MAINTENANCE

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The plant will need a minimum of

care and maintenance if it is kept:
free of moisture;
free of impurities;
free of freon leaks;
free of frost.

 Experience has shown that most

problems with marine refrigerating
plant involve refrigerant shortage
caused by leakage. In rooms where
frozen or chilled cargo below 5C is
carried, it is necessary to keep
evaporators free from frost. Cleaning
of filters is also important.

 In cases where equipment is opened

up, neither air nor moisture must
enter the refrigeration system, as
either will cause trouble, e.g. in the
form of increased condensing
pressure. To avoid moisture, filter
driers are installed in HCFC/HFC
plants.

 The drying agent should be changed

every time any part of the system is
opened. This also applies when
charging with oil or refrigerant. Oil
should not be filled from vessels that
have not been tightly closed.

Drop in oil level

A leakage-free refrigerating plant
does not consume any oil. The oil
which has disappeared from the
crankcase or oil separator is always
somewhere in the system.

Oil level drops quickly at

the start
This may be due to refrigerant being
dissolved in the oil. At evaporation
the oil is drawn with the refrigerant
into the system. Fill the system with
a small quantity of oil, as the ejected
oil will gradually come back.

Oil level drops slowly

1. the plant is operated at lower
evaporating temperature than usual or
the refrigerant charge is too small;
2. refrigerant leakage in the system, by
which the level in the evaporator has
become too low;
3. condensing temperature is too low, the
minimum condensing temperature should
be maintained;
4. the cooling demand is too low, so the gas
velocity becomes too low in the
evaporator and the oil remains in the
system.

 In those plants with piston

compressors which have oil
separators, the shut-off valve in the
oil return line should always be kept
closed for about 1/2 hour after
compressor start in order to avoid
the carriage of condensate from the
oil separator to the crankcase.

Brine specific gravity

In those cargo refrigerating plants
where brine serves as the heat
transfer medium, it is of great
importance that the correct brine
specific gravity for the required cargo
temperature is maintained. If this
specific gravity is not checked,
functional problems may occur.

Calcium Chloride Brine

Daily maintenance

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5.

The daily maintenance for a R22 installation

should be completed as follows:
Check that condensing pressure and
evaporating pressure are correct.
Inspect the compressor unit and check that
there are no abnormal noises or vibrations.
Check the oil level.
Check the tightness of the shaft seal. Oil
leakage can be tolerated whereas gas leakage
can not.
If an oil separator is installed, check that oil is
returned to the crankcase, and that the oil
return line is warmer than the crankcase.

Leak detection
Refrigerating plants must be gastight to prevent refrigerant leakage
and air entering the low-pressure
side when under a vacuum. Systems
which have been opened to the
atmosphere during repairs, must be
pressure tested for mechanical
strength and leaks before charging
with refrigerant.

Pressure tests
Pressure tests should be done with
nitrogen. Water or other fluids must
not be used as a test medium. The
plants compressors must not be
used to pressurise the plant. The
pressure is gradually increased by
pressurising with nitrogen gas the
pressure is equal to 1.5 times the
maximum working pressure of the
system. This pressure should be
maintained for about 10 minutes.

 Each joint must be examined thoroughly

for signs of gas bubbles which indicate a
leak. After sealing any leaks, pressurise
the system again with the test medium
and some refrigerant as a trace gas, and
repeat the leak test using an electronic
leak detector, etc. It is imperative that all
leaks are found and sealed before the
system is charged with refrigerant, as
even the tiniest of leaks can result in the
loss of the whole refrigerant charge.

Leak detection
equipment
Electronic leak detectors
Electronic leak detectors are the
most sensitive and accurate method
of leak detection. The detector
contains an internal pump that draws
air into a probe, or tube. If refrigerant
gas is present in the sample, the
electrodes in the sensing element
generate a current, and an output
signal is obtained.

Halide lamps
Halide lamp is used to locate leaks of
HCFC refrigerants. This method is
based on the colour of a flame that
surrounds a glowing copper element.
The flame turns blue-green if the air
being consumed contains the
refrigerant.
These lamps should only be used in
well ventilated spaces.

