Investigation of flushing and clean-out methods for refrigeration equipment to ensure system compatibility

SECTION 608 of the Clean Air Act Amendments has altered much of the refrigeration service contracting industry. MCLR Project Number 660-52502 was established to examine two areas where the Amendments are influencing contractors to determine if more cost-effective service procedures might be developed. One area where existing service procedures are being revisited involves the removal of contaminants from a refrigeration system after a motor burnout. At one time, a Class 1 substance such as CFC-11 or CFC-113 was used as a flushing agent for cleaning a system after a burnout. On large systems, the compressor was disassembled, and the parts were cleaned using 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) or a TCA-containing mixture. Such alternatives are seldom possible today, as the manufacture of Class 1 substances was banned on January 1, 1996. This report describes processes for mineral oil removal, process alternatives for servicing burnouts, solvents, and laboratory retrofit tests