HVAC Refrigerant Reclaiming

Process Used Refrigerant With HVAC Refrigeration Reclaiming

Refrigerant reclaiming is the process of restoring used refrigerant to a purity level that meets the specifications for new refrigerant. Unlike simple recovery or recycling, reclaiming involves laboratory testing and processing to remove contaminants so the refrigerant can be reused in any compatible system.

How refrigerant Reclaim works

The Reclaim Process

A commercial refrigerant reclaimer typically performs several steps:

  1. Collection
    • Used refrigerant is recovered from HVAC or refrigeration systems.
    • It is stored in approved recovery cylinders.
  2. Identification
    • The refrigerant is analyzed to determine:
      • Refrigerant type
      • Purity
      • Presence of mixed refrigerants
      • Air contamination
      • Moisture content
      • Oil contamination
  3. Separation
    • Mixed refrigerants may be separated using specialized distillation equipment.
    • Some severely mixed or contaminated refrigerants may not be economically reclaimable.
  4. Cleaning
    • Oil removal
    • Moisture removal
    • Acid removal
    • Non-condensable gas removal
    • Particulate filtration
  5. Distillation
    • High-purity distillation separates refrigerant from contaminants.
    • Multiple passes may be required.
  6. Quality Testing
    • The reclaimed refrigerant is tested to verify it meets the applicable purity specification.
    • If it passes, it can be certified as reclaimed refrigerant.

Benefits of Reclaiming

Reclaiming provides several advantages:

    • Reduces emissions of refrigerants with high global warming potential.
    • Conserves refrigerant supplies, especially for phased-down or discontinued products.
    • Can reduce costs compared with purchasing newly manufactured refrigerant.
    • Supports compliance with environmental regulations governing refrigerant handling and reuse.