Application Guide

REFRIGERATION PIPING DESIGN

AND INSTALLATION GUIDE FOR
CITEC AIR COOLED SYSTEM

Precision Ɣ Efficient Ɣ Innovation

 Content
1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Refrigerant Piping ............................................................................................................. 1
1.2 System Evacuation ........................................................................................................... 1
1.3 Charging ........................................................................................................................... 2
2.0 Typical Air cooled System Configuration ........................................................................ 3
2.1 Indoor Unit Above Outdoor Unit ....................................................................................... 3
2.2 Outdoor Unit Above Indoor Unit ....................................................................................... 4
3.0 Refrigeration Piping Design .............................................................................................. 5
3.1 Refrigerant Line Routing ................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Equivalent Length ........................................................................................................... 5
3.3 Refrigerant Line Size Selection ........................................................................................ 6
3.4 Refrigerant Oil Management .......................................................................................... 10
4.0 Refrigeration Piping Installation ..................................................................................... 11
4.1 General Guidelines ......................................................................................................... 11
4.2 Refrigerant Pipe Brazing ................................................................................................ 12
4.3 Leak Test ........................................................................................................................ 13
5.0 System Evacuation ........................................................................................................... 15
6.0 System Charging .............................................................................................................. 17
6.1 Subcooling Method ........................................................................................................ 17
6.2 Charge Verification ......................................................................................................... 18
1.0 Introduction
This application guide is created to provide helpful information to design engineers,
installation personnel as well as service technicians in relation to site installation work
of air-cooled direct expansion system from design of refrigerant piping to proper
charging of the system. This document is supplementary to our General IOM manual.
Please read through our IOM manual for general installation operating and
maintenance information.

1.1 Refrigerant Piping

Citec Air-cooled precision air-conditioning units require field refrigeration piping

designed and installed on-site. A properly designed and installed refrigerant piping
system should:

ƒ Provide adequate refrigerant flow to the evaporators, using practical

refrigerant line sizes that limit pressure drop while ensuring sufficient
refrigerant velocity to push the oil back to the compressor
ƒ Avoid trapping excessive oil so that the compressor has enough oil to operate
properly at all times
ƒ Avoid liquid refrigerant slugging
ƒ Be clean and dry

The first step in refrigerant piping design is to gather product and site information. A
checklist is provided below.

ƒ Model number of unit components (condensers, compressors, etc.)

ƒ Maximum capacity per refrigeration circuit
ƒ Minimum capacity per refrigeration circuit
ƒ Unit operating charge
ƒ Refrigerant type
ƒ Sketch of how piping will be run, including:
o Distances
o Elevation changes
o Equipment layout
o Fittings
ƒ Ambient conditions where piping will be run

How this information is used will be covered in this guide.

1.2 System Evacuation

The evacuation process shall be carried out after completing the piping installation
and fully tested for leak tight. Evacuation process removes non-condensable gases and
moisture from the system. Non-condensable gases are defined as any gas that will
not condense under temperatures and pressures present during operation of an air
conditioning system. Non-condensable gases and water combine with refrigerant
might produce substances that corrode copper piping and compressor parts.
Evacuation is an important process in installation in which if not done properly might
lead to system malfunction. Therefore, care must be taken when conducting system

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evacuation. This guide will list out the proper steps required to ensure quality vacuum
in most effective way.

1.3 Charging

Proper refrigerant charge is always one of the major concerns during installation.
Under or over charge reduce cooling capacity and increase power consumption.
Severely under or over charge might also lead to system malfunction due to
compressor overheat and liquid slugging. There are several charging methods used in
the HVAC industry for different type of system. However, for Citec Air-cooled
system, subcooling method is recommended. Other methods for charge verification
will be also covered in this guide.

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2.0 Typical Air-cooled System Configuration
There are typically 2 different equipment layout configurations for air-cooled system
with remote condensers, i.e.

a. Indoor unit above outdoor unit

b. Outdoor unit above indoor unit

Both configurations require different consideration and precautions when conducting

pipeline design.

