air condition OPEL 1900 1973 Workshop Manual

REFRIGERANT COMPONENTS ALL MODELS96.23Figure 96-l 3 Basic Refrigerant Circuit
we get the heat-laden vapor outside, we can com-
press it with a pump. With enough pressure, we can
squeeze the heat out of “cold” vapor even in a warm
room. An ordinary.radiator will help us get rid of
heat.
By removing the heat, and making the refrigerant
into a liquid, it becomes the same as it was before, So,
we can run another pipe back into the cabinet and
return the refrigerant to the flask to be used over
again.
That is the way most mechanical refrigerators work
today. Now, let’s look at an air conditioning unit to
see how closely it resembles the refrigerator we have
just described.
Basic Air ConditionerWhen we look at an air conditioning unit, we will
always find a set of coils or a tinned radiator core
through which the air to be cooled passes. This is
known as the “evaporator” (Fig.
9B-14). It does the
same job as the flask of refrigerant we
spok.e about
earlier. The refrigerant boils in the evaporator. In
boiling, of course, the refrigerant absorbs heat and
changes into a vapor. By piping this vapor outside
the car we can bodily carry out the heat that caused
its creation.
Once we get vapor out of the evaporator, all we haveFigure 98.14 Evaporator Assembly
to do is remove the heat it contains. Since heat is the
only thing that expanded the refrigerant from a liq-
uid to a vapor in the first place, removal of that same
heat will let the vapor condense into a liquid again.
Then we can return the liquid refrigerant to the
evaporator to be used over again.
Actually, the vapor coming out of the evaporator is
very cold. We know the liquid refrigerant boils at
temperatures considerably below freezing and that
the vapors arising from it are only a shade warmer
even though they do contain quantities of heat.
Consequently, we can’t expect to remove heat from
sub- freezing vapors by “cooling” them in air tem-
peratures that usually range between 60 and 100
degrees heat refuses to
flow from a cold object
toward a warmer object.
But with a pump, we can squeeze the heat-laden
vapor into a smaller space. And, when we compress
the vapor, we also concentrate the heat it contains.
In this way, we can make the vapor hotter without
adding any heat. Then we can cool it in compara-
tively warm air.
That is the only responsibility of a compressor in an
air conditioning system (Fig.
9B-15). It is not in-
tended to be a pump just for circulating the refriger-
ant. Rather, its job is to exert pressure for two
reasons. Pressure makes the vapor hot enough to
cool off in warm air. At the same time, the compres-
sor raises the refrigerant’s pressure above the con-
densing point at the temperature of the surrounding
air so it will condense.
As the refrigerant leaves the compressor, it is still a
vapor although it is now quite hot and ready to give
up the heat that is absorbed in the evaporator. One
of the easiest ways to help refrigerant vapor dis-
charge its heat is to send it through a radiator- like
contrivance known as a condenser (Fig. 9B-16).
The condenser really is a very simple device having
no moving parts. It does exactly the same job as the
radiator in a typical steam-heating system. There,
the steam is nothing more than water vapor. In pass-
ing through the radiator, the steam gives up its heat
and condenses back into water.
The same action takes place in an air conditioning

9B-24 1973 OPEL SERVICE MANUAL
Figure 9B-15 Compressor Assembly - GT Shown
Figure 3B-16 Condenser Assembly
condenser. The refrigerant vapor gives up its heat,
which is quickly and easily radiated into the sur-
rounding air through the large finned surfaces of the
condenser. In giving up its heat, the refrigerant vapor
condenses back into liquid which collects in a pool
at the bottom of the condenser.
As we have said before, when the refrigerant con-
denses into a liquid, it again is ready for boiling in the
evaporator. So, we can run a pipe from the condenser
back to the evaporator.
Main Units of the SystemThese three units then; the evaporator, the compres-
sor, and the condenser are the main working
parts of any typical air conditioning system. We have
the evaporator where the refrigerant boils andchanges into a vapor, absorbing heat as it does so. We
have the pump or compressor to put pressure on the
refrigerant so it can get rid of its heat. And we have
a condenser outside the car body to help discharge
the heat into the surrounding air.
