Internal flushing is critical for coils

The industry is increasing its awareness of the importance of coil cleanliness in refrigeration systems. Compressor manufacturers have determined that more than 95% of compressor burnouts and failures are related to contaminated or dirty systems.

Burnouts cause moisture, acid, soot, and hard-core carbon deposits to contaminate the condenser and evaporator and clog the filter-drier. Contaminants may also enter the compressor itself and cause irreparable damage.

If these contaminants are not completely removed from the system, you run the risk of repeated compressor burnout and failures.

Years ago the solution was easy.

After a compressor burnout, a service technician would clean the interior compressor coils by spraying liquid R-11 (which was inexpensive, easy to use, and legal to vent into the atmosphere) directly into the interior of the condenser and evaporator coils. The refrigerant would flush out the contaminants and then evaporate, leaving the coils clean, residue-free, and ready for use.

This cleaning process is no longer legal. In addition to having phased out the production of CFC refrigerants, the Montreal Protocol prohibits the use of liquid refrigerants such as R-11 or -12 as a solvent and cleaner when vented into the atmosphere.

Although you can still obtain select CFCs, they are expensive, highly regulated, and users can be fined heavily if these products are misused.

Since the use of CFCs is impractical and HFCs are ineffective for coil cleaning, using an internal coil-flushing agent is the alternative.

Some coil flush chemicals have been designed for specific applications, such as automotive a/c systems. Others encompass a broader range of applications.

Interior flushing

Chemical flushing agents are specifically designed to flush the interior coil lines after a compressor burnout or for retrofit applications.

Since these are non-pressurized liquids, the technician must purchase a pumping device such as a motorized chemical-acid-oil pump to circulate this chemical throughout the system. A hand oil pump can be used on small applications, such as domestic refrigerators or vending machines, to move the flushing agent throughout the coils.

It is important that the system be broken down into segments (condensing coils separated from the evaporating coils), or that components such as the drier, accumulator, receiver, expansion valve, or capillary tube be bypassed to allow unrestricted flow and non-trapping of the chemical at any point in the system.

In order to completely dissolve oil, carbon, and tar deposits, it is necessary to completely fill the coils with the interior coil flush. The flushing period should be no less than 20 to 30 min.

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