2.1 Indoor Unit above Outdoor Unit

3
4

1
1. Discharge Pipe Max. 5m
2. Liquid Pipe
3. Humidifier Feed 2
4. Drain Pipe

With this configuration, a common problem is that the amount of liquid sub-cooling
varies as operating conditions change (such as outdoor ambient). Under some
conditions, it is possible that flashing will actually occur in the liquid riser due to
elevation. As the liquid refrigerant is lifted from the condenser to the evaporator, the
refrigerant pressure is lowered. Different refrigerants will have different pressure
changes based on elevation. The total pressure drop in the liquid line is the sum of the
friction loss, plus the weight of the liquid refrigerant column in the riser.

Only sufficient sub-cooled liquid refrigerant will avoid flashing before the EEV
in this situation. However if the condenser had been installed above the
evaporator, the pressure increase from the weight of the liquid refrigerant in the
line would have prevented the refrigerant from flashing in a properly sized line.

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2.2 Outdoor Unit above Indoor Unit

1. Discharge Pipe 7
2. Liquid Pipe
3. Humidifier Feed
4. Drain Pipe
5. Trap before riser
6. Oil Trap (every 6m vertical distance)
7. Inverted Trap at the end of riser

6
Max. 20m

Max. 6m

1 2

3 5
4

When the outdoor unit is above the indoor unit, the static pressure gain in the liquid
line vertical drop may overcome the frictional pressure loss resulting in a total
pressure gain. A pressure gain in the liquid line is not detrimental to the performance
of the system.

On systems where the outdoor unit is located high above the indoor unit, it may even
be possible to reduce the size of the liquid line. The static gain in the vertical drop will
offset the increased friction loss caused by smaller tubing. In addition, the reduction
in the total system charge due to the smaller liquid line will enhance the reliability of
the system.

With this configuration, gas velocity in the discharge riser must be kept above 5 m/s
for proper oil return and below 15 m/s to avoid noise and vibration problems.

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3.0 Refrigeration Piping Design
Good piping design results in a balance between the initial cost, pressure drop,
and system reliability. The initial cost is impacted by the diameter and layout of the
piping. The pressure drop in the piping must be minimized to avoid adversely
affecting performance and capacity. Almost all field-piped systems have compressor
oil passing through the refrigeration circuit and back to the compressor, therefore a
minimum velocity must be maintained in the piping so that sufficient oil is returned to
the compressor sump at full and part load conditions.

3.1 Refrigerant Line Routing

Proper planning and execution of pipe routing could reduce installation cost and
increase system reliability. Pipe routing can be planed in such a way to reduce the use
of hangers, elbows and interconnections, giving the system a more direct path so that
unnecessary losses can be reduce.

Pipe works should be planned before moving in the units. Below are some guidelines
when doing pipe routing plan.

ƒ Check proposed pipe routing against equipment locations, electrical cable

routings and other facilities.
ƒ Route the pipe to reduce the quantity of hangers by allowing the pipes to be
supported from building structures.
ƒ Run piping to minimize the total pipe length and number of field connections.
ƒ Pipe connections should be easy to reach and allow for directional adjustment.
ƒ Avoid routing pipe within electrical panel door swing areas.
ƒ Avoid routing pipe in any equipment and component removal areas.
ƒ Provide sufficient bends to accommodate thermal expansion.
ƒ Ensure valves and other in-line component/devices are accessible for
operations and maintenance.
ƒ Horizontal discharge pipes should lean towards condensers to prevent liquid
refrigerant flow back to compressors during off cycle.
ƒ Traps should be fitted to the discharge line riser for every 6m lift. Inverted trap
should be fitted at the end of riser.

3.2 Equivalent Length

The total length of interconnecting tubing is the sum of all horizontal and vertical runs
from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit. Total equivalent line lengths should be used
for pressure drop calculation. Use Tables 1 & 2 below to calculate equivalent lengths.

