Sve što trebate znati o AC rashladnim tvarima i kako riješiti probleme s rashladnim tvarima

AC rashladna sredstva su nevidljiva sila koja stoji iza rada vašeg klima uređaja. Sposobnost vašeg klima uređaja da hladi ovisi o tome. Rashladna sredstva apsorbiraju toplinu i daju hladan zrak dok prolazi kroz kompresor i isparivač.

Održavanje HVAC često zahtijeva potrebu provjere razine rashladnog sredstva u vašem HVAC sustavu. Ako razina rashladnog sredstva nije odgovarajuća, vaš sustav će morati više raditi i neće se moći hladiti kako želite.

Ako ovisite o svom klimatizacijskom uređaju ili dizalici topline, dobro je obnoviti svoje znanje o HVAC-u. Pročitajte i upoznajte svoja AC rashladna sredstva i moći ćete odmah identificirati i riješiti potencijalne probleme.

Što je AC rashladno sredstvo?

Kao što ste možda pretpostavili, AC rashladno sredstvo pomaže u funkciji hlađenja ne samo vašeg klima uređaja, već i hladnjaka, zamrzivača ili bilo kojeg drugog uređaja koji koristi hlađenje.

Da biste saznali više o funkciji AC rashladnog sredstva, važno je znati kako radi klima uređaj. Klima uređaj radi tako da rashladno sredstvo, koje se nalazi unutar bakrenih zavojnica u isparivaču i kondenzatoru, apsorbira toplinu u prostoriji i izbacuje je u vanjsko okruženje. Tijekom ovog procesa, rashladno sredstvo mijenja se iz niskotlačnog plina u visokotlačnu tekućinu.

Ovo je najjednostavnije objašnjenje za ciklus hlađenja. Tekućina pod visokim pritiskom zatim se ispuhuje ventilatorom kako bi izbacila toplinu u okolinu. Za početak sljedećeg ciklusa, ova tekućina se dodatno komprimira, a zatim brzo izbacuje iz posebne mlaznice kako bi se ponovno pretvorila u plin. Ovaj hladni plin zatim puše preko drugog ventilatora kako bi ubacio hladan zrak u prostoriju, a ciklus se nastavlja.

Povijest AC rashladnih sredstava

Prvi pokušaj rashladnog sredstva za izmjeničnu struju bio je 1928. godine, zajedničkim naporima Thomasa Midgleya, Alberta Hennea i Roberta McNaryja. Otkrili su te spojeve dok su radili u odjelu za klimatizaciju General Motorsa. General Motors je nastojao proizvesti neotrovnu, nezapaljivu alternativu drugim rashladnim sredstvima tog vremena, kao što su sumporni dioksid ili amonijak. Njihova rashladna sredstva bila su iz klase klorofluorougljika (CFC), poznatih pod robnom markom Freon.

Primarno AC rashladno sredstvo koje je otkriveno bio je R-22, hidrofluorougljik (HCFC). Pronašao je široku upotrebu kao rashladno sredstvo u nadolazećim desetljećima kao rashladno sredstvo izbora zbog svojih povoljnih svojstava.

U kasnim 80-ima, kada je svijet skrenuo pozornost na sve veće stope globalnog zatopljenja i druge čimbenike okoliša, CFC i HCFC došli su pod sve veću pozornost. Oštećivali su ozonski omotač i zabranjeni su zbog svojih razornih učinaka. Godine 1987. stavljene su na popis zabranjenih tvari Montrealskog protokola i polako su izbačene iz upotrebe.

Vrste AC rashladnih sredstava

Klorofluorougljici (CFC)

Proizvodnja CFC-a, također poznatog kao freon, postupno je ukinuta do 1995. Neki primjeri ovih rashladnih sredstava su R11, R12 i R115. Smatralo se da nisu sigurni za okoliš jer doprinose smanjenju ozonskog omotača i učinku staklenika.

R22 rashladno sredstvo

R22 ili freon 22 je HCFC rashladno sredstvo koje je u osnovi klorofluorougljik, ali s atomom vodika kako bi se smanjio njegov životni vijek u okolišu. Nakon što su CFC-i postali standardna uporaba u klima uređajima od 1960. godine, da bi u potpunosti izbačeni iz upotrebe tako što su 2010. zabranjeni za upotrebu u novim klima uređajima.

Ako je vaš klima uređaj instaliran prije 1. siječnja 2010., vjerojatno je koristio R22, iako ste ga prije mogli nabaviti po sve većoj cijeni, potpuno se ukida 2020.

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!