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.
- Decommissioning of the appliance
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. Electrically isolate the system.
c. Before starting the procedure, ensure that the following is in place:
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 collect 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 in accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions.
h. Do not allow the bottles to overflow. (Not more than 80% of 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.
- 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.
- Recuperation
When draining a system of its refrigerant for service or shutdown operations, it is
recommended good practice to safely remove all refrigerants.