Routine inspections
The high pressure side of the system may
easily be tested for leaks with the plant
running, but it may be necessary to stop
the compressor, and allow the pressure in
the low pressure side to rise sufficiently for
leak test in the low pressure side. The
amount of refrigerant in the system should
also be strictly monitored as a drop in level
may indicate the presence of a leak. In the
event of a major leak, the initial leak test
should be made using the soap bubble
method, specially in areas where there are
signs of an oil leak.

Drying by evacuation

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2.
3.

4.

This method of removing moisture is based on the fact that the

boiling point of water decreases with falling pressure. In the
course of evacuation, any water or ice in the plant will evaporate,
and is carried away by the vacuum pump.
Connect a vacuum pump to the system using a short length of
large bore pipe, and open all valves in the system (expansion
valves, solenoid valves, etc., may have to be jacked open).
Evacuate the system to a pressure of 6mm Hg or less. If possible,
carry out the evacuation at ambient temperatures above 10C.
Close the line between the system and the vacuum pump. The
pressure in the system may not rise more than 2mm Hg within five
minutes. A rise of more than 2mm Hg indicates the presence of
water, and/or a leak. Where water is present, the system will be
colder than its surroundings.
Check for water and/or leaks, carry out any repairs, and repeat the
evacuation procedure until the pressure rise is less than 2mm Hg.
When this is achieved the system is free of moisture and noncondensable gases and ready for refrigerant charging.

Charging procedures
Refrigerating plants should not be
overcharged with refrigerant, as this may
overload or damage the compressor.
To ensure that the correct amount is
added, the refrigerant should be weighed
during charging.
The liquid refrigerant is decanted from the
refrigerant bottle into the system via a
charging valve just after, the liquid
receiver.

Charging Procedure
1. Weigh refrigerant bottle
2. Connect refrigerant bottle to charging valve with flexible
charging line.
3. Crack bottle liquid valve before tightening line to blow out air.
4. Close main liquid line valve and pump down system.
5. Open charging valve and carefully open liquid valve on
refrigerant bottle.
6. Liquid refrigerant will flow into the system.
7. Start compressor.
8. Continue charging until required amount of refrigerant has
been charged.
9. Check weighing scale reading and observe liquid level in
receiver.
10.Close charging valve and open main liquid valve and observe
liquid flow through sight glass. Bubbles indicate the need for
further charging.
11.If charge is complete, close bottle valve, and disconnect
charging line.
12.Store empty refrigerant bottle for reuse.

Condensers
Once a year, the tubes should be cleaned
with a tube brush in order to remove
deposits which would cause a high
condensing pressure. The gaskets must be
glued to the condenser end plate with
good contact. If the partition wall gasket is
not properly installed, there is a risk that it
will blow, leading to an excessively high
water velocity and to damage to the tube
plate.
If a tube has become defective, it does not
have to be replaced immediately. Up to
10% in each pass (flow direction) can be
plugged.

Defrosting
Another task which maybe regarded
as maintenance is to keep frost
deposits on provision and cargo
refrigerating plants under control.
Frequent defrosting assures that the
plant will cause few problems.

Investigating trouble

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In investigating trouble, there are certain things

to which attention should always be paid in the
first instance:
the temperature of the refrigerated space;
evaporating pressure;
condensing pressure;
suction pipe temperature;
discharge temperature;
liquid line temperature;
compressor running time;
noise from compressor, motor, expansion valve,
etc.

TROUBLE SHOOTING
When problems are incurred in a
refrigerating plant, these can be attributed
in most cases to a shortage of refrigerant.
Bearing this in mind, always commence
trouble-shooting by checking the
refrigerant charge.
For example, in the case of HCFC plants,
too little refrigerant prevents the oil, which
always circulates in the system, from
being returned as the gas velocity is low,
and this leads to various functional
troubles.