Pressure and FlowThere is one more unit that co-operates with thesethree. It doesn’t do any real work, but it does act as
sort of a traffic officer in controlling the flow of the
refrigerant through the system. To get a better idea
of what this does. let’s first do a li,ttle exoerimentine
with an ordinary’ tire pump.
When we use a
t,ire pump to Sate an automobile
tire, we are creating pressure only because we are
“pushing” against the air already entrapped inside
the tire. If you question this, just try pumping up a
tire that has a large puncture in it. You could pump
all day, and still not be able to build up any pressure.
As fast as you would pump the air in, it would leak
out through the puncture.
Abou~t all you would be
doing would be circulating nice fresh air through the
tire.
1Jnless you have something lo push against - to
block the tlow of air
- you can’t create more than a
mere semblance of pressure.
The same situation holds true in an air conditioning
system. The compressor can pump refrigerant vapor
through the system, but unless it has something to
push against, it cannot build up pressure. All the
compressor would be doing would be to circulate the
vapor without increasing its
pres,sure.Yet we can’t just block the flow through the system
entirely. All we want to do is put pressure on the
refrigerant vapor so it will condense at normal tem-
peratures. What’s more, this
musi: be done some time
after the vapor leaves the evaporator and before it
returns again as a liquid. We can’t have high pressure
in the evaporator because that would slow down the
boiling of the refrigerant and thus penalize the re-
frigerating effect.
Controlling Pressure and FlowPressure and flow can be controlled with a float
valve, or with a pressure-regulating valve. They do
the same job, but in a different way.
Since the float valve type will give us a better idea of
pressure and flow control, let’s look at it first (Fig.
9B-17).It consists simply of a float that rides on the surface
of the liquid refrigerant. As the refrigerant liquid
boils and passes off as a vapor, naturally the liquid
level drops lower and lower. Correspondingly, the
float, because it rides on the surface of the refriger-
ant, also drops lower and lower as the liquid goes
down.By means of a simple system of mechanical linkage,
the downward movement of the float opens a valve
to let refrigerant in. The incoming liquid raises the
fluid level and, of course, the float rides up with it.
When the surface level of the refrigerant liquid re-
aches a desired height, the float: will have risen far

REFRIGERANT COMPONENTS ALL MODELS9B- 2596.15
Figure 95.17 Float Type Flow Valve
enough to close the valve and stop the flow of refrig-
erant liquid.
For the sake of simplicity, we have described the
float and valve action as being in a sort of definite
wide open or tight shut condition. Actually, though,
the liquid level falls rather slowly as the refrigerant
boils away. Likewise, the float goes down gradually
and gradually opens the valve just a crack. New
refrigerant liquid barely seeps in through the
“cracked” valve. At such a slow rate of flow, it raises
the liquid level in the evaporator very slowly.
With that in mind, it is easy to see how it would be
possible for a stabilized condition to exist. By that,
we mean a condition wherein the valve would be/
DIAPHRAGMACTUATINGBACK.UP PLATE
PINS \
t
>IAPHRAGM \
/
BoDyEQUALIZER\4]
PASSAGE
‘!!!ISEATSCkEEN:ARRIAGEORIFICE
AGE SPRINGIER ELEMENT:MOB”LBSPRING SEAT
OUTLET
W-16opened barely enough to allow just exactly the right
amount of refrigerant liquid to enter the freezer to
take the place of that leaving as a vapor.
Thermostatic Expansion ValveAutomotive air conditioning systems use a thermo-
static expansion valve in place of the float system.
Figure 9B-18 shows a cross-section of the valve
which consists primarily of the gas-filled power ele-
ment, body, actuating pins, seat and orifice. At the
high pressure liquid inlet is a tine mesh screen which
prevents dirt, tilings or other foreign matter from
entering the valve orifice.
When the valve is connected in the system, the high
pressure liquid refrigerant enters the valve through
the screen from the receiver-dehydrator (which acts
as a storage tank for the condensed refrigerant as it
leaves the condenser) and passes on to the seat and
orifice. Upon passing through the orifice the high
pressure liquid becomes low pressure liquid. The low
pressure liquid leaves the valve and flows into the
evaporator core where it absorbs heat from the
evaporator core and changes to a low pressure vapor,
and leaves the evaporator core as such. The power
element bulb is clamped to the low pressure vapor
line just beyond the outlet of the evaporator (Fig.
