Have you ever heard of good refrigeration practices? It may seem complicated, but in practice, they are nothing more than small attitudes that guarantee the quality of service and safety during the installation and maintenance processes.

What are good refrigeration practices? 

We can consider leak detection activities, preventive maintenance, recording of reading data, as well as responsible handling and withdrawal of refrigerants that are widely used in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector as good practices.

Refrigerants, popularly known as refrigerant gases, are extremely harmful to the environment if released into the open air. That is why the ideal is to collect, recycle and regenerate these substances.

When performing maintenance, many technicians have the bad habit of opening the system valves and releasing the gas into the atmosphere, the correct thing to do is to follow good practices and know the techniques for collecting and reusing these fluids.

What are the refrigerant gas recycling stages?

Pickup

The cooling fluid is collected through collection machines and bags instead of being disposed of in the open air. These are the types of the collection according to need:

• Passive collection: Indicated for small amounts of fluids. It is done by means of the pressure difference between the equipment and the fluid storage equipment.
• Active collection: Indicated for equipment with a large refrigerant charge. This method uses external equipment that expels the fluid from the apparatus and compresses it (gas phase) in a pressurized cylinder. This method guarantees efficiency of 99%.

Recycling/Regeneration

After collection, the gases are directed to treatment stations where they are recycled and recharged in the system using a single piece of equipment. Recycling does not separate mixed liquids.

There the material passes through a filter where gas impurities such as particles, oil, moisture, acidity, and non-condensable gases are removed, completing the regeneration cycle.

Reuse

Once regenerated, the gas can be reused, reducing the demand for new fluids. In order to receive the title of “reclaimed”, the cooling fluid must go through laboratory tests to reach a purity level of 99.8%, the same level as a completely new fluid, as mentioned above.

What to do before removing the gas from the air conditioner?

It is essential that the uninstallation and reinstallation processes are carried out in accordance with the technical and safety specifications. Only then will the air conditioner continue to work after being reinstalled.

Generally, the refrigerant gas collection procedure is carried out with a machine called a gas collection station or a vacuum pump. The equipment is connected to the compressor valves to capture the gas and return it after maintenance. But you can still collect gas for the condenser without using a gas collection station.

What does it mean to recover refrigerant gas?

Collecting the gas from the air conditioner means removing the liquid that passes through the air conditioner system. This gas can be stored in a temporary container or can be collected in the compressor.

How to introduce the gas in the bottle?

The withdrawal of the gas from the air conditioning to take it to the bottle can be done in the liquid or gaseous phase. The protocol also establishes that the cylinders must be returnable and comply with safety and handling regulations.

Proper maintenance of your Warehouse Freezer Room will boost its functionality and better the business flow in the long run. In case you need further help to restore your warehouse refrigeration system, consider a reputable commercial refrigeration company to help you out.