CONTAMINANTS
If the moisture present in a
refrigerating system exceeds the
amount that the refrigerant can hold
in solution it will exist as free water.
At temperatures of 0C or lower, the
free water will freeze into ice in the
expansion valve or evaporator,
restricting the flow of refrigerant. To
avoid freeze-ups, the moisture
content in low temperature HCFC
refrigerant systems must be

Oil
In refrigerating systems some oil is always carried
over from the compressor into the condenser by
the refrigerant gas, from where it is carried by the
liquid into the evaporator. The presence of oil in
the circulating refrigerant reduces the heat
transfer capacity of the various heat exchangers,
the problem being greatest in the evaporator,
since oil becomes more viscous and tends to
congeal at low temperature. To prevent oil related
problems, the operation of the oil separator
should be checked regularly to ensure oil is being
returned to the compressor lubrication system.
The amount of oil added to the lubrication system
should also be strictly monitored; an excessive
amount indicates that oil is being trapped in the
evaporator or suction line.

Air and non condensable

gases
The presence of air and other noncondensable gases is detrimental to the
efficient operation of a refrigerating plant,
as these gases collect in the condenser,
and so increase the condensing pressure.
Abnormally high condensing pressures
cause overheating of the compressor,
excessive discharge temperatures, losses
in compressor capacity and efficiency,
excessive power consumption and possible
overloading of the drive motor.

Testing for Noncondensable Gases

Air and non-condensable gases, if present
in the system, are pumped through the
system and discharged by the compressor
into the condenser.
These gases are trapped in the condenser
and cause excessive condensing
pressures. In order to check the condenser
for the presence of air or non-condensable
gases, it is essential that gauges and
thermometers be accurate and that the
system has sufficient charge so that the
liquid refrigerant present in the receiver
will seal the liquid line connection.

Check for non-condensable

gases
Close liquid line valve and allow system to pump

down.
1. Shut off compressor and close suction line valves.
2. The thermometer in the sea water outlet of the
condenser will indicate the actual condensing
temperature, when there is no further drop in
temperature.
3. Record the condensing pressure.
4. On a refrigerant pressure gauge, look up the
saturation temperature that corresponds to the
condensing pressure.
5. If the condensing temperature is less than the
corresponding saturation temperature of the
condensing pressure, it is necessary to purge.

Purging Non-condensable
Gases
1. Pump down the refrigerant by shutting
the liquid valve at the outlet of liquid
receiver.
2. Continue cooling the condenser for 10 to
15 minutes.
3. Open purge valve on top of condenser,
and slowly release gases.
4. Since it is difficult to tell if excessive
refrigerant is being purged with the noncondensables, purge slowly.

Compressor Short-Cycles
Possible Cause

Action

Low sea water

temperature.

Throttle condenser sea water

outlet valve. This will raise the
compressor discharge
pressure, thereby raise the
compressor suction pressure.

Low refrigerant
charge.

Check refrigerant charge. Add

as required.

Reduced
evaporator
capacity.

Check for frosted coils.

Compressor Runs
Continuously
Possible Cause
Low refrigerant
charge.
Compressor valves
leaking.

Action
Check for proper charge. If
low, repair any leaks and
recharge.
Pump down, remove cylinder
heads, and check.

Worn piston rings

Pump down, disassemble,
and/or cylinder liner and then check.

Legionella bacteria

 A type of pneumonia which may be fatal to

older people, has been blamed on the
presence of a bacteria associated with the
air conditioning plant of large buildings.
Because the outbreak which heralded the
disease, occurred at a convention for
American ex-servicemen (The American
Legion), the identified cause of the
problem, was labelled legionella bacteria
and the sickness is referred to as
legionnaires disease.

 There is a risk that the bacteria could

flourish in the air conditioning systems of
ships. The organisms breed in stagnant
water or in wet deposits of slime or sludge.
Possible locations for bacteria colonies, are
mentioned as being at the air inlet area
and below the cooler (stagnant water), in
the filter, in humidifiers of the water spray
type and in damaged insulation.
Provision of adequate drainage is
recommended to remove stagnant water.

 Regular inspections and cleaning as

necessary of filters and other parts,
using a 50ppm super-chlorinated
solution as the sterilizing agent is
required. The solution is to be used
also on the cooler drain area at not
more than three month intervals.
Regular sterilization is necessary for
water spray type humidifiers (steam
humidifiers being preferred).