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The Challenges Of Chiller Compressors
The purpose of a compressor in a chiller is to lower the pressure and temperature of liquid
March 31, 2005 refrigerant to a point below the temperature of the brine in order to allow heat to ow from
the brine to the refrigerant.
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The compressor then increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant gas to a point
One Comment above the ambient air and water temperatures in order for the heat to ow out of the
refrigerant into the outdoor air and water. This allows the refrigerant to condense.

In essence, the compressor is a vapor pump.


Reciprocating compressors are the most common compressors used in ice arenas. Recently
there has been increased interest in the screw compressor, which takes up less oor space per
ton of refrigeration and requires less ongoing maintenance due to a minimum of moving parts.
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Figure 1. Normal compressor operating cycle. Down stroke: The down stroke of the piston
reduces the pressure in the cylinder. The lower pressure in the cylinder causes the suction
valve to open, allowing the low pressure, low temperature gas to rush in. The higher pressure
in the discharge line forces the discharge valve to shut tight, preventing back ow into the Contractors Share Tips to Avoid
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cylinder. Up stroke: The up stroke of the piston increases the pressure in the cylinder. The
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higher pressure in the cylinder forces the suction valve closed. The increased pressure in the
cylinder exceeds the pressure in the discharge line causing the discharge valve to open. The
high-pressure, high-temperature gas ows into the discharge line.
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Problem Prevention Inc.

Oil levels should be checked daily on all compressors. If the oil gets low on a system using
CFCs, HCFCs, or HFCs, service work should be done quickly. On ammonia systems, oil will
eventually log in the chiller, which makes adding oil to the compressor a necessity. The
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amount of oil added should be recorded to indicate potential problems.
Filters should be turned on a daily basis. The temperatures of water jackets should be checked
daily and each head physically veri ed for proper temperature.

Pump failures, plugged lters, closed valves, and mineral buildup can cause stoppages in water
ow. All problems should be recti ed immediately.

Operating pressures and temperatures should be recorded each shift to warn of any problems.
Discharge temperature should not exceed 285 degrees F for ammonia. The suction pressure
should not vary much from its normal operating condition.

If the suction pressure is low, it could indicate a brine ow problem, lack of refrigerant, Events
plugged metering device, plugged lters, high oil level in the chiller, or a faulty gauge.
September 26, 2018
If the suction pressure is high, it could indicate an improper metering device setting, high Opportunities and Challenges with
head pressure conditions, broken compressor valves, or a faulty gauge. Handling Flammable Refrigerants
On Demand Refrigerant Safety Classes A2L and
Check the compressor seals regularly and monitor the amount of oil dripping in your catch
A3 have a very low GWP, making them a strong,
basin. Don't let oil drip onto the oor. Refer to manufacturer recommendations for the long-term solution for many HVACR applications.
acceptable amount of oil that can drip from the seal. However, these refrigerants are classi ed as
mildly ammable and highly ammable
Liquid refrigerant should not be allowed to enter the compressor. Liquid refrigerant cannot be
respectively. This ammability class raises safety
compressed and could destroy a compressor by hydraulic shock if it enters in large volumes. In
and compliance concerns. This webinar will help
small volumes, liquid refrigerant will dilute the oil and contribute to bearing failure. you understand these classes, along with the
Liquid refrigerant can enter a compressor through the suction line or oil return line due to an opportunities these refrigerants can offer.
overcharged system (critically charged only), extremely high oil level in the chiller (critically December 7, 2019
charged only), faulty controls on a system with a receiver, or undersized risers causing liquid 2019 HARDI Annual Conference
pickup due to excessive velocities. Liquid might come through the oil return line if the The major 4-day event for HARDI members brings
discharge check valves are leaking. together distributors, manufacturers and other
vendors ready to drive their businesses forward. 
All compressors should have a crankcase heater installed and set 20 degrees higher than the
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Figure 2. Effect of broken or leaking valves. Cracked discharge valve: The down stroke of the
piston reduces the pressure in the cylinder, causing suction gas to rush in from the chiller as
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per normal operation. Due to a crack in the discharge valve, some of the hot compressed gas "More & New" HVAC
leaks back into the cylinder using up effective compressor displacement space. Cracked Spells Wealth - book

suction valve: The up stroke of the piston increases the pressure in the cylinder. The higher
pressure in the cylinder forces the suction valve closed. But due to the crack in the suction
valve, some of the previously compressed higher temperature gas bypasses into the suction
line of the compressor.
The Oil Return System
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On a typical system using CFCs, HCFCs, or HFCs, oil return usually is not a problem. Oil is
miscible (mixes) with those refrigerants and travels through the system with the refrigerant
liquid and gas. An oil management system is usually not required in such systems.
With ammonia systems, however, additional steps must be taken to return the oil to the
compressor. Oil and ammonia are not miscible.

