TROUBLESHOOTING COMPRESSORS

PROBLEM AREAS WHICH CAUSE COMPRESSOR FAILURES :

FLOODING OF LIQUID REFRIGERANT INTO CCASE FLOODED START SLUGGING OF LIQUID REFRIGERANT / OIL INTO THE COMPRESSION AREAS OF THE COMPR. LOSS OF LUBRICATION CONTAMINATION OF REFR. SYSTEM WITH AIR, MOISTURE OR DIRT. OVERHEATING OF THE COMPR. MOTOR, CYLINDER HEAD VALVES, BEARINGS. ELECTRICAL IRREGULARITIES IN VOLTAGE & CURRENT. INCORRECT INSTALLATION.
Sept. 2007 D.RAVINDRA

COMPRESSOR PROBLEMS

SYMPTOMS

NOISE FAILURE TO PUMP PROPERLY OVERHEATING MECHANICAL SEIZURE FAILURE TO START

Sept. 2007

D.RAVINDRA

REFRIGERANT FLOODBACK
LIQUID REFRIGERANT FINDS ITS WAY TO THE COMPRESSOR DURING RUNNING CYCLE.

INTERNAL SYMPTOMS WORN PISTONS, RINGS, CYLINDER WALLS, WRIST PINS / HOLES, SCORED / BROKEN RODS, BEARINGS. DRAGGING ROTOR, SPOTBURNED MOTOR. CORRECTION ADJUST TEV TO INCREASE SUPERHEAT. REDUCE CHARGE IN AN OVERCHARGED CAPILLARY SYSTEM. CHECK IF COOLING LOAD IS TOO LOW. USE SUCTION LINE ACCUMULATOR.
Sept. 2007 D.RAVINDRA

REFRIGERANT MIGRATION
REFRIGERANT MIGRATES INTO COMPRESSOR DURING OFF-CYCLE.

INTERNAL SYMPTOMS BOTTOM BEARING WORN / SCORED. DAMAGED INTERNAL COMPONENTS. FLOODED START. CORRECTION LIMIT REFRIGERANT CHARGE. LOCATE COMPRESSOR IN WARM AMBIENT. USE CRANKCASE HEATER. ADOPT PUMP DOWN CYCLE.

Sept. 2007

D.RAVINDRA

SLUGGING
COMPRESSOR ATTEMPTING TO COMPRESS LIQUID REFRIGERANT / OIL.

INTERNAL SYMPTOMS BROKEN RODS AND / OR CRANKSHAFT, VALVE REEDS. BLOWN CYLINDER HEAD & VALVE PLATE GASKET. LOOSE CYLINDER BOLTS. CORRECTION SAME AS FOR FLOODBACK AND MIGRATION. .

Sept. 2007

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OVERHEATING

INTERNAL SYMPTOMS

VARNISHED, DISCOLOURD VALVE PLATE. CAKED CARBON IN DISCHARGE AREA. WORN RINGS, PISTONS, CYLINDERSM, REAR BEARINGS. OVERHEATED VALVE REEDS. DISCOLOURED LUBRICANT.

CAUSES

RAISE SUCTION PRESSURE, LOWER DISCHARGE PRESSURE. REDUCE SUPERHEAT OF INCOMING SUCTION GAS. INSULATE SUCTION LINE TO REDUCE HEAT PICK-UP. OIL COOLER / LIQUID INJECTION.
Sept. 2007 D.RAVINDRA

AIR-COOLED CONDENSERS

PROBLEM HIGH HEAD PRESSURE : COMPR. TRIPS ON HP SWITCH. LOW HEAD PRESSURE CAUSES / CORRECTION DIRTY , CLOGGED COIL : CLEAN COIL. RESTRICTED AIR INLET / OUTLET. SHORT CYCLING OF HOT DISCHARGE AIR. FAN SPEED LOW / REVERSE ROTATION. NON-CONDENSIBLES IN SYSTEM. OVERCHARGING OF REFRIGERANT.

LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES : HEAD PRESSURE CONTROL.

Sept. 2007 D.RAVINDRA

AIR-COOLED EVAPORATORS

PROBLEM INADEQUATE COOLING CAPACITY. FROSTING OR ICING OF COIL. LOW SUCTION PRESSURE. LOW TEMP. OF AIR OFF THE COIL.

CAUSES / CORRECTION DIRTY , CLOGGED COIL : CLEAN COIL. DIRTY AIR FILTERS. RESTRICTED AIR INLET / OUTLET. FAN SPEED LOW / REVERSE ROTATION. LOW REFRIGERANT CHARGE. . UNVEVEN DISTRIBUTION TO COIL CIRCUITS.

Sept. 2007

D.RAVINDRA

UNEVEN REFRIGERANT DISTRIBUTION TO EVAPORATOR CIRCUITS

SYMPTOMS

SHORTAGE OF COOLING CAPACITY NO CONDENSATION ON SOME EVAP. CIRCUITS SOME CIRCUITS DRY, SOME SWEATING & SOME FROSTED ON SAME EVAPORATOR COIL.

CAUSES

PLUGGED OR RESTRICTED DISTRIBUTOR TUBES DISTRIBUTOR NOZZLE (ORIFICE) IMPROPERLY SIZED. UNEVEN AIRFLOW OVER EVAPORATOR COIL.

Sept. 2007

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HUNTING OF EXPANSION VALVE

HUNTING IS A PHENOMENON OF UNSTABLE EXPANSION VALVE OPERATION.

SYMPTOMS

UNSTABLE EVAPORATING PRESSURE UNSTABLE SUCTION SUPERHEAT.

CAUSES

OVERSIZED EXPANSION VALVE STICKING OR BINDING EXPANSION VALVE PARTS LIGHT COOLING LOAD RAPID CHANGES IN COOLING LOAD RAPID CHANGES IN CONDENSING TEMP. / PRESSURE. INTERMITTENT FLASHING OF REFRIGERANT IN LIQUID LINE. LONG EVAPORATOR REFRIGERATION CIRCUITS.
Sept. 2007 D.RAVINDRA

EXPANSION VALVE OVERFEEDS REFRIGERANT TO EVAPORATOR

SYMPTOMS

INADEQUATE SUPERHEAT OR NO SUPERHEAT LIQUID FLOODBACK TO COMPRESSOR LIQUID SLUGGING EXCESSIVE OIL FOAMING IN COMPRESSOR CRANKCASE

CAUSES

EXPANSION VALVE STUCK IN OPEN POSITION OVERSIZED EXPANSION VALVE SUPERHEAT SETTING ON VALVE TOO LOW IMPROPER LOCATION OF SENSING BULB SENSING BULB LOOSE (NOT CLAMPED ON EVP OUTLET) WRONG TYPE OF VALVE FOR THE REFRIGERANT USED LIGHT COOLING LOAD EXCESS OIL IN THE SYSTEM
Sept. 2007 D.RAVINDRA

EXPANSION VALVE UNDERFEEDS REFRIGERANT TO EVAPORATOR

SYMPTOMS

HIGH SUPERHEAT SHORTAGE OF COOLING CAPACITY LOW COMPRESSOR DISCHARGE PRESSURE / TEMPERATURE

CAUSES

EXPANSION VALVE STUCK IN CLOSED POSITION LOSS OF GAS CHARGE IN POWER ELEMENT OF EXPN. VALVE SUPERHEAT SETTING ON VALVE TOO HIGH IMPROPER LOCATION OF SENSING BULB OF EXPN. VALVE PLUGGED PRESSURE EQUALIZER LINE WRONG TYPE OF VALVE FOR THE REFRIGERANT USED INADEQUATE REFRIGERANT CHARGE IN SYSTEM PLUGGED REFRIGERANT FILTER-DRIER / DISTRIBUTOR

Sept. 2007

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