COMPONENTS

Air conditioning, heat pump, truck refrigeration and many other applications require intermittent operation of the refrigeration compressor. Especially in remote applications, the suction line may trap or hold quantities of liquid which are suddenly dumped into the compressor as it starts up. This is frequently the cause of broken valves, pistons, broken or bent connecting rods, blown gaskets and bearing washout. Proper installation of the Refrigeration Research suction accumulator in the suction line, just before the compressor, eliminates damage. If correctly sized, relatively large quantities of liquid refrigerant may return through the suction line and the suction accumulator prevents damage to the compressor. Liquid is temporarily held in the suction accumulator and metered back to the compressor along with any oil, at a controlled rate, through the metering orifice. Therefore, damage to the compressor is prevented and the compressor immediately and quietly goes to work.