Table 1: Equivalent Length for elbows (meters)

90° Elbow 90° Elbow 90° Elbow 90° Elbow
Line Size Line Size
SR LR SR LR
3/8" 0.27 0.24 7/8" 0.55 0.49
1/2" 0.37 0.30 1 1/8" 0.73 0.61
5/8" 0.46 0.40 1 3/8" 0.98 0.67
3/4" 0.49 0.43 1 5/8" 1.16 0.79
Note: One 90° elbow = two 45° elbow

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Table 2: Equivalent Length for valve and fitting (meters)
Globe/Solenoid
Line Size Angle Valve Gate valve Sight glass Filter Drier
Valve
1/2" 5.2 1.8 0.2 0.3 3.7
5/8" 5.5 2.1 0.2 0.4 4.6
3/4" 6.1 2.1 0.2 0.4 5.5
7/8" 6.7 2.1 0.3 0.5 6.4
1 1/8" 8.8 3.7 0.3 0.6 7.9
1 3/8" 12 4.6 0.5 0.8 10.7
1 5/8" 13 5.5 0.5 0.8 -

Example:

/LTXLGOLQHVL]H ´
Total pipe length = 15.5 m
Quantity of Long Range elbow = 6
Angle valve = 1
Filter drier =1
Sight glass = 1

To determine the equivalent length:

Item Quantity Length (m) Total (m)

Piping 1 15.5 15.5
Long Range Elbow 6 0.49 2.94
Angle valve 1 2.1 2.1
Filter driver 1 6.4 6.4
Sight glass 1 0.5 0.5
Total 27.44

3.3 Refrigerant Line Size Selection

Citec has tabulated the recommended refrigerant line sizes for all Citec product with
air-cooled system based on different equivalent lengths. The recommended line sizes
have already incorporated the consideration of unit capacity, pressure drop and oil
return. Note that the equivalent length of discharge line and liquid line might be
different even though both lines have same actual length. This is because different
line might have different fitting size and line component.

Follow this procedure for selecting refrigerant line size:

a. Identify the table for the product range selected.
b. Find the model on the top of the table
c. Read over the equivalent length on the left side of the table. Select the number
that closest to the calculated equivalent length.
d. Select the size for discharge line (for both vertical and horizontal) and liquid
line.

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Table 3: Recommended Pipe Sizes for ES Range ± Standard Compressor
Recommended Discharge Pipe Sizes (R22/R407C)
Model 5 12 15 20 25 30 35 40
Equi. Length Circ. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
10m All 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8"
20m All 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
30m All 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
40m
Vert 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1/2" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
50m
Vert 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1/2" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
60m
Vert 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1/2" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
70m
Vert 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Model 45 50 60 70 80 90 100
Equi. Length Circ. 1 1 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2
10m All 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
20m All 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
30m All 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
40m
Vert 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1 1/8" 1 3/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 3/8"
50m
Vert 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1 3/8" 1 3/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 3/8" 1 3/8"
60m
Vert 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Horz 1 3/8" 1 3/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 3/8" 1 3/8"
70m
Vert 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"

Recommended Liquid Pipe Sizes (R22/R407C)

Model 5 12 15 20 25 30 35 40
Equi. Length Circ. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
10m All 3/8" 1/2" 1/2" 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8"
20m All 3/8" 1/2" 1/2" 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8"
30m All 3/8" 1/2" 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4"
40m All 3/8" 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
50m All 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"
60m All 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8"
70m All 1/2" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8"
Model 45 50 60 70 80 90 100
Equi. Length Circ. 1 1 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2
10m All 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
20m All 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
30m All 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"
40m All 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"
50m All 7/8" 7/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8"
60m All 7/8" 7/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8"
70m All 7/8" 7/8" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8"

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 Table 4: Recommended Pipe Sizes for ES Range ± DC Inverter Compressor
Model 20 25 30 35 40 45 60 70 80 90
Equi. Length Circ. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2
Recommended Discharge Pipe Sizes (R410A)
10m All ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´
20m All ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ 7/8" ´ ´ ´ 7/8"
30m All ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ 7/8" ´ ´ ´ 7/8"
Horz ´ ´ 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8"
40m
Vert ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ 7/8" ´ ´ ´ 7/8"
Horz ´ 3/4´ 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8"
50m
Vert ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ 7/8" ´ ´ ´ 7/8"
Horz ´ ´ 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8"
60m
Vert ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ 7/8" ´ ´ ´ 7/8"
Horz ´ ´ 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8"
70m
Vert ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ 7/8" ´ ´ ´ 7/8"
Recommended Liquid Pipe Sizes (R410A)
10m All ´ 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
20m All 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
30m All 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
40m All 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"
50m All 5/8" 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"
60m All 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8"
70m All 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8"