9B-20).The operation of the valve is quite simple. It is a
matter of controlling opposing forces produced by a
spring and the refrigerant pressures. For example:
The pressure in the power element is trying to push
the seat away from the orifice, while the spring is
trying to force the seat toward the orifice. These
opposing pressures are established in the design of
the valve so that during idle periods, i.e. when the
system is not operating, the spring force and the
refrigerant pressure in the cooling coil are always
Figure 9B-18 Thermostatic Expansion Valve
Figure
98.20 Expansion Valve Bulb Location

98-26 1973 OPEL SERVICE MANUAL
greater than the opposing pressure in the power ele-
ment. Therefore, the valve remains closed. When the
compressor is started, it will reduce the pressure and
temperature of the refrigerant in the cooling coil to
a point where the vapor pressure in the power ele-
ment becomes the stronger. The seat then moves off
the orifice and liquid starts to flow through the valve
orifice into the cooling coil.
The purpose of the power element is to help deter-
mine the quantity of liquid that is being metered into
the cooling coil. As the temperature of the low pres-
sure line changes at the bulb, the pressure of
the
vapor in the power element changes, resulting in a
change of the position of the seat. For example, if the
cooling coil gets more liquid than is required, the
temperature of the low pressure line is reduced and
the resultant lowering of the bulb temperature
reduces the pressure of the vapor in the power ele-
ment, allowing the seat to move closer to the orifice.
This immediately reduces the amount of liquid leav-
ing the valve. Under normal operation, the power
element provides accurate control of the quantity of
refrigerant to the cooling coil.
To employ our tire pump analogy once more for
clarity, it is the same situation that would exist if you were inflating a tire with a very slow leak. Providing
you pumped the air into the tire as fast as it leaked
out, you would be able to maintain pressure even
though the air would merely be circulating through the tire and leaking out through the puncture.
To Sum Up
So far, we’ve discussed only what each unit in an air
conditioning system does. We’ve learned that the
evaporator is the unit in which liquid refrigerant
soaks up heat from the air, the compressor is a pump
for squeezing this heat out of the vapor, the con-
denser is a radiator for getting rid of the heat, and the
thermostatic expansion valve is a device for regulat-
ing the pressure on the refrigerant. Now, let’s
find
out how the temperature of the cooled air is con-
trolled.
METHOD OF TEMPERATURE CONTROL
To achieve temperature control, the compressor is
run intermittently, automatically turning on and off
as necessary to maintain proper temperature.
Thermostatic Switch
The compressor can be started and stopped au-
tomatically through the use of an electro-magnetic
clutch and a thermostat affected by variations of temperature.
The job is usually done by a gas bulb thermostat (Fig.
9B-21).
Figure 9B-21 Thermostatic Switch Schematic
With the gas bulb type of thermostat, a highly expan-
sive gas is sealed into a metallic bulb which is located
in the air stream as it leaves the evaporator. A small
tube leads from the bulb to a bellows operated switch. As air temperature rises, the gas inside the
bulb expands, travels through the tube to the bellows
and closes the electrical switch that engages the com-
pressor clutch.
Of course, as soon as the compressor starts running,
the temperature begins to go down. As the air being
cooled gets colder, the gas in the thermostat bulb
begins to reduce the pressure on the switch bellows.
This
Ilips “off’ the switch and disengages the com-
pressor clutch.
REFRIGERANTS
No matter how scientifically refrigerating machinery
is built or how
efftciently it runs, it alone cannot
remove heat. The only thing that carries heat out of
a refrigerator cabinet or an automobile is the sub-
stance we call the refrigerant.
There are many refrigerants known to man. In fact,
any liquid that can boil at temperatures somewhere
near the freezing point of water can be used.
But a boiling point below the temperature at which
ice forms is not the only thing that makes a good
refrigerant. A refrigerant should also be non-
poiso-
nowand non-explosive to be safe. Besides that, we
want a refrigerant that is non-corrosive and one that
will mix with oil.
