Unit 10

SECTION 2
SAFETY, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT,

SHOP PRACTICES
UNIT 10
SYSTEM CHARGING
UNIT OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, the reader should be
able to
Describe how refrigerant is charged into systems in the vapor and liquid states.
Describe system charging using two different weighing methods.
State the advantage of using electronic scales for weighing refrigerant into a
system.
UNIT OBJECTIVES
able to
Describe two types of charging devices.
Charge refrigerant blends incorporating a temperature glide and fractionation

potential.
Charge fixed orifice, capillary tube, and piston (short tube) air-conditioning
systems using charging charts and curves.
UNIT OBJECTIVES
able to
Use the subcooling method of charging to charge airconditioning and heat pump
systems that incorporate a thermostatic expansion valve (txv) as the metering
device.
Use modern temperature/pressure charts that incorporate dew point and bubble
point values for calculating subcooling and superheat amounts.
CHARGING A REFRIGERATION
SYSTEM
Correct charge must be added for a refrigeration system to operate

as designed
Added by weighing, measuring, or using operating pressures
Carefully monitor evaporator superheat, condenser subcooling,
operating pressures and compressor amperage
VAPOR REFRIGERANT
CHARGING
Vapor can be added to the high- and low-pressure sides of the system
while it is not operating
Vapor can be added to the low-pressure side of the system while it is
operating
The refrigerant cylinder may need to be warmed in order to build up the
pressure to properly charge the system
Warm water can be used to heat the cylinder
Never use a torch heat the refrigerant cylinder
LIQUID REFRIGERANT CHARGING

When the system has been evacuated, liquid refrigerant can be added
through the liquid line or receiver
Liquid charging is faster than vapor charging
The low-pressure control may need to be bypassed during the charging
process
Liquid refrigerant can be charged into the low side of the system if the
refrigerant has first been vaporized
When charging systems with blended refrigerants, the refrigerant must
leave the cylinder as a liquid
WEIGHING REFRIGERANT
Weighing the correct charge into the system can be accomplished

with an electronic scale
Bathroom scales should not be used to weigh refrigerant
Electronic scales are often used
Expensive but very accurate
Automatically displays amount of refrigerant removed from

cylinder
Some units dispense a predetermined amount of refrigerant and

then shut off
USING CHARGING CHARTS

(FIXED RESTRICTOR-TYPE
METERING DEVICES)
Curves and/or charts supplied by manufacturers
Used to help technicians properly charge systems
Since charts and curve vary for manufacturer to manufacturer,
always follow directions carefully
Uses superheat values
Charge carefully! It is always easier to add refrigerant than remove it
CHARGING NEAR-AZEOTROPIC
(ZEOTROPRIC) REFRIGERANT
BLENDS
Blended refrigerants
Made up of two or more other refrigerants
Have different properties than component refrigerants

Azeotropic blends
Have only one saturation temperature for each pressure
Behave like commonly know refrigerants (R-12, R-22)

Near-azeotropic (zeotropric) blends
- Temperature glide when they evaporate or condense
CHARGING ZEOTROPIC BLENDS

Dew point value
Where saturated vapor begins to condense
Used for superheat calculations
Bubble point values
Where saturated liquid begins to boil
Used for subcooling calculations
CHARGING ZEOTROPIC BLENDS

Fractionation
- Part of the blend will evaporate or condense before the rest of the blend
- Will not occur when the refrigerant is in the liquid state
The component of the blend with the lowest boiling point will leak faster
than the other components
Refrigerant must leave the cylinder as a liquid
UNIT SUMMARY - 1
Evaporator superheat, condenser sub-cooling and compressor amperages
should be monitored when charging an air conditioning or refrigeration
system
Refrigerant can be added to a system in either the vapor or liquid state
Liquid charging is faster than vapor charging
Refrigerant charges can be weighed into the system
Charging charts can be used to determine the proper system charge
UNIT SUMMARY - 2
Azeotropic blends behave as single refrigerants
Near-azeotropic blends have a temperature glide
Temperature glide indicates that there is more than one saturation
temperature at a given pressure
Blended refrigerants must leave the tank as a liquid
The dew point is where vapors begin to condense
Bubble point is where liquids begin to vaporize

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SECTION 2

SAFETY, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT,

Describe system charging using two different weighing methods.

Describe two types of charging devices.

Charge refrigerant blends incorporating a temperature glide and fractionation

Correct charge must be added for a refrigeration system to operate

Warm water can be used to heat the cylinder

Never use a torch heat the refrigerant cylinder

LIQUID REFRIGERANT CHARGING

Weighing the correct charge into the system can be accomplished

Expensive but very accurate

Automatically displays amount of refrigerant removed from

Some units dispense a predetermined amount of refrigerant and

USING CHARGING CHARTS

Made up of two or more other refrigerants

Have different properties than component refrigerants

Have only one saturation temperature for each pressure

Behave like commonly know refrigerants (R-12, R-22)

CHARGING ZEOTROPIC BLENDS

CHARGING ZEOTROPIC BLENDS

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