CFC Refrigerant Handling & Recovery Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which EPA-approved method allows a technician to check recovery cylinder pressure to determine if non-condensable gases are present?
- Compare cylinder pressure to saturation pressure at ambient temperature (Correct answer)
- Use a refrigerant analyzer to measure purity
- Weigh the cylinder and compare to tare weight
- Apply soap bubbles to the cylinder valve
Correct answer: Compare cylinder pressure to saturation pressure at ambient temperature
Non-condensables are indicated when cylinder pressure exceeds the saturation pressure of the refrigerant at the ambient temperature.
Question 2: When performing a push-pull recovery method, the vapor line from the system should connect to which port on the recovery machine?
- The liquid inlet port
- The vapor inlet port (Correct answer)
- The discharge port
- The bypass port
Correct answer: The vapor inlet port
In push-pull recovery, vapor is drawn from the system through the vapor inlet of the recovery machine while liquid is pushed directly to the recovery cylinder.
Question 3: A technician is recovering refrigerant from a centrifugal chiller. What type of refrigerant does this equipment most commonly contain?
- High-pressure refrigerant like R-22
- Low-pressure refrigerant like R-11 or R-123 (Correct answer)
- Flammable refrigerant like R-290
- Ultra-low-temperature refrigerant like R-14
Correct answer: Low-pressure refrigerant like R-11 or R-123
Centrifugal chillers typically use low-pressure refrigerants such as R-11 or R-123, which operate below atmospheric pressure.
Question 4: What is the significance of the gross weight stamped on a recovery cylinder?
- It indicates the maximum refrigerant charge allowed
- It is the combined tare weight plus maximum allowable refrigerant fill weight (Correct answer)
- It represents the weight of refrigerant already in the cylinder
- It indicates the cylinder's hydrostatic test pressure
Correct answer: It is the combined tare weight plus maximum allowable refrigerant fill weight
The gross weight stamped on a recovery cylinder is the tare weight plus the maximum refrigerant the cylinder is rated to hold.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the 'system-dependent' recovery process?
- Uses an external recovery machine with its own compressor
- Relies on the refrigeration system's compressor to assist recovery (Correct answer)
- Requires a vacuum pump to achieve recovery levels
- Depends on ambient heat to vaporize liquid refrigerant
Correct answer: Relies on the refrigeration system's compressor to assist recovery
System-dependent (passive) recovery uses the refrigeration system's own compressor to move refrigerant into the recovery cylinder, requiring the system to be functional.
Question 6: A technician notices that refrigerant vapor is present in the equipment room. What is the FIRST safety action to take?
- Begin recovery operations immediately
- Ventilate the area and evacuate non-essential personnel (Correct answer)
- Don a supplied-air respirator and continue working
- Call the EPA hotline to report the release
Correct answer: Ventilate the area and evacuate non-essential personnel
The first priority is to ventilate the area and remove non-essential personnel to prevent exposure to displaced oxygen or refrigerant toxicity.
Question 7: Under EPA regulations, recovered refrigerant that is returned to the same system or another system owned by the same person does NOT need to meet what requirement?
- ARI 700 purity standards (Correct answer)
- DOT cylinder certification
- Technician certification
- Proper labeling
Correct answer: ARI 700 purity standards
Refrigerant returned to the same system or another system owned by the same person is exempt from ARI 700 reclamation purity standards.
CFC Refrigerant Handling & Recovery Procedures 3
Which EPA-approved method allows a technician to check recovery cylinder pressure to determine if non-condensable gases are present?