Table 5: Recommended Discharge and Liquid Pipe Sizes for EH Range ³$9HUVLRQ´
Recommended Discharge Pipe Size
Equi. Length Model 60 70 85 95
10m All 7/8" 7/8" 7/8" 1 1/8"
20m All ´ 7/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
30m All ´ 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Hor. 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
40m
Vert. ´ 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Hor. 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 3/8"
50m
Vert. ´ 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Hor. 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 3/8"
60m
Vert. ´ 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Hor. 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 3/8" 1 3/8"
70m
Vert. ´ 1 1/8" 1 1/8" 1 1/8"
Recommended Liquid Pipe Size
Equi. Length Model 60 70 85 95
10m All 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
20m All 5/8" 5/8" 3/4" 3/4"
30m All 5/8" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"
40m All 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"
50m All 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 7/8"
60m All 3/4" 3/4" 7/8" 7/8"
70m All 3/4" 7/8" 7/8" 7/8"

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Example:

ESD50A coupled with HEC574 with condenser 6m above the indoor unit.

Actual discharge pipe length =17m; No. of 90° LR elbow used = 5

Actual liquid pipe length =17m; No. of 90° LR elbow used = 5;
Globe type isolation valve installed at liquid line.

From ES Range Engineering data,

Discharge connection size = 1 3/8"

Liquid connection size = 3/4"

Determine the discharge line equivalent length based on 1 3/8":

Item Quantity Length (m) Total (m)
Piping 1 17 17
Long Range Elbow 5 0.67 3.35
Total 20.35

Determine the liquid line equivalent length based on 3/4":

Item Quantity Length (m) Total (m)
Piping 1 17 17
Long Range Elbow 5 0.43 2.15
Isolation valve 1 6.1 6.1
Total 25.25

From ES Range discharge and liquid pipe size table, we get

1HZ'LVFKDUJHFRQQHFWLRQVL]H ´
NeZOLTXLGFRQQHFWLRQVL]H ´XQFKDQJHG

Determine the new discharge line equivalent length:

Item Quantity Length (m) Total (m)
Piping 1 17 17
Long Range Elbow 5 0.61 3.05
Total 20.05

Final pipe size selected:

'LVFKDUJH3LSH ´
Liquid Pipe = 3/4"

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The selected refrigerant line sizes should satisfy normal operating condition and
installation with the following limitation,

ƒ The discharge riser is not more than 20m

ƒ The liquid lift is not more than 5m

Please consult factory for the installation that exceed the above mentioned limitation
or with equivalent length more than 70m.

3.4 Refrigerant Oil Management

Oil is constantly pumped out of all compressors and circulated with the refrigerant.
The oil must be returned to the compressor for proper lubrication of bearings and
contact surfaces. Suction and discharge lines must be sized carefully to eliminate oil
management problems.

As mentioned, refrigerant piping should be pitched to promote adequate oil

return. Fittings and piping layout that traps and retains oil must be avoided.
Compressor capacity reduction contributes to the challenge of designing the system.
For example, a variable speed compressor may reduce refrigerant flow down to 25%.
At this reduced refrigerant flow rate, the refrigerant velocity is reduced to the point
that the oil may not be pushed through the piping system and back to the compressor.
Therefore for system that designed for large change in capacity range, oil separator is
recommended.

More piping typically requires more oil. This is particularly true for long liquid lines.
Citec air-cooled systems are often pre-charged at the factory with enough oil for line
distance up to 30m. When that distance is exceeded, additional refrigerant and oil
will be required. Generally, the oil charge should be 2 to 3% of the liquid line charge
or 25g for every additional 1.0kg of refrigerant.

Citec air conditioning units use synthetic POE oils (including R22 system) and PVE
oil for variable compressor system. These oils cannot be mixed with mineral oils.

Minimum compressor run times can also aid in oil return.

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4.0 Refrigeration Piping Installation
Many service problems can be avoided by taking adequate precautions to provide an
internally clean and dry system and by using proper procedures and materials that
conform to established standards for piping installation.

