Vse, kar morate vedeti o AC hladilnih sredstvih in kako odpraviti težave s hladilnim sredstvom

Hladilna sredstva AC so nevidna sila za delovanje vaše klimatske naprave. Od tega je odvisna sposobnost vaše klimatske naprave za hlajenje. Hladilna sredstva absorbirajo toploto in zagotavljajo hladen zrak, ko teče skozi kompresor in uparjalnik.

Vzdrževanje HVAC pogosto zahteva preverjanje ravni hladilnega sredstva v sistemu HVAC. Če raven hladilnega sredstva ni ustrezna, bo moral vaš sistem delati več in ne bo mogel hladiti po želji.

Če ste odvisni od svoje klimatske naprave ali toplotne črpalke, je dobro, da osvežite svoje znanje o HVAC. Preberite in spoznajte svoja hladilna sredstva za izmenični tok, da boste lahko takoj prepoznali in odpravili morebitne težave.

Kaj je AC hladilno sredstvo?

Kot ste morda uganili, AC hladilno sredstvo pomaga pri funkciji hlajenja ne samo vaše klimatske naprave, ampak tudi hladilnika, zamrzovalnika ali katere koli druge naprave, ki uporablja hlajenje.

Če želite izvedeti več o funkciji AC hladilnega sredstva, je pomembno vedeti, kako deluje klimatska naprava. Klimatska naprava deluje tako, da uporablja hladilno sredstvo, ki je v bakrenih tuljavah v uparjalniku in kondenzatorju, za absorbiranje toplote v prostoru in njeno odvajanje v zunanje okolje. Med tem procesom se hladilno sredstvo spremeni iz nizkotlačnega plina v visokotlačno tekočino.

To je najpreprostejša razlaga za hladilni cikel. Visokotlačna tekočina nato piha z ventilatorjem, da odvede toploto v okolje. Za začetek naslednjega cikla se ta tekočina dodatno stisne in nato hitro izvrže iz posebne šobe, da se ponovno pretvori v plin. Ta hladen plin nato piha z drugim ventilatorjem, da v prostor vbrizga hladen zrak, in cikel se nadaljuje.

Zgodovina AC hladilnih sredstev

Prvi poskus AC hladilnega sredstva je bil leta 1928 s skupnimi prizadevanji Thomasa Midgleyja, Alberta Henneja in Roberta McNaryja. Te spojine so odkrili med delom v oddelku za klimatske naprave General Motorsa. General Motors je skušal izdelati nestrupeno, negorljivo alternativo drugim hladilnim sredstvom tistega časa, kot sta žveplov dioksid ali amoniak. Njihova hladilna sredstva so bila hladilna sredstva iz razreda klorofluoroogljikovodikov (CFC), znana pod blagovno znamko Freon.

Primarno AC hladilno sredstvo, ki je bilo odkrito, je bil R-22, hidrofluoroogljikovodik (HCFC). V prihodnjih desetletjih je našel široko uporabo kot hladilno sredstvo kot izbrano hladilno sredstvo zaradi svojih ugodnih lastnosti.

V poznih 80. letih prejšnjega stoletja, ko je svet opozoril na naraščajoče stopnje globalnega segrevanja in druge okoljske dejavnike, so bili CFC in HCFC pod večjim nadzorom. Škodovali so ozonskemu plašču in so bili zaradi svojih uničujočih učinkov prepovedani. Leta 1987 so bile uvrščene na seznam prepovedanih snovi Montrealskega protokola in počasi opuščene.

Vrste AC hladilnih sredstev

Klorofluoroogljikovodiki (CFC)

Proizvodnja CFC-jev, znanih tudi kot freon, je bila opuščena do leta 1995. Nekateri primeri teh hladilnih sredstev so R11, R12 in R115. Ugotovljeno je bilo, da niso varni za okolje, saj prispevajo k tanjšanju ozonskega plašča in učinku tople grede.

Hladilno sredstvo R22

R22 ali freon 22 je hladilno sredstvo HCFC, ki je v bistvu klorofluoroogljikovodik, vendar z atomom vodika, ki skrajša njegovo življenjsko dobo v okolju. Potem ko so CFC postali standardna uporaba v klimatskih napravah od leta 1960 do popolne opustitve, ko so jih leta 2010 prepovedali za uporabo v novih klimatskih napravah.

Če je bila vaša klimatska naprava nameščena pred 1. januarjem 2010, je verjetno uporabljala R22, medtem ko ste ga prej morda lahko dobili po vse večji ceni, leta 2020 pa bo popolnoma opuščena.