Since Nature did not provide an ideal refrigerant,
chemists went to work to see if they could do any
better. They did! But it wasn’t as simple as that.
At first, they tried to improve existing natural refrig-
erants. But after exploring innumerable trails along

REFRIGERANT COMPONENTS ALL MODELS99.27that line, they still hadn’t gotten anywhere. So, they
started from scratch and juggled molecules around
to make an entirely new refrigerant. Eventually they
succeeded by remodeling the molecules in carbon
tetrachloride. This is the same fluid that is used in
fire extinguishers and dry-cleaners’ solvents.
From this fluid, the chemists removed two chlorine
atoms and replaced them with two fluorine atoms.
This newly-formed fluid carried the technical chemi-
cal name of dichlorodifluoromethane. Today, we
know it as Refrigerant-12 or R-12.
Fluorine is an extremely temperamental substance.
Under most conditions it is toxic and highly corro-
sive, and after is is manufactured, it has to be stored
in special containers because it will eat through glass
and will dissolve most metals in short order.
Despite its rambunctious character though, fluorine
is completely tamed when it is combined with the
other substances that go to make up the refrigerant.
Each is non-toxic, non-inflammable, non-explosive,
and non- poisonous; however, breathing large quan-
tities of R-12 should be avoided.
Pressure. Temperature Relationship of R-12A definite pressure and temperature relationship ex-
ists in the case of liquid refrigerants and their satu-
rated vapors. Increasing the temperature of a
substance causes it to expand. When the substance is
confined in a closed container, the increase in tem-
perature will be accompanied by an increase in pres-
sure, even though no mechanical device was used.
For every temperature, there will be a corresponding
pressure within the container of refrigerant. A table
of the temperature-pressure relationship of R-12 is
presented below. Pressures are indicated in gauge
pressure, either positive pressure (above atmos-
pheric) m pounds or negative pressure (below atmos-
pheric) in inches of vacuum.
“F-40
-35
i#Pressure
11.0*
8.3*
“F
50
50#Pressure
46.1
52.0
-30~
5.5*6057.7
-252.3*6s67 7__.
-200.6
io70.1
-152.4
76.9
-104.584.1
1;6.8 9.2tz99.6 91.71;
11.8 14.712116.9 108.1
1517.7105126.2
2021.1110136.0
2524.6115146.5
3028.5120157.1
;:
30.1
125167.5
32.6
131)179n
4037.0
4541.7*Inches of Vacuum.-. _.-
1402045
150232.0Thus if a gauge is attached to a container of R- 12 and
the room temperature is 70 degrees, the gauge will
register 70 psi pressure; in a 100 degrees room the
pressure will be 117
ps~
AIR CONDITIONINGBecause air conditioning has always been very
closely allied with mechanical refrigeration, most of
us are apt to think of it only as a process for cooling
room air.
But true air conditioning goes beyond the mere cool-
ing of the air. It controls the humidity, cleanliness,
and circulation of the air as well.
Whenever it gets warm and muggy in the summer-
time, someone is almost sure to say, “It’s not the heat
it’s the humidity.” But that is only partly right.
Actually it is a combination of the two that makes us
feel so warm temperature alone is not the only
thing that makes us uncomfortable.
Humidity is nothing more nor less that the moisture
content of the air. To a certain extent, it is tied in
with the temperature of the air. Warm air will hold
more moisture than will cold air. When air contains
all the moisture it can hold, we say it is saturated,
and the relative humidity is 100 percent. If the air
contains only half as much water as it could possibly
hold at any given temperature, we say that the rela-
tive humidity is 50 percent. If it contains only a fifth
of its maximum capacity, we say that the relative
humidity is 20 percent and so on. This amount
of water vapor, or relative humidity, affects the way
we perspire on hot days.
Nature has equipped our bodies with a network of
sweat glands that carry perspiration to the skin
sur-faces. Normally, this perspiration evaporates and, in
doing so, absorbs heat just like a refrigerant absorbs
heat when it is vaporized in a freezer. Most of the
heat thus absorbed is drawn from our bodies, giving
us a sensation of coolness. A drop of alcohol on the
back of your hand will demonstrate this principle
very convincingly. Because it is highly volatile, al-
cohol will evaporate very rapidly and absorb quite a
bit of heat in doing so, thereby making the spot on
your hand feel unusually cool.
