CE Products Series Refrigerant Accumulators

Vertical accumulators use a U-tube or tube within a tube design to draw gaseous refrigerant off the top of the vessel. At the bottom of the U-tube, an orifice picks up a small amount of oil and liquid refrigerant. The small amount of liquid refrigerant will boil off in the suction line. The oil will be carried with the gaseous refrigerant back to the compressor.

Horizontal accumulators should not be used when the temperature of the liquid refrigerant is less than 15°F (9°C) in the accumulator. At temperature below this point, the oil will become thick and will not draw up the dip tube to be metered back to the compressor.

Selection of a refrigerant accumulator should be made on the basis of the following 3 capabilities. 1) The accumulator should have an adequate liquid holding capacity, normally it should not be less than 50% of the system charge. 2) The accumulator should perform without adding excessive pressure drop to the system. 3) It should have the ability of returning liquid at the proper rate and under a range of load condition.
Install the vertical accumulator as close to the compressor as possible. And install the horizontal accumulator with the top of inlet being level so that the return tube is at the lowest part of the accumulator, leaving a small pool of liquid in the bottom of the accumulator. Please connect the discharge line from the evaporator to the inlet of the accumulator and connect the outlet of the accumulator to the suction line of the compressor.