R22 is also linked with environmental damage which is the reason behind its ban by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

R410A Refrigerant

The ban on R22 necessitated the introduction of a new AC refrigerant R410A, also known as Puron. R-410A is a chlorine-free refrigerant making it much less harmful to the environment without losing its cooling characteristics.

It is essential to be careful since HVAC appliances intended for R-22 cannot be used with R-410A, considering its higher operating pressures.

Moreover, R-410A permits higher for an HVAC system, as compared to one using R-22 as well as better air quality and comfort. With higher SEER and lower power consumption there is an added benefit of lowering the total demand for power plants, thus reducing greenhouse emissions.

Replacing R-22 With R-410A

With R-410A being mandated by the government, the phase-out for R-22 has been a concern for many homeowners. If you already have an air conditioning system using R-22, worry not; you won’t have to throw it out.

The government protocols only concern manufacturers and bans them from making R-22 compatible air conditioners or R-22 itself after January 2020. You can keep on using your old air conditioner as it is. If there is a need to recharge it with refrigerant after 2020, your HVAC technician will have to source recycled R-22 for replenishment.

At the end of your old conditioner’s lifecycle and when the time comes to replace it, you will be restricted to only buying R-410A compatible air conditioners.

But it might just be better to make the switch early. R-410A is safer for the environment and gives you much greater energy efficiency as compared to R-22 thus reducing your energy bills.

Refrigerants are not the only way of saving energy, though. Read on about the 101 tips through which you can reduce your energy expenses.

R32 – The Future of Refrigerants

With time, refrigerants have been making progress, and now it is time for a new class of AC refrigerants, known as R-32. rezultat? Lower energy consumption and even lower environmental impact. Let’s see how.

R-32 is the talk of the town these days, and for a good reason. For one, it has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) which is 32% that of R-410A. The GWP is a measure of how much emissions a chemical substance is contributing to the environment. A lower GWP means fewer emissions and more environmentally friendly refrigeration.

Moreover, systems that use R-32 consume up to 20% less refrigerant in the system, saving up on costs even further.

Even though there is still some time in the widespread adoption of R-32, the future is very bright for this class of refrigerants. With countries such as Japan and China already implementing it, it is only a matter of time before the world at large moves towards these higher efficiencies. In the US reports suggest half of window ACs sold in 2018 used R32.

Which Refrigerant Does My Air Conditioner Use?

If your air conditioning system was built before 2010, there is a high chance that your AC has R-22. But there’s an even more authentic way to find out. You can look at the appliance description sticker on the side of the air conditioner’s outdoor unit. The type of AC refrigerant is written there. You can find it on the user manual, or you can contact your HVAC service representative and find out!

How Do I Tell If My AC Refrigerant Needs Work?

Now that you have a brief background on refrigerants and what they do, it helps be aware of some of the . The refrigerant in an AC is not something that you should generally worry about. They are built to outlast your air conditioner. But in rare cases, there can be a leak of the refrigerant, and you would need to top it up. We’ll go over some of the common problems below:

• Cool Air Not Coming Out of AC Vents:

If your AC is in cool mode, but there is room temperature air being blown out, you need to look at your refrigerant. This is by far the most common problem. An AC refrigerant is required to provide cooling, and without a refrigerant, it would not be able to do so.

There can be other causes for such a problem too, but a sudden shift from cool air to room temperature air is a tell-tale sign that your AC refrigerant leaks.

• Frozen Coils:

If you take a glance within your ductless indoor unit, you will see a network of copper coils, dark gold in color. The refrigerant flows to provide cooling within these coils. These coils are very icy to touch, but they should not be having frost over them in regular operation. If you see signs of frost on the coils, there is a high chance that the refrigerant could be leaking.

• Scheduled Maintenance:

It is better to have , especially before the start of a busy season. For air conditioners, this is just before summers start. At this time, a good HVAC technician can spot an AC refrigerant leak, and propose remedial measures.

The cause of leaks can be various. It can be a manufacturing defect, which has surfaced after prolonged usage, or because of damage encountered during use.

What Is the Solution to an AC Refrigerant Leak?

AC refrigerant leaks can be worrying, but they are extremely common. Let’s look at how to solve this common issue and keep your air conditioner running in top shape.

Recharging Your Refrigerant

Recharging means to top up your air conditioner with more refrigerant. If your system is low on refrigerant, you won’t get enough cool air coming out of your vent. Thus, the recharge is imperative.

A recharge should only be done by a professional contractor, due to the high levels of pressure involved. Moreover, there is increased risk of damage to your air conditioner, which can result in an even higher bill.

Your professional contractor will also find out any major underlying problem, such as a much larger leak, or loose fittings. These can cause problems further down the road as well. He will fix any minor leaks or issues on the spot, and recharge your air conditioner with refrigerant. Your AC will be functional in no time again!