The ease and rapidity with which evaporation takes
place, whether it be alcohol or perspiration, governs
our sensation of coolness and to a certain extent,
independently of the temperature. Of even more im-
portance, the ease and rapidity of the evaporation are
directly affected by the relative humidity or com-
parative dampness of the air. When the air is dry,
perspiration will evaporate quite readily. But when
the air contains a lot of moisture, perspiration will
evaporate more slowly; consequently less heat is car-
ried away from our body.

9B-28 1973 OPEL SERVICE MANUAL
Thus, from the standpoint of comfort, complete air
conditioning should control the relative humidity of
the air as well as its temperature.
By reducing the humidity, we sometimes can be just
as “cool” in a higher room temperature than other-
wise would be comfortable. Laboratory tests have
shown that the average person will feel just as cool
in a temperature of 79 degrees when the relative
humidity is down around 30 percent as he will in a
cooler temperature of 72 degrees with a high relative
humidity of 90 percent.
There are practical limits though within which wemust stay when it comes to juggling humidity. For
human comfort, we can’t go much below a relative
humidity of 30 percent because anything lower than
that would cause an unpleasant and unhealthy dry-
ness in the throat and nasal passages.
Summertime temperatures of 85 degrees sometimes
bring with them relative humidities around 75 to 80
percent. Some coastal cities have relative humidities
averaging as high as 87 percent. To gain maximum
human comfort, an air conditioning system should
cool the air down and reduce the humidity to com-
fortable limits.
The cooling job usually is done just as it is in a
refrigerator. A compressor sends refrigerant through
a chilling unit where it absorbs heat. The heat is
drawn out of the air which circulates through the
chilling unit. Along with the cooling job it does, the
evaporator unit also removes much of the moisture
from the air. Everyone is familiar with the sight of
thick frost on the freezer of a refrigerator. That frost
is simply frozen moisture that has come out of the
air.
Figure 99.22 Condensation
The evaporator unit in an air-conditioning system
does the same thing with this one exception. Becauseits temperature is above the freezing point, the mois-
ture does not collect in the form of ice or frost.
Instead, the moisture remains fluid and drips off the
chilling unit. This action is similar to what occurs on
the cool bathroom mirror when a hot shower is
turned on (Fig. 9B-22). A further advantage of airconditioning is that dust and pollen particles are
trapped by the wet surfaces of
.the evaporator core
and then drained off with the condensed moisture.
This provides very clean, pure air for breathing, and
is of great benefit to those who suffer from asthma
or ahergies such as hay fever.
Basic Refrigeration CycleLet’s review the basic refrigeration cycle. Keep this
basic cycle in mind because knowledge of the cycle,
knowledge of the particular system you are working
on and proper use of the gauges will permit quick,
accurate diagnosis of problems as they arise.
Any refrigeration system takes advantage of the
principles just described. The air conditioning sys-
tem illustrated in Fig. 9B-23 contains
five basic parts;
a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, an expansion
valve and an evaporator. Assuming R-12 as our re-
frigerant, let us follow through the refrigeration cy-
cle.Refrigerant gas under low pressure is drawn into the
compressor where it is compressed to a high pres-
sure. During compression, the refrigerant gas is
heated. When sufficient pressure is built up, the hot
gas passes into the condenser where it cools by giving
off heat to the air passing over the condenser sur-
faces.As the refrigerant gas cools, it condenses into a liquid
at high pressure and accumulates in the receiver. The
high pressure liquid refrigerant passes to the expan-
sion valve at the entrance to the evaporator. At the
valve orifice the pressure is lowered and the refriger-
ant enters the evaporator core as a low pressure liq-
uid. When the refrigerant is exposed to the lower
evaporator pressure, it begins to boil and is changed
to a vapor state. As the refrigerant passes through
the evaporator, it continues to boil by absorbing heat
from the air passing over the evaporator surfaces
until it is completely vaporized. From the evaporator
the cool low pressure refrigerant gas is drawn back
to the compressor and the cycle repeated.
Thus the air passing over the evaporator surfaces is
cooled simply by giving up heat to the refrigerant
during the boiling process.
