EPA 608 609 Core 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the difference between 'recovery' and 'recycling' of refrigerant?
- Recovery cleans the refrigerant; recycling removes it from the system
- Recovery removes refrigerant from a system; recycling cleans it by separating oil and passing through filter-driers (Correct answer)
- They are identical processes with different names
- Recovery is done on-site; recycling can only be done at a reclamation facility
Correct answer: Recovery removes refrigerant from a system; recycling cleans it by separating oil and passing through filter-driers
Recovery is simply removing refrigerant from a system, while recycling cleans it through oil separation and filtration.
Question 2: What does 'reclaiming' refrigerant require that recycling does not?
- Removal of the refrigerant from the system
- Reprocessing to meet ARI/AHRI 700 purity standards, usually at an off-site facility (Correct answer)
- Use of a recovery machine
- A self-sealing recovery cylinder
Correct answer: Reprocessing to meet ARI/AHRI 700 purity standards, usually at an off-site facility
Reclaimed refrigerant must be reprocessed and laboratory-verified to meet the AHRI 700 purity standard.
Question 3: When recovering refrigerant from a system with a non-condensable gas problem such as air, what is the recommended approach?
- Vent the air directly to the atmosphere
- Recover the mixture and avoid releasing the non-condensables separately into the air (Correct answer)
- Add nitrogen to dilute the air
- Increase compressor speed to push air out
Correct answer: Recover the mixture and avoid releasing the non-condensables separately into the air
Technicians should not vent non-condensables; the mixture should be handled through proper recovery and recycling equipment.
Question 4: Liquid recovery is generally faster than vapor recovery primarily because:
- Liquid refrigerant has a lower boiling point
- A given volume of liquid contains far more refrigerant mass than the same volume of vapor (Correct answer)
- Vapor recovery damages the recovery machine
- Liquid recovery does not require a recovery cylinder
Correct answer: A given volume of liquid contains far more refrigerant mass than the same volume of vapor
Liquid is much denser than vapor, so moving liquid transfers far more refrigerant per unit volume.
Question 5: To speed up the recovery process from a system, a technician may do all of the following EXCEPT:
- Recover liquid first when possible
- Pack the recovery cylinder in ice to lower its pressure
- Heat the recovery cylinder to raise its pressure above the system (Correct answer)
- Use large-diameter, short hoses
Correct answer: Heat the recovery cylinder to raise its pressure above the system
The recovery cylinder should be cooled, not heated, to maintain a pressure difference that draws refrigerant in.
Question 6: A 'system-dependent' (passive) recovery method may only be used on appliances containing how much refrigerant?
- More than 200 pounds
- 15 pounds or less (Correct answer)
- 50 pounds or less
- Any amount, regardless of charge size
Correct answer: 15 pounds or less
Passive recovery is permitted only on small appliances containing 15 pounds or less of refrigerant.
Question 7: What is the primary risk of mixing two different refrigerants in the same recovery cylinder?
- The mixture becomes flammable in all cases
- The blend cannot be reclaimed and is typically considered contaminated waste (Correct answer)
- It increases the ozone depletion potential to over 1.0
- The cylinder will automatically vent the excess
Correct answer: The blend cannot be reclaimed and is typically considered contaminated waste
Cross-contaminated refrigerant mixtures generally cannot be reclaimed and must be disposed of as hazardous waste, which is costly.
EPA 608 609 Core 3
What is the difference between 'recovery' and 'recycling' of refrigerant?