Loading procedures
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In addition to conventional loading procedures, the following requirements must be met.
Ensure that no contamination of different refrigerants occurs during the use of the loading
equipment. The pipes or ducts should be as short as possible to minimize the amount of
refrigerant they contain.
The bottles must be kept in an upright position.
Ensure that the refrigeration system is grounded before charging the system with the refrigerant.
Label the system when loading is complete (if not already done).
Be careful not to allow the refrigeration system to overflow.
Before recharging the system, its pressure must be tested with oxygen-free nitrogen. The system
shall be leak tested at the end of loading but before commissioning. A leak test must be
performed before leaving the site.
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Decommissioning of the plant
Before performing this procedure, it is essential that the technician is fully familiar with the
equipment in all its details. A good recommended practice is to recover all refrigerants safely.
Before performing this task, an oil and refrigerant sample must be taken in case an analysis is
required before the recovered refrigerant is re-used. It is essential to have electrical power before
starting this task.
a. Become familiar with the equipment and its operation.
b. Electrical isolation of the system.
c. Before starting the procedure, make sure that:
mechanical handling equipment is available, if necessary, to handle refrigerant bottles;
all personal protective equipment is available and is used correctly;
the recovery process is supervised at all times by a competent person;
the recovery equipment and cylinders meet appropriate standards.
d. Pump the refrigerant system, if possible.
e. If a vacuum is not possible, a collector is made to recover the refrigerant from different parts of
the system.
f. Ensure that the cylinder is located on the scale before recovery begins.
g. Start the recovery machine and operate it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
h. Do not allow the bottles to overflow. (Not more than 80% liquid charge by volume).
i. Do not exceed the maximum working pressure of the cylinder, even temporarily.
j. When the cylinders have been properly filled and the process is complete, ensure that the
cylinders and equipment are removed from the site quickly and that all equipment isolation
valves are closed.
k. The recovered refrigerant must not be loaded into another refrigeration system unless it has
been cleaned and checked.
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Labelling
A label must be affixed to the equipment indicating that it has been taken out of service and
drained of its refrigerant. This label must be dated and signed. Ensure that there are labels on
equipment indicating that it contains flammable refrigerants.