CHEMICAL INSTABILITY AND REFRIGERATING
SYSTEM FAILURESA sealed refrigerating system is a complex physical-
chemical combination which is designed for stability

REFRIGERANT COMPONENTS ALL MODELS99.29
1 REFRIGERANT LEAVES COMPRESSOR
AS A HIGH PRESSURE-HIGH
TEMPERATURE VAPOR
REFRIGERANT RETURNS TO
COMPRESSOR AS LOW PRESSURE VAPOR
EXPANSION VALVE5 HEAT REMOVED
FROM AIR VAPORIZES
LOW PRESSURE
LIQUID REFRIGERANT
4 HIGH PRESSURE‘JQUID CHANGES
TO LOW PRESSURE
LIQUID AT THIS
POINT
2 UPON REMOVAL OF HEAT
VAPOR BECOMES HIGH
PRESSURE LIQUID REFRIGERANT3 LIQUID REFRIGERANT IS STORED
HERE UNTIL NEEDED
98*II
Figure 98-23
Basic
Refrigeration Cyclewithin certain operating limits. If these limits are
exceeded, many physical and chemical reactions oc-
cur. Since the results of these reactions within the
system cannot be easily removed, they build up into
a constantly accelerating vicious circle to eventually
fail the system.is allowed to enter the system, it can start a chain of
chemical reactions which upsets stability and inter-
feres with the operation of the unit.
Metals
CHEMICAL INGREDIENTS OF AN AUTOMOTIVE
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMAll systems involve metals, refrigerant, and oil which
are basic and essential. The desiccant, or dehydrating
agent, and another chemical ingredient, synthetic
rubber, makes it even more complex.
All of these ingredients have chemical properties
which are entirely different from each of the others.
In spite,of these differences, by proper selection of
the ingredients and controlled processes in manufac-
ture, plus careful servicing procedures they can be
combined so that they “live together” to provide
many years of satisfactory and trouble-free operat-
ion.If, however, only one undesirable element is added orIn most cases, metals contribute to the decomposi-
tion of R-12 and oil in varying amounts. All are
attacked by acids.
Each of the metals in common use in a system has
been selected for a specific reason; heat conductivity,
durability, strength, and chemical composition.
Under favorable conditions, the amounts of decom-
position of Refrigerant-12 and oil produced by these
metals is negligible and allowable. However, if un-
desirable substances are added and the temperature
is increased, the rate of decomposition and the pro-
duction of harmful acids increases proportionally.
RefrigerantThe chemical properties of refrigerants are very im-
portant factors in the stability of a system since the

9B-30 1973 OPEL SERVICE MANUAL
refrigerant penetrates to every nook and cranny of
the unit.
Among the many desirable properties of R-12, is its
stability under operating conditions. However, while
more stable than the other refrigerants under the
same conditions, it, too, can be caused to form harm-
ful acids which will eventually fail the system.OilOil is the most complex of all of the organic chemi-
cals. Its stability in a refrigerating system is depend-
ent upon the source of crude oil and its method of
refining. A good refrigerating oil must be free of
sludge and gum-forming substances and free of
harmful impurities, such as sulphur. It must also be
stabilized to resist oxidation and must have a high
degree of resistance to carbonization.
The chemical properties of the lubricating oil form
another very important consideration in the chemi-
cal stability within the system. Like the refrigerant,
it travels to every nook and cranny of the unit.
The factory obtains the finest oils which have been
refined from the most desirable
crudes. It is reproc-
essed at the factory before it is charged into a system
or poured into a container for resale. Its
voscosityand flash point are checked and it is forced through
many sheets of filtering paper.
Even the containers in which it is poured for resale
are processed. As you recive it for field service it is
the cleanest, dry&, and purest oil that is humanly
possible to make. Leaving the container uncapped
even for a few minutes allows the oil to absorb mois-
ture from the air. Many system failures have been
caused by chemical reactions which were started by
servicemen adding contaminated oil.
