Accumulator; Refrigeration System Repair - Bryant 189BNV EVOLUTION Service Manual

Accumulator

The accumulator is specifically designed to operate with Puronr
or R22 respectfully; use only factory- -authorized components.
Under some light load conditions on indoor coils, liquid refrigerant
is present in suction gas returning to compressor. The accumulator
stores liquid and allows it to boil off into a vapor so it can be safely
returned to compressor. Since a compressor is designed to pump
refrigerant in its gaseous state, introduction of liquid into it could
cause severe damage or total failure of compressor.
The accumulator is a passive device which seldom needs replacing.
Occasionally its internal oil return orifice or bleed hole may
become plugged. Some oil is contained in refrigerant returning to
compressor. It cannot boil off in accumulator with liquid
refrigerant. The bleed hole allows a small amount of oil and
refrigerant to enter the return line where velocity of refrigerant
returns it to compressor. If bleed hole plugs, oil is trapped in
accumulator, and compressor will eventually fail from lack of
lubrication. If bleed hole is plugged, accumulator must be changed.
The accumulator has a fusible element located in the bottom end
bell. (See Fig. 49.) This fusible element will melt at 430_F//221_C
and vent the refrigerant if this temperature is reached either internal
or external to the system. If fuse melts, the accumulator must be
replaced.
Fig. 49 – Accumulator
To change accumulator:
1. Shut off all power to unit.
2. Recover all refrigerant from system.
3. Break vacuum with dry nitrogen. Do not exceed 5 psig.
NOTE: Coil may be removed for access to accumulator. Refer to
appropriate sections of Service Manual for instructions.
CAUTION
!
PERSONAL INJURY HAZARD
Failure to follow this caution may result in personal injury.
Wear safety glasses, protective clothing, and gloves when
handling refrigerant.
4. Remove accumulator from system with tubing cutter.
5. Tape ends of open tubing.
6. Scratch matching marks on tubing studs and old
accumulator. Scratch matching marks on new accumulator.
Unbraze stubs from old accumulator and braze into new
accumulator.
7. Thoroughly rinse any flux residue from joints and paint
with corrosion- -resistant coating such as zinc- -rich paint.
8. Install factory authorized accumulator into system with
copper slip couplings.
9. Evacuate and charge system.
Pour and measure oil quantity (if any) from old accumulator. If
more than 20 percent of oil charge is trapped in accumulator, add
new POE oil to compressor to make up for this loss.
430° FUSE
ELEMENT
A88410
WARNING
!
ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD
Failure to follow this warning could result in personal
injury or death.
Before installing, modifying, or servicing system, main
electrical disconnect switch must be in the OFF position.
There may be more than 1 disconnect switch. Lock out and
tag switch with a suitable warning label.
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
REPAIR
Leak Detection
New installations should be checked for leaks prior to complete
charging. If a system has lost all or most of its charge, system must
be pressurized again to approximately 150 psi minimum and 375
psi maximum. This can be done by adding refrigerant using
normal charging procedures or by pressurizing system with
nitrogen (less expensive than refrigerant). Nitrogen also leaks faster
than refrigerants. Nitrogen cannot, however, be detected by an
electronic leak detector. (See Fig. 50.)
Fig. 50 – Electronic Leak Detection
WARNING
!
PERSONAL INJURY
HAZARD
Failure to follow this warning could result in personal
injury or death.
Due to the high pressure of nitrogen, it should never be
used without a pressure regulator on the tank.
Assuming that a system is pressurized with either all refrigerant or
a mixture of nitrogen and refrigerant, leaks in the system can be
found with an electronic leak detector that is capable of detecting
specific refrigerants.
If system has been operating for some time, first check for a leak
visually. Since refrigerant carries a small quantity of oil, traces of
oil at any joint or connection is an indication that refrigerant is
leaking at that point.
A simple and inexpensive method of testing for leaks is to use soap
bubbles. (See Fig. 51.) Any solution of water and soap may be
used. Soap solution is applied to all joints and connections in
system. A small pinhole leak is located by tracing bubbles in soap
solution around leak. If the leak is very small, several minutes may
pass before a bubble will form. Popular commercial leak detection
solutions give better, longer- -lasting bubbles and more accurate
results than plain soapy water. The bubble solution must be
removed from the tubing and fittings after checking for leaks as
some solutions may corrode the metal.
40
A95422
AND UNIT DAMAGE