4.1 General Guidelines

Following are some of the guidelines for piping installation.

a. Use hard drawn copper tubing for halocarbon

refrigeration systems. Types L and K are approved
for air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR)
applications. Type M should not be used because
the wall is too thin. Copper tubing intended for air
conditioning applications is dehydrated, charged
with nitrogen, and plugged by the manufacturer.
b. Operating pressure for R410A system is much higher than R22/R407C system.
Thus R410A system require thicker tube wall for discharge and liquid line.
Table 6 below shows the minimum wall thickness for R410A system tubing.
Table 6: Copper pipe wall thickness for R410a system.
Minimum wall Half hard
Line Size Soft
thickness (mm) or hard
3/8" 0.80 Yes Yes
1/2" 0.80 Yes Yes
5/8" 1.00 Yes Yes
3/4" 1.00 Yes No
7/8" 1.00 Yes No
1 1/8" 1.00 Yes No
1 3/8" 1.10 Yes No
1 5/8" 1.25 Yes No

c. Piping should also be protected from mechanical damage. Where piping is

exposed to possible damage, the lines should be routed out of the way or be
protected in some form of chase. Burying refrigerant lines should be avoided.
d. Refrigerant lines need to be securely installed to minimize vibration that
causes noise and damages piping. Support all refrigerant lines at minimum
intervals with suitable hangers and brackets.

2.4m Maximum

Refrigerant line set

Clamp Rubber grommet Hanger
or insulation

- 11 -
 e. Use long radius elbows wherever possible.
f. Refrigerant lines that rub against solid
objects wear holes through copper and
create a leak. Thus when refrigerant lines
pass through walls, the line should pass
through sleeved openings in such a manner
that the lines do not touch.
g. Slope horizontal discharge lines
approximately 5mm every 1.0m toward the
outdoor unit to facilitate proper oil return.
h. If pipe diameter need to be reduce for
discharge riser. The reducer should be
installed at the vertical pipe and the
expander should be installed at the
horizontal pipe. This approach will
prevent oil from being trapped in the
horizontal portion of the pipe.
i. If condensers are located below the
indoor unit, the liquid riser should be
routed after the long horizontal line.
This is to prevent the liquid
refrigerant flow back and flood the
condenser during off cycle. If the
liquid riser has to be installed before
a long horizontal line due to site
constraint, a check valve should be
installed at the condenser outlet.
j. If liquid lines pass through a space that is warmer than the refrigerant (i.e. the
roof of a building at roof level) or if they are exposed to direct sunlight, or if
they could be considered hot enough to pose a safety risk, then insulation
should be added.
k. Discharge lines are generally uninsulated. However, insulation may be
warranted as a safety consideration, or if the heat loss from the discharge gas
line would be considered objectionable to the space.
l. Do not carry out installation outside whilst it is raining.
m. Always cap the free end of tubing whilst carrying out installation.
n. Do not leave dehydrated compressors or filter/driers open to the atmosphere.

4.2 Refrigerant Pipe Brazing

Following are guidelines for conducting refrigerant pipe brazing.

a. Use only copper eutectic or specialist soft solders containing at least 3.5%
silver on suction and liquid lines and high temperature copper eutectic rods or
silver solder on discharge lines. It is suggested that one of the following are
used:

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 a. Copper to copper - Eutectic 1805 (2% silver) - no flux.
b. Copper to brass - Eutectic 1805 - flux 1802.
c. Copper to steel - Eutectic 1810 (2% silver) - flux 1820.
b. Cut end of the refrigerant line square (free from nicks and dents) and debur the
end. Ensure the pipe remain round and do not pinch end of the line.
c. When using soldering paste or flux, use the minimum required to prevent
contamination of the filter and joint. Flux only the male part of the connection
- never the female. After making the joint, remove the surplus flux with a
damp cloth.
d. With any high temperature rod where oxidisation is liable to take place use an
inert gas such as dry nitrogen or carbon dioxide to avoid scale formation
inside the tubing. Dry nitrogen is preferred.
e. If service valve is installed, wrap a wet cloth to protect the valve during
brazing. When brazing, point flame away from the valve.

4.3 Leak Test

All field piping system must be leak tested before connecting to condenser and indoor
unit. This is to prevent unnecessary exposure of the system if leaks are found in the
field pipes.

After all lines are connected, but before they are insulated, the system must be leak
tested again. Leak testing shall be carried out before initial charging and after any

To suction
service port

To discharge service port

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service work has been carried out, and prior to evacuation. This can be done with
using electronic leak detector or by conducting soap test. For a satisfactory
installation, the system must be leak tight.

