Driers

A drier is a device containing a desiccant. It collects and holds

moisture, but also acts as a filter and adsorber of acids and other contaminants.
To prevent moisture from freezing in the expansion valve or capillary
tube, a drier is installed in the liquid line close to these devices.
Hot locations should be avoided. Driers can function on the lowpressure
side of expansion devices, but this is not the preferred location
(Jones 1969).
Moisture is reduced as liquid refrigerant passes through a drier.
However, Krause et al. (1960) showed that considerable time is
required to reach moisture equilibrium in a refrigeration unit. The
moisture is usually distributed throughout the entire system, and time
is required for the circulating refrigerant/lubricant mixture to carry
the moisture to the drier. Cohen (1994) and Cohen and Dunne (1987)
discuss the kinetics of drying refrigerants in circulating systems.
Loose-filled driers should be mounted vertically, with downward
refrigerant flow. In this configuration, both gravity and drag forces
act in the downward direction on the beads. Settling of the beads
creates a void space at the top, which is not a problem.
Vertical orientation with upward flow, where gravity and drag act
in opposite directions, should be avoided because the flow will
likely fluidize the desiccant beads, causing the beads to move
against each another. This promotes attrition or abrasion of the
beads, producing fine particles that can contaminate the system.
Settling creates a void space between the retention screens, promoting
fluidization.
Horizontal mounting should also be avoided with a loose-filled
drier because bead settling creates a void space that promotes fluidization,
and may also produce a channel around the beads that
reduces drying effectiveness.
Driers are also used effectively to clean systems severely contaminated
by hermetic motor burnouts and mechanical failures (see
the section on System Cleanup Procedure after Hermetic Motor
Burnout).
Drier Selection
The drier manufacturer’s selection chart lists the amount of desiccants,
flow capacity, filter area, water capacity, and a specific recommendation
on the type and refrigeration capacity of the drier for
various applications.
The equipment manufacturer must consider the following factors
when selecting a drier:
1. The desiccant is the heart of the drier and its selection is most
important. The section on Desiccants has further information.
2. The drier’s water capacity is measured as described in ARI Standard
710. Reference points are set arbitrarily to prevent confusion
arising from determinations made at other points. The specific
refrigerant, amount of desiccant, and effect of temperature are all
considered in the statement of water capacity.
3. The liquid-line flow capacity is listed at 7 kPa pressure drop
across the drier by the official procedures of ARI Standard 710
and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 63.1. Rosen et al. (1965) described
a closed-loop method for evaluating filtration and flow
characteristics of liquid-line refrigerant driers. The flow capacity
of suction-line filters and filter-driers is determined according
to ARI Standard 730 and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 78. ARI
Standard 730 gives recommended pressure drops for selecting
suction-line filter-driers for permanent and temporary installations.
Flow capacity may be reduced quickly when critical quantities
of solids and semisolids are filtered out by the drier.
Whenever flow capacity drops below the machine’s requirements,
the drier should be replaced.
4. Although limits for particle size vary with refrigerant system size
and design, and with the geometry and hardness of the particles,
manufacturers publish filtration capabilities for comparison.
Testing and Rating
Desiccants and driers are tested according to the procedures of
ASHRAE Standards 35 and 63. Driers are rated under ARI Standard
710. Minimum standards for listing of refrigerant driers can be
found in UL Standard 207. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 63.2 specifies
a test method for filtration testing of filter-driers. No ARI Standard
has been developed to give rating conditions for publication of filtration
capacity.
OTHER CONTAMINANTS
Refrigerant filter-driers are the principal devices used to remove
contaminants from refrigeration systems. The filter-drier is not a
substitute for good workmanship or design, but a maintenance tool
necessary for continued and proper system performance. Contaminants
removed by filter-driers include moisture, acids, hydrocarbons
with a high molecular mass, oil decomposition products, and
insoluble material, such as metallic particles and copper oxide.
Metallic Contaminants and Dirt
Small contaminant particles frequently left in refrigerating systems
during manufacture or servicing include chips of copper, steel,
or aluminum; copper or iron oxide; copper or iron chloride; welding
scale; brazing or soldering flux; sand; and other dirt. Some of these
contaminants, such as copper chloride, develop from normal wear
or chemical breakdown during system operation. Solid contaminants
vary widely in size, shape, and density. Solid contaminants
create problems by
• Scoring cylinder walls and bearings
• Lodging in the motor insulation of a hermetic system, where they
act as conductors between individual motor windings or abrade
the wire coating when flexing of the windings occurs
• Depositing on terminal blocks and serving as a conductor
• Plugging expansion valve screen or capillary tubing
• Depositing on suction or discharge valve seats, significantly
reducing compressor efficiency
• Plugging oil holes in compressor parts, leading to improper lubrication
• Increasing the rate of chemical breakdown [e.g., at elevated temperatures,
R-22 decomposes more readily when in contact with
iron powder, iron oxide, or copper oxide (Norton 1957)]
• Plugging driers
Liquid-line filter-driers, suction filters, and strainers isolate contaminants
from the compressor and expansion valve. Filters minimize
return of particulate matter to the compressor and expansion
valve, but the capacity of permanently installed liquid and/or suction
filters must accommodate this particulate matter without causing
excessive, energy-consuming pressure losses. Equipment manufacturers
should consider the following procedures to ensure proper
operation during the design life:
1. Develop cleanliness specifications that include a reasonable
value for maximum residual matter. Some manufacturers specify
allowable quantities in terms of internal surface area. ASTM
Standard B280 allows a maximum of 37 mg of contaminants per
square metre of internal surface.
2. Multiply the factory contaminant level by a factor of five to allow
for solid contaminants added during installation. This factor
depends on the type of system and the previous experience of the
installers, among other considerations.
3. Determine maximum pressure drop to be incurred by the suction
or liquid filter when loaded with the quantity of solid matter calculated
in Step 2.
4. Conduct pressure drop tests according to ASHRAE Standard
63.2.
5. Select driers for each system according to its capacity requirements
and test data. In addition to contaminant removal capacity,