Mycom Floodback

[Norm]

I work in a small refrigeration plant. The work is intermittent...so the compressors are shut down when the freezing is done. The compressors are Mycoms..type A, and type B. two stage. The problem is, I have to close the liquid to each individual intercooler, pumping them back for half hour, before shutting down, if not there's a good chance there will be a floodback when I start up again...any ideas?

[Magoo]

Hello Norm.
a bit more info would be good. If plant is shut down both intercoolers over fill, or do they operate with high levels, or is it possible there is oil in intercooler vessels that creates high levels after shut down, are they controlled by floats or similar controls. has any oil been drained from vessels. Do intercoolers have high level alarm indication

[Norm]

Intercoolers are controlled by floats. I just started to work there, after retiring as an operator in a much larger plant. It seems very little maintenance was done. I am now trying to persuade the owner to do some much needed work. Maybe there are other things at play here, but pumping back the intercoolers, stop the floodbacks most times. There are four compressors, and there is an intercooler for each one. I don't know when oil was drained from intercoolers last.

[RANGER1]

Norm, drain oil as stated above .Maybe replace solenoids in liquid line, if any, after oil drain
then carefully monitor.
Otherwise you are doing right thing closing stop valves

What type of float, Parker LLC or Phillips?

[Norm]

Floats are Parker...btw owners have agreed to do some much needed maintenance work on compressors..these haven't been overalled in years. This plant has been sorely neglected! Apparently it's always been operated on critical, and below critical charge.

[RANGER1]

Floats are Parker...btw owners have agreed to do some much needed maintenance work on compressors..these haven't been overalled in years. This plant has been sorely neglected! Apparently it's always been operated on critical, and below critical charge.

That may be why solenoids leak, possibly due to wire drawing of seats!

[Norm]

Makes a lot of sense. I never liked working on critical charge. A couple of days ago, I had to defrost a blast freezer to get some liquid back.. Thanks for this Ranger1. I'll give you an update later.

[Magoo]

Hello Norm.
after pumping out intercoolers, re-kit the float needles in Parker float valves, they tend to wire draw after extended use and double check the floats are weighted for ammonia, or *****.

[Norm]

OK Magoo....will do..