How Refrigerant Reclamation Works

The process of refrigerant recycling reduces the contaminants in a refrigerant so that it can be used again. Once recycled, the refrigerant must be returned to its original piece of equipment or to another owned by the same company or person. Recycling differs from refrigerant reclamation, which uses multiple filtrations to bring a refrigerant to an AHRI - 7000 industry's purity standards. Following is a brief overview of refrigerant recycling, what the law says about it, benefits, and decisions to be made about refrigerant recycling.

How Recycling Is Performed

In refrigerant recycling, special equipment fitted with a compressor is used to vacuum the refrigerant from its original system. The refrigerant is then passed through a recycling system one or multiple times, depending on the type of recycling equipment used. From there, the refrigerant is cleansed by oil separation and such devices as core filter-driers, which reduce its particulates and moisture acidity. Oil and fans are used to keep the refrigerant from freezing from the cooling elements or expanding from too much heat.

Environmental Protection Agency Law

Anytime a refrigeration or air conditioning system is opened to be serviced, EPA law requires that an EPA-certified recovery device is used to remove the refrigerant. The refrigerant must then be transferred to a separate container, at which time the HVAC contractor will decide whether the refrigerant should be recycled on-site for reuse by the equipment owner or sent to a reclaimer for restoration to industry AHRI-700 purity specifications.

To Recycle or Reclaim

Often the equipment owner's decision to recycle a refrigerant depends upon its condition, or whether it will be used to recharge the same equipment. Other factors are whether the contractor has invested in recycling equipment, or if the equipment owner or contractor has decided to reclaim refrigerants.

Benefits of Refrigerant Recycling

Refrigerant recycling can benefit equipment owners by removing impurities that may build up over time and eventually pose threats to the entire system. Even so, recycling cannot cleanse the refrigerant to the levels at which a certified reclaimer can restore it to meet the purity requirements of AHRI Standard 700. Also, by law, only reclaimed refrigerants can be resold or used in another owner's system.

We at Refrigerant Solutions are here to help with recycling and reclaiming refrigerant materials for HVAC contractors and building and facility managers. Please call us at 508-543-5482 or fill our contact form.

Performing a Refrigerant Cleaning and Removal After a Motor Burn Out

Refrigerant reclamation professionals know that when a hermetic compressor's motor burns out, there may be contaminants left behind inside. This means it's also possible that contaminants are pumped out into the entire system, in which case they must be removed to avoid causing the next, new compressor to fail as well.

Here's how the most common cleanup method, a repetitive filter changeout, is performed.

The Cleanup

Once it has been determined that acids are present in a system's refrigerant, the certified technician will first recover the existing refrigerant. If it's reclaimed adequately, it may be reusable within the same system.

Next, the old compressor will be removed from the system entirely. Reusable components can be transferred to the new compressor prior to installation.

After determining the severity of the system's contamination, a suction-line filter and an oversized liquid-line drier are installed into the system.

Once all the parts have been checked, replaced, or refurbished, and the filter-driers have been installed, the whole system must be properly triple-evacuated with a vacuum pump and gauge.

After recharging and restarting the system, the technician will recommend allowing the system to run one for a few hours. They will observe any pressure drops across the suction-line filter-drier. If it's excessive, the technician will change the filter-drier again and check the oil. This process must be repeated until the pressure drop of the suction-line filter-drier remains below an acceptable amount.

Guaranteeing Results

After letting the system run for 24 hours, the technician will again check any pressure drops across the suction-line filter-drier and sample more oil. If the pressure is good according to refrigerant reclamation professionals, and the oil shows no signs of contamination, consider the system clean.

To finish, the technician will simply remove the suction-line filter-drier and come back to recheck the oil after a couple of weeks to ensure that the system stays clean.

For more information about refrigerant reclamation, cleaning, and removal, contact Refrigerant Solutions today.

Why Mixing Refrigerants Is Hazardous

Due in part to recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines in the Significant New Alternatives Policy program, HVAC and refrigerant reclamation professionals are starting to see more refrigerant varieties available on the market. As more natural refrigerants like carbon dioxide and ammonia appear to replace potentially climate-impacting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the risk of cross-contamination and mixing increases.

Here are the basic reasons why mixing refrigerants is hazardous, and also how it can be avoided in the field.

The Dangers of Mixing Refrigerants

The mixing of refrigerants can occur for any number of reasons, including homeowner error, improper technician training, and inadequate system labeling. This can lead to several hazards for technicians and homeowners alike.

