liquid refrigerant

Preventing Refrigerant Floodback and Migration Before It’s Too Late

September 3, 2018

Refrigerant floodback occurs when liquid refrigerant enters the compressor’s crankcase during the running cycle. Refrigerant floodback will dilute the compressor’s oil with liquid refrigerant, which will cause oil foaming in the crankcase, washing the bearings clean of their lubricating oil.

2017 AHR Expo — New Product

Fieldpiece Instruments: Refrigerant Recovery Machine

January 30, 2017

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New from Fieldpiece is the lightest weight digital recovery machine in the market. Capable of recovering both liquid and vapor refrigerant, the MR45 is faster and smoother when pulling.

Figure 1. Frost coming back to an air-cooled compressor. Evaporator has more than nine degrees of superheat. Compressor has more than 25 degrees of total superheat. (Photo courtesy of Ferris State University)

The Professor: Defining the Impact of Frosted Compressor Head

What Frost on a Compressor Head Is — and What it Isn’t

John Tomczyk

August 4, 2014

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All frost means is the suction line or compressor is below freezing, and the moisture in the air has reached its dew point temperature and condensed.

Ice Breaker: Compressor Floodback

Troubleshooting Compressor Floodback Issues

Joe Marchese

May 6, 2013

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Determining that a compressor has failed on a refrigeration system is normally a relatively simple procedure. But, discovering why the original compressor failed may not be as simple.

The Professor: Suction Line Accumulators

John Tomczyk

October 1, 2012

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There are times when low evaporator heat loads, just ended defrost periods, failing or misadjusted mechanical valves, or simply lack of system maintenance can cause compressor floodback. If there is no way to prevent these periods of liquid floodback to the compressor, a suction line accumulator is needed on the system.

The Professor: Frosted Compressor Head

John Tomczyk

September 3, 2012

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Many service technicians believe that frost on a suction line or on the compressor’s head itself indicates there is liquid refrigerant coming back to the compressor. Is this really true?