If electronic leak detector is use, charge refrigerant gas until system pressure is
approximately 1.4 bar and then pressurising with dry nitrogen to a maximum of 26
bar for R22/R407C system or 42bar for R410A system. If using soap test, refrigerant
gas is not needed.

Check all joints and fittings for possible leaks. When a leak is located, it should be
marked. When leak testing is completed and all leaks have been located and marked,
vent the test pressure gas. When pressure has been removed from the area where the
leak is located, the leak can be repaired as necessary. It may be necessary to re-braze
fittings, replace gaskets, repair flare connections, or merely tighten connections.
When all leaks have been repaired, the system should again be pressurized and the
leak testing process repeated.

If no leak were found, allow the system to stand for 24 hours noting gauge pressures
and ambient air temperatures before and after. If pressures have fallen, the system
must be retested.

When all leaks have been repaired and the system satisfactorily passes the leak tests,
it is ready for evacuation and charging.

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5.0 System Evacuation
Proper evacuation after initial installation or after service where the system has been
opened to atmosphere is critical to proper operation of an air conditioning system.
Evacuation is a two step process of degassing and dehydration. Degassing removes
non condensable which cause increased head pressures and increased operating
cost. Where high temperatures are frequent, non condensable combined with moisture
will also cause oil failure, decreased capacity and increased compressor wear and
potential failure. Losses associated with improper evacuation can be very high.

Moisture is the second issue. Moisture brakes down POE oil in the systems, causing
premature failure of the oil. Because POE breaks down into its fundamental
components, it can clog the metering device and contaminate line sets. This could
result in the need for complete system replacement.

A vacuum gauge MUST be use to measure the level of evacuation in the system.

Suction access
valve

Discharge
access valve

Following is step by step guide for evacuation process.

i. Connect the low side of manifold gauge with 1/4" SAE in-line tee to
suction access valve.
ii. Connect high side of manifold gauge to discharge access valve.
iii. Connect vacuum gauge (micron gauge) connector on the 1/4" SAE in-line
tee.
iv. Connect the vacuum pump to the center port of the manifold gauge.
v. Open the suction and discharge access valves.
vi. Open both valves on the manifold gauge and start the vacuum pump.
vii. Evacuate the system to an absolute pressure of 1500 microns.

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viii. Close the manifold gauge valves, switch off the vacuum pump and
disconnect the manifold gauge center port hose from vacuum pump.
ix. Attach the manifold center port hose to a dry nitrogen cylinder or
refrigerant cylinder. Open the manifold gauge valves to break the vacuum
until the system rises to about 2 psig. Close the manifold gauge valves.
x. Shut off the dry nitrogen cylinder or refrigerant cylinder and remove the
manifold gauge hose from the cylinder.
xi. Reconnect the manifold to the vacuum pump. Switch on the pump and
continue to evacuate the system until the absolute pressure is below 500
micron. (If this pressure cannot be achieved, close the manifold gauge
valves, turn off the pump and check the hose connection and system for
leakage. Repeat step ix to xi)
xii. Shut off the vacuum pump and close the manifold gauge valves. Wait for
20 minutes. If the absolute pressure does not rise above 500 micron. Close
off the unit suction and discharge access valves. Remove the manifold
gauge hoses. The evacuation process is completed.

Vacuum gauge Portable vacuum pump

Manifold gauge Industrial grade vacuum pump

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6.0 System Charging
The proper performance of a refrigeration or air conditioning system is dependent on
the proper refrigerant charge. An under-charged system will starve the evaporator,
resulting in excessively low compressor suction pressures, loss of capacity, and
possible compressor overheating. Overcharging can flood the condenser resulting in
high discharge pressures, liquid refrigerant flooding, and potential compressor
damage.

Before any charging process, makes sure the system been properly installed and
evacuated. A proper evacuation is critical to proper performance. The common
charging methods for system using TXV/EEV are Weight In Method and Subcooling
Method. Supposedly, Weight In Method is one of the accurate and fast methods to
charge a system that has a known refrigerant charge. However, in most cases, exact
length of the refrigerant line set is often hard to be determined and also additional
devices such as liquid receivers, oil separators will cause variation to the charge.
Therefore, Citec recommends Subcooling Method.