For example, unintentionally adding a highly flammable hydrocarbon product to a system originally designed for non-flammable refrigerants significantly increases the risk of fire, explosion, and other injuries to both homeowners and technicians. Plus, there's also always the risk of cross-contamination and mixing to cause high-toxicity situations.

Avoiding Refrigerant Mixing

In addition to the immediate dangers of mixing refrigerants, it's also impractical. As more mixed refrigerants are turned in to reclaimers, the burden of removing impurities and separating the products can make reclamation services much more complicated and costly.

One of the easiest and most obvious ways to avoid refrigerant mixing is to check a unit's labels for its intended refrigerant types prior to performing any work, as well as determining if any prior work—a compressor change, evaporator replacement, or filter renewal, for example—has been done on the system by another technician.

Another way is to work with a certified technician who can use a refrigerant identifier tool to determine if another refrigerant has been used. These check for pressure and temperature and can reliably tell if multiple possible refrigerants are present in the system.

For more information about refrigerant mixing, or to learn more about our reclamation services, contact Refrigerant Solutions today.

How Fluorocarbon Refrigerant Gases Are Destroying the Environment

Most people have heard of the environmental damage caused by carbon emissions, a greenhouse gas that is a major contributor to global warming. What many people don't realize is that refrigerants such as fluorocarbons are also contributing to the problem. While far fewer fluorocarbon molecules escape into the atmosphere, the ones that do are extremely potent. By recovering, reclaiming, or recycling refrigerants, businesses can save money and help protect the environment from these harmful compounds.

What Are Fluorocarbons? 

A fluorocarbon is a molecular compound composed of the elements fluorine and carbon. In common parlance, however, the term is often applied to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), molecules with chlorine in addition to fluorine and carbon, or perfluorocarbons (PFCs), which include hydrogen atoms. They are inert, stable, nonflammable, and have a high vapor temperature, making them ideal refrigerants. Unfortunately, they are also extremely harmful to the environment.

Why Are Fluorocarbons So Harmful?

The characteristics that make CFC's and other fluorocarbons desirable refrigerants also make them environmentally damaging. Because their bonds are strong and stable, they last in the atmosphere for a long time. Like carbon, they are greenhouse gases, meaning that they absorb heat reflected off the earth's surface that would otherwise escape into space. According to a report done by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Energy, refrigerants are particularly harmful because they release ozone-depleting chlorine into the stratosphere, allowing more solar radiation in and exacerbating temperature increase.

What Can Be Done to Prevent Fluorocarbons From Reaching the Atmosphere?

Refrigerants escape into the atmosphere from faulty or poorly maintained cooling equipment, or when they are improperly disposed of. The best way to minimize refrigerants escaping into our atmosphere is to use experienced and licensed professionals to replace and dispose of faulty tanks. 

Refrigerant Solutions is an industry leader in responsible refrigerant solutions. We are one of less than 60 companies in the U.S. certified by the EPA to perform this work. If you're in need of recycling for your old refrigerant tank or are concerned about the safety of your current one, contact us right away. We can perform hydrostatic testing to check for any needed repairs. We can also travel to New York, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Vermont for your convenience.

Recycling Refrigerant vs. Reclaiming Refrigerant

Refrigerant is an essential component in any residential or commercial HVAC system. In a cooling system, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the air outside as it changes from liquid to gas, cooling the air before it enters the interior space. Over many cycles of evaporation and condensation, refrigerants pick up contaminants that reduce their effectiveness. Refrigerant recycling and reclamation are two ways that refrigerant can be purified for reuse, but they are very different processes.

Refrigerant Recycling 

Typical commercial refrigerants are made of hydrofluorocarbon compounds. These potent greenhouse gases contribute to global warming and ozone depletion if not handled properly. Refrigerant recycling reduces the need for new refrigerant production and saves businesses money by reusing their existing refrigerant. When impurities build up, the refrigerant must be evacuated, reclaimed, and recycled. Recycling removes the impurities so that the refrigerant substance complies with the maximum levels of impurities set by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute. Importantly, the recycled refrigerant can only be returned to the system it was initially evacuated from. Unlike reclaimed refrigerant, it cannot be used in another system.

Refrigerant Reclamation

While refrigerant recycling allows the refrigerant to be reused in the same system it was removed from, refrigerant reclamation goes several steps further in the purification process. Reclaimed refrigerant must pass through a series of chemical processes including filtering, drying, and distilling to meet ARI-700 purity standards. It can also be sold on the open market for use in most HVAC systems. Refrigerant Solutions is one of only 60 companies in the United States certified to perform this work by the EPA.

