07/02/2023
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐮𝐦 𝐏𝐮𝐦𝐩?
Air conditioning vacuum pump is used to remove unwanted air and water v***r from the air conditioning system when it is under service. When the air conditioner needs to be repaired, the first step taken is usually to 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 the refrigerant from the system for reuse later.
Once the recovery job has been done, you can now proceed to do the necessary troubleshooting and repair work. The next step is to check and make sure that the system is 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 else steps will have to be taken to rectify this.
The 𝙚𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙪𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 process is the next step in which the vacuum pump is used to remove the air and moisture from the refrigerant system. Once this is done, the charging process can be carried out before doing a full test on the system.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
In a refrigerant system, only the refrigerant and oil should be circulating. During servicing or after many years of operation, the air may enter the system. The air from the atmosphere that enters the system include oxygen, nitrogen and moisture. These unwanted components will cause:
Rise in head pressure causing higher discharge temperatures and compression ratios. Efficiency of the system is reduced.
Acids are produced in the refrigerant causing chemical reaction resulting in electroplating and damage to the motor insulation. Once the insulation in the compressor motor breaks down, short circuit will happen hence damaging the compressor. The compressor is one of the highest equipment cost in the system. Acids also cause corrosion to the metal parts over time.
Sludge is formed by a combination of oil, acid and moisture in the system. It will cause improper operation to the filter drier, strainers and expansion device over a period of time.
𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐮𝐦 𝐏𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
In order to remove all the unwanted moisture and gases from the refrigerant system, a state of near vacuum has to be achieved in which the pressure in the system is forced to go below the atmospheric pressure. The absolute value of the atmospheric pressure at sea level is given by 𝟐𝟗.𝟗𝟐 𝐢𝐧. 𝐇𝐠 or 𝟏𝟒.𝟔𝟗𝟔 𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐚 or 𝟕𝟓𝟗.𝟗𝟗𝟗 𝐦𝐦 𝐇𝐠 or 𝟕𝟓𝟗,𝟗𝟗𝟗 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬.
In the typical system, the vacuum pump is required to create a vacuum state of about 𝟑𝟎𝟎 𝐭𝐨 𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬. An electronic vacuum gauge is needed to measure the level of vacuum in the system. Check the specifications of the vacuum pump and make sure that it is able to achieve the vacuum state as required by the manufacturers of the equipment.
𝐀 𝟐-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐮𝐦 𝐏𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐫
Rotary compressors are used in the pumps and the better ones that are able to produce the lowest vacuums are the 2-stage rotary vacuum pumps. However, they are more costly but their abilities to remove moisture effectively is one of the main reasons why many technicians prefer to purchase this model.
As the system enters low vacuum state, the moisture will begin to boil and becomes v***r enabling its removal from the system easily.
Proper oil needs to be used when operating the air conditioning vacuum pump. Use only the recommended oil to enable the pump to achieve the specified vacuum state.
Take note of the followings when selecting air conditioning vacuum pump:
- 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.
- 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞
𝐩𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭
𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦
𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐦𝐩.
- 𝐂𝐅𝐌 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐟𝐦, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬.
- 𝐎𝐧𝐞-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐨-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧.
- 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐮𝐦 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞.
- 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.
- 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.
Popular brands in the market include Robinair, Yellow Jacket, Inficon and Arksen.