6.1 Subcooling Method

Liquid charging
adapter

Charging procedures:

i. Connect the low side of manifold gauge to suction access valve.

ii. Connect high side of manifold gauge to discharge access valve or liquid
line service port. (if possible, using liquid line service port would have
more accurate subcool calculation)
iii. Position temperature sensor to the liquid line. (If liquid line service port is
used, position the temperature sensor near to the port)
iv. Connect the refrigerant cylinder to the center port of the manifold gauge.
v. Purge all hoses with refrigerant.
vi. Place the refrigerant cylinder upside down.
vii. Open the suction and discharge access valves.

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 viii. Open high side valves on the manifold gauge and flush the liquid
refrigerant to the discharge line and condenser. Observe the system
pressure. When the pressure in the system stop rising and refrigerant stop
flowing into the system, close the valve.
ix. Start the unit and make sure the unit airflow and return air temperature is
within desired range.
x. Run the system compressor.
xi. Allow the temperature and pressure to stabilize.
xii. Record the liquid line temperature.
xiii. Record the discharge pressure (or liquid line pressure) and use the value to
obtain the saturation temperature. (by referring to pressure temperature
chart)
xiv. Calculate the subcooling:
Subcooling = liquid line saturation temperature ± liquid line temperature
xv. Target subcooling is shown in table 7 below at different ambient
temperature. Subcooling range is ±1 oC.
xvi. Say ambient temperature is 35oC, If subcooling is less than 3°C, add
refrigerant by bleed in through the liquid charging adapter at the low side
valve on manifold gauge. (If liquid charging adapter is not available,
slowly and slightly open the low side valve of the manifold gauge to bleed
in the refrigerant to the system. Adjust the valve opening so that the
suction pressure is within normal suction pressure. Open too much will
cause liquid slugging and damage the compressor. Do this at your own
risk). Repeat step xi to xiv.
xvii. If subcooling is between 3 - 5°C. Charging completed.
xviii. If subcooling is more than 5°C, remove charge from the system. (Care
should be taken when removing charge from R407C system. If more than
10% of the charge need to be removed then the system should be empty
and re-evacuate and recharge)

If charging under low ambient temperature, partially block the outdoor coil or adjust
the outdoor fan speed to achieve discharge pressure of 240 ± 270 psig (1655 ± 1862
kPa) for R22/R407C system or 380 ± 430 psig (2620 ± 2965 kPa) for R410A system.

Table 7: Recommended subcooling value at different ambient temperature.

Outdoor Ambient
temperature (oC) Subcooling (oC)
15 10
25 7
35 4

6.2 Charge Verification

After the charging is completed or after the unit has run for a period of time, service
personnel can verify if the charge is sufficient for the unit to run normally. The
verification can be done through observing the liquid line sight glass and EEV
information.

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The most common method of verifying the proper system charge is by observing the
sight glass in the liquid line. Since a solid head of liquid refrigerant is essential for
proper expansion valve control, the system can be considered properly charged when
a clear stream of liquid refrigerant is visible. Bubbles or flashing usually indicate a
shortage of refrigerant. Bear in mind that if there is vapor and no liquid in the sight
glass, it will also appear clear, however, in that case the system should operate at
extremely low pressure.

The service personnel should be aware of the fact that at times the sight glass may
show bubbles or flash gas even when the system is fully charged. A restriction in the
liquid line ahead of the sight glass may cause sufficient pressure drop to cause
flashing of the refrigerant. Rapid fluctuations in condensing pressure can also be a
source of flashing. For example, in a temperature controlled room, the sudden
opening of shutters or the cycling of a fan can easily cause a change in condensing
temperature. Any liquid in the liquid line may then be at a temperature higher than the
saturated temperature equivalent to the changed condensing pressure, and flashing
will occur until the liquid temperature is again below the saturation temperature. If
this happen, try to stabilize the condensing pressure before determining if the charge
is sufficient.

While the sight glass can be a valuable aid in verifying the proper charge, the system
performance must be carefully analyzed before placing full reliance on it as a positive
indicator of the system charge.

For Citec direct expansion unit, EEV information can be accessed through the unit
controller display. The EEV page on the controller display shows EEV valve opening,
evaporator superheat, suction saturated temperature, suction temperature and
evaporating pressure. If the valve opening is large and the superheat is high, then most
likely the system is undercharge.

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