillary tube a practical first step. If the resistance does not
decrease it is probable that the system has been contaminated and the capillary tube is clogged.

4. Would the head pressure go up or down if a dirt particle got caught in the system?
-The flow of refrigerant could be restricted if a piece of dirt gets lodged in the refrigeration system. The
pressure throughout the system, particularly the head pressure, may rise because of this restriction. The
heat removal process will be less effective, and the head pressure will rise if the refrigerant supply is
restricted. As a result, the head pressure is likely to increase if a piece of dirt becomes lodged in the
refrigeration system and creates a restriction.

EXERCISES:

1. If you felt the liquid line during the experiment, you realize that it was hotter than the

surrounding air. How can the hot refrigerant absorb heat in the evaporator from a cooler

environment?

In a refrigeration system, when the hot refrigerant reaches the evaporator its pressure will be
reduced. Thus, the heat will be removed, and it will be cooler than the air flowing around it. This process
enables the refrigerant to absorb the heat from the warm air and reach its boiling point rapidly

2. What are the possible symptoms for a capillary tube system when there is a partial

restriction in the capillary tube?

Poor cooling performance: The capillary tube is responsible for controlling the flow of refrigerant to the
evaporator. A partial restriction can reduce the amount of refrigerant flowing through the system,
leading to poor cooling performance

- High head pressure: A partial restriction in the capillary tube can increase the pressure on the high side
of the system, causing the head pressure to rise

Low suction pressure: A partial restriction in the capillary tube can also cause the suction pressure to
drop, which can lead to reduced cooling performance

Frost or ice formation: If the restriction is severe enough, it can cause refrigerant to back up and lead to
the formation of frost or ice on the evaporator coil

Compressor overheating: A partial restriction can also cause the compressor to overwork, which can
lead to overheating and damage to the compressor.

3. The above experiment was run with the evaporator fan on “LOW.” This closely resembles
a refrigerating system. For an air conditioning system, the evaporator fan would be on

“HIGH” to get a greater quantity of air through the evaporator. What would happen to the

frosting on the evaporator coils if the fan was turned from “LOW” to “HIGH”?

- aggressive frosting is evident from when the load on the evaporator was set to low and high.
Comparing both situations, frosts accumulated faster and was noticeably more when the
evaporator was set to high than when it was set to low. Increasing the load on the evaporate
meant that a greater quantity of air will pass through the evaporator, thus it will expect to
evaporate more vapor (which in turn increases the pressure and temperature inside of it) than
when it is set to low (Kitchen, 2020).
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. 4. A strainer or filter is a device that can be put in a refrigeration system to filter the

refrigerant free from solid foreign matter. Where in the system has this experiment shown to

be beneficial to place a filter?

A filter or strainer should be installed in the suction line where the state of the refrigerant is a
low-pressure vapor; this will prevent solid particles from scratching the compressor's cylinder, which
causes refrigeration inefficiency and damage to the motor. In addition, adding the filter can also
minimize the chance of these granules entering the flow control devices, driving the improper operation
of the system.