TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ACTIVITY IN

ME 11L
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 2

SUBMITTED BY:
LLORERA, JESHUA B.
BSME - 4D

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. MANUEL EUROPEO

ACTIVITY NO. 4

Cleaning, Self Vacuuming, Charging, and Leak Testing

COURSE CODE: ME 11L
COURSE TITLE: MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING LABORATORY 2

DATE PERFORMED: JANUARY 13, 2016

SECTION: BSME 4D

INSTRUCTOR: ENGR. MANUEL L. EUROPEO

DATE SUBMITTED: JANUARY 20, 2016

MEMBERS: 1. CASTRO, EDGAR S.

2. CENTENO, MANUEL
3. CRUZ, JOHN PATRICK D.
4. LLORERA, JESHUA B.
5. PAGKALIWANGAN, ALMA MAE C.

Objectives
1 To have knowledge in cleaning, self vacuuming, charging, and leak testing on
refrigerator.
2 To be able to perform cleaning, self vacuuming, charging, and leak testing on
refrigerator.
3 To be able to store in ones mind the proper procedure and precautionary measure
when charging refrigerant.
4 To be able to familiarize different materials used in cleaning, self vacuuming,
charging, and leak testing on refrigerator.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

The students shall be able to:
2.1. To identify different materials and its functions use on cleaning, charging, self vacuuming,
and leak testing of refrigerator.
2.2. Discuss the right procedure when charging refrigerant on refrigerator.
2.3. Discuss the precautionary measures when cleaning, self vacuuming, charging, and leak
testing of refrigerator.

Dicussion
Compressor
Reciprocating compressor is used to compress the refrigerant in domestic refrigerator. This
compressor is hermetically sealed type.
Hermetic sealed compressor is one in which the two halves are sealed by welding or
brazing. Electric motor and reciprocating mechanism are placed inside this housing.

A reciprocating compressor consists of piston, connecting rod, crank shaft. Crank shaft is
rotating by an electric motor. During downward motion of the piston refrigerant is sucked and in
upward motion refrigerant get compressed.
Common compressor horsepower use by refrigerator
1. Full size refrigerator: compressor probably about 1/8 1/6hp
2. Full size refrigerator freezer combo: compressor typically 1/6 1/3hp
3. Chest freezer: compressor typically - hp
4. Full size freezer: compressor typically 1/5 1/3hp
5. Mini fridge; compressor range 1/20 1/8hp
6. Mini freezer: compressor range 1/10 1-6hp
Amperage require when charging refrigerant
N.L 0.7 0.8
Com.: 1.0 1.2
Relays
Starting relays are used to assist in the starting of single-phase compressors. Starting relay
is to bring in an additional electrical circuit, giving the motor the extra torque it requires to start.
This additional electrical circuit can be the addition of a motor's start winding, the addition of a start
capacitor, or the addition of both the start winding and a start capacitor.
Types of Starter Relays
Current relay uses the high-inrush current drawn by a motor when starting to energize the
coil of a relay and bring in the additional starting circuit. The coil of this relay is wired in series with
the run winding to sense that initial inrush of current.
The contacts of this relay are normally open and are wired in series with the starting circuit. As the
motor attempts to start, the contact point closes and brings in the starting circuit. Once the motor
starts, the contact's points open, removing the starting circuit from the motor.

Potential relay - uses the induced voltage created across the start winding to energize the
coil of the relay. The coil of this relay is wired in parallel with the motor's start winding. The coil is
energized when the induced voltage across the start winding reaches its designed value, commonly
referred to as its pickup voltage.
When the coil is energized, it causes a normally closed set of contacts to open, taking the
starting components out of the circuit. This set of contacts remains open as the motor operates; they
close again when the motor shuts down.

PTC relay - uses a positive temperature coefficient thermistor to remove the starting
components from the circuit. The circuit is wired so that the PTC thermistor is in series with the
starting components. When the motor starts, current flows through both the thermistor and the
starting components. As current flows through the thermistor, the thermistor quickly heats up and its
resistance quickly increases to a point where it is so high, it will essentially re-move the starting
components from the circuit. By this time, the motor will have started.
Once used, a PTC relay must be allowed to cool down before it can be used again. There
must be at least a several-minute delay between stopping and restarting a motor, in order to give the
PTC relay time to cool down.

We know that compressor motor or fridge compressor have split phase induction motor
which have two types of winding, the main winding which we called RUN Winding and the
auxiliary winding which is called START Winding. A fridge compressor required a starting
current to
start
normally
and
for
this
we
connect
the
starting
relay.
Common, Start, Run - Compressor three terminals Common means the point where the
start and run is connected. The resistance between start and run terminals will be high from start and
common or from run and common terminal. The resistance between Start and Common terminal
will be high from the Run and Common terminal.

Clamp meter - A clamp meter is an electrical measurement device designed to allow for the
safe measurement of electrical current around a conductor. A spring level is used to open a set of
jaws, allowing the jaws to be placed around the conductor of interest. The current through the
conductor creates a magnetic field which can be measured by the winding in the jaws of the clamp
meter. The current is then read on a meter in the handle of the device.

Overload protector - is an electrical device which we use for compressors protection,

whenever the compressor temperature high form his range the compressor overload cut off the
electric supply form compressor motor that's why we called him thermal overload.

Manifold Gauge
Refrigeration manifold gauges is chamber device that is design to control the flows of
pressure or gases. It holds both compound and high pressure.
This is what refrigeration manifold gauges look like:

The manifold gauges set have the three chambers: the low pressure chamber (left side),
utility chamber (middle), and the high pressure chamber (right side).
Process Done:
Flushing is a process performed in order to remove all contamination (dirt) from the
system. The smallest particle of contamination cause restriction and problems for a good function of
the replaced compressor.
Purging - The removal of undesired matter by replacement with air.
Leak Testing - is used to determine if and in some cases where a leak has occurred in
systems which contain liquids and gases.
Charging - Refrigerant charging refers to the replenishment of these gases when system
repairs or leaks have caused depleted levels.
4

Materials

Refrigerant Tank

Wrenches

Refrigerant Gauge Manifold

Clamp Ammeter

Refrigerant Charging Hose

Sponge and Soap

Procedure
1. Check the compressor and plug using a tester.
2. Plug the Overload Protecter Relay to the compressor terminals and plug the system.
3. Use a wrench to lossen and remove the Flare to release refrigerant process known as
Flushing.
4. Connect gauge manifold to line tap valve, self vacuuming using compressor.

5. Purge air releasing gas.

6. Connect Flare to the refrigerant tube.
7. Connect gauge manifold to refrigerant tank and piping.
8. Use wrench to open top valve of refrigerant tank.
9. Twist the suction valve of the manifold to draw refrigerant gas.
10. Twist the other gauge manifold valve to discharge refrigerant to the tube.
11. Using sponge with soap, check the refrigerant piping for leaks.
12. Close the discharge valve and check the valve gauge if it reaches zero.
13. If the gauge did not reach zero, open the valve to discharge gas and close it.
14. Check the gauges again if reaches zero. If not repeat procedure 10, 11.
15. If it reaches zero, close the the valves and the top valve of the tank.
16. Remove charging hose connecting to the tank.
17. Remove charging hose to the top valve and quickly close the top valve.

Cleaning, Self Vacuuming, Charging, and Leak Testing Connections

Conclusion and Recommendation