Install an oil separator in the compressor discharge line to separate oil entrained in the
discharge gas. The oil drops to the bottom of the separator and runs into the drain line, which
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has an oil oat in it. The oat ensures that hot discharge gas does not blow by into the
compressor. When the oat chamber has oil in it the oat will lift, allowing the oil to return to
Edition
the crankcase.

A check valve placed downstream of the oil separator prevents condensed ammonia from
entering the separator when the compressor is off. If condensed ammonia should enter the
separator, it would cause the oat to lift, allowing liquid refrigerant to enter the compressor.

A crankcase heater should be installed on all compressors to keep the oil temperature 20
degrees above the room temperature. This prevents ammonia from migrating into the
compressor during the off cycle. The heater also boils out any small amounts of liquid
ammonia that might have reached the compressor crankcase through the suction or oil return
line.

A small amount of oil always bypasses the separator and will settle out at the coldest spot in
the system, the chiller. Over time the oil will displace the ammonia, reducing the heat transfer
surface of the chiller. In extreme cases, a very large quantity of oil will actually displace the
ammonia to the point that it will cause liquid ammonia to enter the compressor through the
suction line.

In order to prevent a buildup of oil in an ammonia chiller, an oil drain pot is installed. It must
be checked on a monthly basis. Always record the amount of oil added or drained from a
system as a physical check on consumption and possible oil logging problems.

Figure 3. Ammonia compressor and oil return.

The Screw Compressor
The rotary screw compressor has been around since the 1930s. However, it has only become
popular in the recreational ice industry over the last 10 years.
More often than not, it is employed in facilities with two or more sheets of ice. With the
popularity of smaller screw compressors, it is becoming feasible to apply them in smaller
facilities as well.

Like the reciprocating compressor, the screw compressor is a positive-displacement

compressor. Compression is achieved by en-trapping a volume of gas between a pair of
rotating "screws" that resemble the auger of a meat grinder. The gas is forced into an ever-
decreasing volume until it is released at the discharge port.

To seal the gas between the rotating screws, a large volume of oil is injected. The oil picks up a
great deal of the heat of compression and therefore must be cooled by an external source such
as water, liquid injection, or thermal siphon oil cooling.

To prevent large quantities of oil from passing through into the remainder of the refrigeration
system, install ef cient coalescent oil lters on the screw compressor packages.

Screw compressors have a large refrigeration capacity per square foot of oor area. They are
easily unloaded to match a given refrigeration capacity.

This is accomplished through the use of a slide valve, which changes the location along the
screw where the suction gas enters the compression cycle.

There is a loss of ef ciency when the system is unloaded. On a single ice surface, it would be
better to operate the compressor at 100 percent and shut it off upon achieving the desired
temperature.

As mentioned before, screw compressors have few moving parts and offer a long operating
period between overhauls. They are worth considering for an increasing number of
applications.

Art Sutherland is a partner with Accent Refrigeration Systems Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia;
www.accent-refrigeration.com.

Sidebar: Screw Compressor Maintenance Tips

Check and record oil level every shift.

Enter amount of oil used in logbook.

Record operating temperatures and pressures every shift.

Check and record amperage daily.

Check oil pump seal daily.

Record amount of oil that drips from crankshaft seal.

Clean up any spilled oil immediately.

Check drive coupling insert monthly.

Descale oil cooler as required.

Check and grease motor bearings as per specs.

Sidebar: Recip Compressor Maintenance Tips

Check and record oil level every shift.

Enter amount of oil used in logbook.

Record operating temperatures and pressures every shift.

Physically feel the temperature of all heads daily.

Turn lters daily.

Replace any defective gauges or thermometers immediately.

Record amount of oil that drips from crankshaft seal.

Clean up any spilled oil immediately.

Check belts monthly.

Publication date: 04/04/2005

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high suction problem
enigma April 20, 2011

thanks...for the tips

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