What is the purpose of refrigerant piping?

What is the purpose of refrigerant piping?

An often overlooked, but very important part of any refrigeration system, is the piping to connect all the components of the system. Improper piping can be the cause of overall poor performance and compressor failure. The most critical line is the suction line.

What type of pipe is used for refrigerant?

Copper tube
Copper tube used for refrigerant piping erected on the premises shall be seamless copper tube of Type ACR (hard or annealed) complying with ASTM B280 or ASTM B819. Annealed temper copper tube shall not be used in sizes larger than a 2-inch (51 mm) nominal size.

Which piping code is used for refrigeration piping?

B31.5
B31. 5 – Refrigeration Piping & Heat Transfer Components | ASME – ASME.

Why refrigerant pipe is insulated?

To protect against condensation, the low-pressure refrigerant should be insulated. With a barrier of insulation around it, the low-pressure refrigerant line shouldn’t develop condensation. The foam pipe insulation will prevent the loss of thermal energy so that condensation doesn’t develop.

What is the maximum length of refrigerant piping?

Lengths may be more or less, depending on remaining system design factors. Maximum linear (actual) length = 200 feet. Maximum linear liquid lift = 60 feet.

What is refrigerant in HVAC?

Refrigerant is a chemical that produces a cooling effect while expanding or vaporizing. Most residential air-conditioning units contain the standard R-22 refrigerant, or freon.

Why copper pipe is used in AC?

Reliability. Ease-of-maintenance. Excellent heat-transfer characteristics (using rifling inside the tube, which is not possible in aluminum tubes) Resistance towards mechanical and other external damages.

What size is AC copper pipe?

Common sizes are 15 mm and 22 mm. Other sizes include 18 mm, 28 mm, 35 mm, 42 mm, 54 mm, 66.7 mm, 76.1 mm, and 108 mm outside diameters. Tubing in 8 mm and 10 mm outside diameters is called a “micro bore” and is easier to install, although there is a slightly increased risk of blockage from scale or debris.

What is ASME pipe?

ASME B31, Code for Pressure Piping, is a standard developed, published, and maintained by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Why copper tubes are used in refrigeration system?

Copper as a metal has highly anti-corrosive properties compared to aluminium. During the cooling process, pipes comes in contact with air which causes oxidation within these pipes. Copper can better handle oxidation and corrosion for longer periods ultimately gives air conditioners a longer lifespan.

What happens if AC pipe is not insulated?

If the return line is not insulated, the refrigerant returning from evaporator to the compressor will absorb some heat, more heat than it had at the outlet of the evaporator. This extra heat will also be present in the compressed refrigerant going to the condenser, downstream of the compressor.

What is DX piping?

DX stands for direct expansion. In Dx units, air is directly cooled in, at the boundary of, or directly adjacent to the room being conditioned. Heat is directly exchanged with refrigerant passing through a local cooling coil. Refrigerant expands during the process and refrigerant is controlled by an expansion valve.

What size are AC lines?

The diameter on the liquid line for standard residential systems is 3/8 inches in diameter. The suction line diameter is normally either 3/4, 7/8 or 1 1/8 inches, it depends on the size (and efficiency) of the air conditioning system or heat pump.

Is AC refrigerant liquid or gas?

Refrigerant is a liquid chemical that has an amazing ability to absorb heat once converted from a gas to a liquid state. When the refrigerant changes from one state to another through pressurization and compression, it can then absorb the heat inside your home and expel it outside.