Businesses across the Northeast rely on the professionals at Refrigerant Solutions for all their refrigerant recycling and reclamation needs. If your HVAC system needs refrigerant maintenance, save money and help the environment by recycling or reclaiming refrigerant today.

Refrigerant Recycling: Why It Matters

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established guidelines for safe disposal of refrigerant cylinders. Customers who have refrigerant cylinders that are no longer in use must comply with these refrigerant recycling safety measures. These laws were passed as part of the 1990 Clean Air Act.

Importance of Safe Disposal 

When disposed of improperly, refrigerant cylinders release emissions that pollute the environment. These substances, known as chlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons (Freon), deplete the ozone layer and contribute to climate change. For this reason, EPA safe disposal regulations apply to all appliances that contain coolant, including car air conditioners, home refrigerators and freezers, window air conditioners, water coolers, beverage vending machines, ice makers, and dehumidifiers. 

Before the passage of the Clean Air Act, these substances were typically vented into the air when appliances were recycled or disposed of, substantially contributing to ozone depletion.

Compliance Strategies

Refrigerant cylinders can only be recycled by facilities that are licensed to do so. The entire appliance containing the cylinder must be brought to the recycling location, as these cylinders should not be removed by unlicensed personnel. The refrigerant from the appliance is collected and then must be reclaimed for safe use before it can be resold to another customer.

Refrigerant recovery and recycling requires collecting the Freon from the appliance using EPA-certified recovery equipment that uses a specialized vacuum with temperature regulation controls. This system may contain filters so the refrigerant can be recycled. After removal, the refrigerant is placed in a separate, specialized container. The appliance can then be relocated to either a landfill or a scrap metal recycling facility, and the refrigerant can either be recycled for on-site use or sold to an off-site reclaimer who can restore it to industry purity standards for consumer resale.

Steps for Safe Disposal

Those who want to dispose of a cooling appliance must provide the refrigerant recycling facility or landfill owner with a signed statement listing the name and address of the licensed contractor, like Refrigerant Solutions, who removed the coolant and the date removal was performed. Removed refrigerant can only be used by the owner of the original appliance or the removal facility unless it has been reclaimed and purified.

An Overview of AHRI 700 Purity Standards

The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) 700 purity standards are used globally to verify refrigerant performance claims and ensure fair product comparisons. The AHRI does not set safety standards, and it does not certify or guarantee product safety. AHRI standards result from advanced and accepted industry practices for designing, installing, and operating refrigerants that comply with national safety standards and codes. The following is a brief look at the AHRI purity standards and their impact on refrigerant management.

The Scope Standard

This standard specifies the purity requirements of acceptable levels of contaminants in refrigerants containing hydrocarbon, fluorocarbon, and carbon dioxide. It involves refrigeration management regardless of the source, and it lists acceptable methods of testing.

Specifications for Refrigerants

The refrigerant standard sets purity specifications, verifies composition, and defines testing methods for accessibility. It is meant to guide manufacturers, reclaimers, distributors, installers, contractors, and users, among others, of refrigerants containing hydrocarbon, fluorocarbon, and carbon dioxide.

Characterization of Refrigerants and Contaminants

This standard of single component fluorocarbon and zeotropic/azeotropic blend refrigerants and contaminants includes Isomer content, water, halogenated unsaturated volatile impurities, and chloride, among others.

Sampling of Test Procedures

These precautions specify methods and limits of refrigerant management for cylinder preparation, vapor phase sampling, and handling low-temperature refrigerants. The precautions also address liquid and liquid phase sampling, record weight, refrigerant identification, and water content, among others.

Particulates and Solids

While addressing noncondensables, other volatile impurities, and other refrigeration, this standard focuses on the halogenated, unsaturated volatile, impurities, individual listed volatile impurities, and sulfur odor in hydrocarbon refrigerants.

Reclaimed and Repackaged Refrigerants

This standard sets test procedures for refrigerant management in determining the quality of the new and the reclaimed as well as repackaged refrigerants for use in new and existing equipment within the scope of AHRI. They are designed as referee test methods. If other procedures are used, the user must show results equivalent to the specified referee test methods.

Reporting Procedure

The manufacturer, repackager, or reclaimer of the packaged refrigerant is identified. The refrigerant is identified by its accepted number and chemical name. The test results are tabulated accordingly. Although confirmation is voluntary, it cannot be claimed or implied for equipment or products within the scope and purpose of the standard.

Refrigerant Solutions is here to help you for all of your refrigerant recycling service needs. Call us anytime at 508-543-5482 or complete our contact form.