EPA 608 Core Chapter 2 (Take full course for free)
In this module, we will discuss the various recovery equipment and techniques used in the industry.
1. Types of Equipment
Recall that an atom is the basic building block of all things. Ozone is a naturally occurring gas, made up of 3 oxygen atoms bonded together.
Earth’s atmosphere is made up of several layers, as shown.
Ozone is found in the lowest two layers of Earth’s atmosphere, the Troposphere and the Stratosphere.
2. Recovery Practices
When recovering refrigerants, technicians must use recovery cylinders. These are the containers specifically designed to hold refrigerants. They will have gray bodies and yellow tops.
Only one type of refrigerant can be recovered in each cylinder. This is to avoid mixing refrigerants.
As we discussed in Refrigerant Blends, blending your own refrigerants gives the refrigerant unpredictable temperatures and properties. It is also illegal to blend your own refrigerants.
If multiple refrigerants are recovered in a cylinder, this mixture cannot be used. In addition, the mixture may be impossible to reclaim.
If a technician discovers that Refrigerant B was added to a system
that operates on Refrigerant A, you must recover the mixture in a separate recovery tank.
For example, let’s say a technician is working on an R-22 system. If you discover that R-410a was added to this system, you need to recover the mixture in a separate recovery tank.
This is why technicians can only recover one type of refrigerant per recovery cylinder. If it is necessary to recover more than one type of refrigerant (for multiple devices), yo
u must use a separate recovery cylinder for the other refrigerant.
At the end of recovery service, technicians need to make sure that there is no liquid refrigerant trapped in the service hose. Any refrigerant trapped in the hose will be vented and this is not allowed under the Venting Prohibition.
3. Ozone Depleting Substances
Recall that for all ozone depleting refrigerants and their substitutes, there are special requirements for these refrigerant when they are recovered. Recall that this
includes CFC, HCFC, and HFC refrigerants.
For CFC, HCFC, and HFC refrigerants, technicians must be reclaimed to AHRI standards before being resold. We discussed this in Section 608 Regulations.
This means that if you recover these refrigerants, you can only use the re
covered refrigerant in
The same appliance, or
Another appliance owned by the same person.
For example, if you recover R-22 from an appliance, that recovered R-22 can only be used in the same appliance you recovered it from. You can also use it in another appliance owned by the same person.
In order to use the R-22 refrigerant in an appliance owned by a different person, you must send it to be reclaimed per AHRI standards for virgin refrigerant.
4. Conclusion
In this module, we saw different types of recovery equipment. We also discussed various recovery practices while using these devices.