Refrigerant vs. water

[PLEH2EREH]

A recovery cylinder with recovered R-134a that could possibly contain an unknown amount of water, while at a steady ambient temperature (stable), would the water be separated from the refrigerant liquid, mixed, top, or bottom? I know, refrigerant that might have water shouldn't be reused. I'm just curious..

[frank]

Density of water (saturated) is 1000kg/m3 @20C

Desity of R134a (saturated) is 1225.5kg/m3 @20C

My guess is that the water would sit on top of the refrigerant.

[nike123]

Maybe, if there is no cemical reaction between water and refrigerant molecules. We should consider that!

[CoolKiwi]

Dealt with a system with 40kg of R404a.
The recovered gas was very water logged.
I ran a recovery unit. connected liquid out of cylinder to a 304 drier to inlet of recovery unit. Outlet of recovery unit to a sightglass/moisture indicator and back into same cylinder.
Recycled like this for 2 days until moisture indicated dry.
Went through 3 drier's per cylinder. Each cylinder had about 10kg only (about 1/2 full).
I didn't get a weight before vs after unfortunately. But it seemed a safe and effective way to dry the gas before reusing it.
System is now 12mo since repairs.

[ramesh]

due to chemical reaction between water and refrigerant molecules. that's why this is happening.

[PEPELEBU]

Hi
density of water @ 25 ºC = 997 kg/m3
density of R134a @ 25 ºC = 1207 kg/m3


So you will have #4 water, #3 refrigerant problem is #5 oil.
Oil mix with water will have a big problem.

I hope this solve your question

[Josip]

Hi, pleh2ereh ....

A recovery cylinder with recovered R-134a that could possibly contain an unknown amount of water, while at a steady ambient temperature (stable), would the water be separated from the refrigerant liquid, mixed, top, or bottom? I know, refrigerant that might have water shouldn't be reused. I'm just curious..

Maybe is possible to reuse refrigerant ...

put your recovery cylinder in some low temperature freezer ...
wait some time nutil water and oil freeze and then relase refrigerant into another empty cylinder .... and then you can use drier like described by coolKiwi ...

I am ammonia guy and never tried this, just thinking out loud ...

Best regards, Josip

[RANGER1]

I have used reclaim unit off contaminated system liquid receiver using gas only, transfer into a clean dry refrigerant bottle.
Add drier when putting back into system after drying system out.
That was R22, new synthetic refrigerants may be more sensitive, as with the oil in the system.

[mbc]

HI

I had same problem in R22 system.

I bought Dry Ice ((CO2))

then I took all R22 (about 260 kG) from suction side .

after that I put system for 3 day in high vacuum with warming all system .

for recharge the system I used core drier to make sure no humidity goes to system.

[RANGER1]

mbc,
So you used refrigerant bottle covered, or submerged in Dry ice to draw or condense R22 into it?
Interesting method.

[mbc]

Hi
In other project's
I did
Fill 50 kg active silicagel in high pressure drams and the after vacuuming that with 3 way valves were on the receiver .
Opened it a little and gas through drama goes by connecting to suction line .
Compressor were screw HSN 8591-160
and were working -30 /+35

[DeniseDArt]

Hi, water can be used as a refrigerant. It would not be a very efficient choice which is why it is not in use. Actually when a chiller is being used the water circulating is acting as a refrigerant as it circulates through the building and returns to the evaporator to displace the heat it has picked up at each location it has been circulating air over a coil usually by air being blown across the coil. The pressures required to have a change of state (water to ice or steam) is not a feasible solution to actually act as a efficient refrigerant is the main reason it is not used.