Refrigerants

1
Refrigerants

• Legislation regarding automotive refrigerants
• Refrigerant recovery
• Types of refrigerants
• Refrigerant safety precautions

2
Legislation

• Technicians servicing automotive A/C systems must
  be certified
• Recovery and recycling equipment must be EPA
  approved
• Repair shops are responsible for using certified
  equipment and properly trained and certified
  technicians

3
Legislation

• Purchases of containers of R-12 less than 20 lbs,
  restricted to certified technicians
• Purchases of blend refrigerants requires
  certification
• R-134a system servicing requires technician
  certification

4
Legislation

• Technician certification tests can be obtained by
  calling ASE customer service department at
  703-669-6600 and requesting the quiz booklet.
• Cost of certification is 15
• Certification is lifetime

5
Refrigerant Recovery

• Recovery removal of all refrigerant from a
  system and stored in a container in liquid form
• Recycling process of removing moisture, oil and
  noncondensable gases (air) from recovered
  refrigerant

6
Refrigerant Recovery

• Recycled refrigerant
• At least 98
• Moisture 15 ppm by weight
• Oil 4000 ppm by weight
• Noncondensable gases 330 ppm by weight

7
Refrigerant Recovery

• Dedicated recovery and recycling equipment must
  be use for each type of refrigerant
• Recovery and recycling equipment is available
  separately or in combination

8
Refrigerant Recovery

• Recycling equipment is designed to remove only
  water, oil and air
• Refrigerant compounds cannot be removed
• Contaminated refrigerants must be labeled and
  disposed of properly

9
Refrigerant Recovery

• Refrigerant can be identified
• Labels
• System fittings
• Refrigerant identifier

10
Refrigerant Recovery

• Recovery tanks must be tested for leaks every 5
  years
• Failure to test containers may result in 25,000
  fine
• Tests visual, pressure

11
Refrigerant Types

• Refrigerants are colorless and odorless
• Most refrigerants are composed of or a
  combination of
• Chlorine, fluorine, carbon (CFC)
• Hydrogen, fluorine, carbon (HFC)
• Hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, carbon (HCFC)
• Hydrogen, carbon (hydrocarbon)
• Hydrogen, oxygen (CO2)

12
Refrigerant Types

• R-12
• CFC
• Prior to 94 model years
• Boiling point of -22 deg. F
• Containers are color coded white
• Small containers purchased with certification

13
Refrigerant Types

• R-22
• Not for automotive applications
• HCFC
• Boiling point of -40 deg. F
• High vapor pressure
• Not compatible with hose and seal materials

14
Refrigerant Types

• R-134a
• HFC
• All vehicles produced in 1994 to present
• Boiling point -15 deg. F
• Similar pressure-temperature relationship of R-12
• Lighter weight than R-12
• Containers color coded blue
• Requires barrier hoses

15
Refrigerant Types

• R-11/ R-113
• Previously used as flushing agents
• Not suitable because of high boiling points
• Cannot be released into atmosphere

16
Refrigerant Types

• Blends
• Azeotrope refrigerant that acts like a single
  chemical with a single boiling point
• Zeotrope refrigerant that has a range of boiling
  points

17
Refrigerant Types

• Blend chemicals
• Mixtures of HCFCs and HFCs
• Butane
• Isobutane
• Propane

18
Refrigerant Types

• Blend refrigerants cautions
• Fractionation
• Glide
• Contamination
• Flammability

19
Refrigerant Types

• Alternate refrigerants may only be used with
• Unique fittings
• Labels
• High pressure release devices and high pressure
  cutoff switches
• Original refrigerant completely removed

20
Refrigerant Types

• R-134a ban proposed as early as 2009
• Vehicles will be certified to leak less than 1.4
  oz/year

21
Refrigerant Safety Precautions

• Safety hazards
• Physiological reaction
• Asphyxiation
• Frostbite and blindness
• Poisoning
• Combustion
• Explosion of containers

22
Refrigerant Safety Precautions

• Refrigerants do not contain oxygen
• Liquid refrigerant immediately boils when
  released and absorbs enough heat to freeze body
  parts
• CFCs produces poisonous gas when exposed to
  flame or heated metal

23
Refrigerant Safety Precautions

• R-134a can become combustible at high pressures
  if mixed with air
• Liquid refrigerant heated inside a storage
  container can create hydraulic pressures to
  rupture container (critical temperature)

24
Refrigerant Safety Precautions

• PAG and ester oils
• Do not breathe vapors
• Do not allow contact with skin
• May damage paint

25
Refrigerant Safety Precautions

• ALWAYS wear safety glasses when working around
  refrigerants, refrigerant oils and A/C systems
• Remember refrigerant pressures increase as
  temperature increases!