Desiccants (Dehydrating Agent)Over the years the industry has spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars in finding and developing
chemical substances which are suitable for use in
refrigerating systems. An ideal desiccant must have
the following characteristics:
I. High capacity.
2. High eficiency.
3. Low tendency to powder.
4. Absorb moisture without reacting chemically with
it.5. Allow refrigerant to flow through it with mini-
mum restriction.
6. Retain moisture at high temperature.This has been a difficult combination to find. While
some desiccants excel in several of the desirable char-
acteristics, they are unsatisfactor:y in others.
Activated Silica Alumina, used in current
receiver-dehydrators, is a most satisfactory desiccant. How-
ever, its ability to retain moisture is affected by its
temperature. As the temperature increases, its ability
decreases. This means that moisture which is re-
tained at a lower temperature may be put back into
the system at a higher temperature.
MAINTAINING CHEMICAL STABILITY IN THE
REFRIGERATION SYSTEMThe metal internal parts of the refrigeration system
and the refrigerant and oil contained in the system
are designed to remain in a state of chemical stability
as long as pure R-12 plus refrigeration oil is used in
the system. However, when abnormal amounts of
foreign materials, such as dirt, air or moisture are
allowed to enter the system, the chemical stability
may be upset (Fig. 9B-24).
Figure
98.24 System Contaminants
When accelerated by heat, these contaminants may
form acids and sludge and eventually cause the
breakdown of components within the system. In ad-
dition, contaminants may affect the temperature
pressure relationship of R-12, resulting in improper
operating temperature and pressures and decreased
efficiency
OF the system.
The following general practices should be observed
to maintain chemical stability in the system:
Whenever it becomes necessary to disconnect a re-
frigerant or gauge line, it should be immediately
capped. Capping the tubing will also prevent dirt and
foreign matter from entering.
Tools should be kept clean and dry. This also in-
cludes the gauge set and replacement parts.

98-32 1973 OPEL SERVICE MANUAL
inserting it in the connection. Another precaution -inspect the fitting for burrs which can cut the
“0”ring.
Restrictions
Restrictions may be due to powdered desiccant or
dirt and foreign matter. This may result in starved
evaporator and loss of cooling, or a seized compres-
SOT.When the amount of moisture in a system sufti-
ciently exceeds the capacity of the desiccant, it can
break down the desiccant and cause it to powder.
The powder passes through the dehydrator screen
with the refrigerant liquid and is carried to the ex-
pansion valve screen. While some of it may pass
through the valve screen into the evaporator, it may
quickly build up to cause a restriction.
Due to the fact that sufftcient oil can not be returned
to the compressor, it may seize.
Dirt
Dirt, which is any foreign material, may come from
cleaner residues, cutting, machining, or preserving
oils, metal dust or chips, lint or dust, loose rust,
soldering or brazing fluxes, paint or loose oxide
scale. These can also cause seized bearings by abra-
sion or wedging, discharge and expansion valve fail-
ure, decomposition of refrigerant and oil, or
corrosion of metal parts.
CorrosionCorrosion and its by-products can restrict valve and
drier screens, rough bearing surfaces or rapid fatigu-
ing of discharge reeds. This can result in high tem-
perature and pressure, decomposition or leaks. In
any event, this means a wrecked compressor.
From this, we can see the vicious circle that can be
produced in a refrigerating system to cause its fail-
ure. Corrosion can be the indirect cause of leaks, and
leaks can be the direct cause of corrosion. We can
also see the important role we as servicemen play in
maintaining chemical stability.
The major cause of corrosion is moisture.
Moisture
Moisture is the greatest enemy of refrigerating sys-
tems. Combined with metal, it produces oxide, Iron
Hydroxide and Aluminum Hydroxide. Combined
with R-12 it produces Carbonic acid, Hydrochloric
acid, and Hydrofluoric acid. Moisture can also cause
freeze-up of expansion valve and powdered desic-
cant.Although high temperature and dirt are responsible
for many difficulties in refrigerating systems, in most
instances it is the presence of moisture in the system
that accelerates these conditions. It can be said,themfore, that moisture is the greatest enemy of all.
The acids that it produces, in combination with both
the metals and the refrigerant, cause damaging
COT-
rosion. While the corrosion may not form as rapidly
with R-12 as with some other refrigerants, the even-
tual formation is as damaging.
If the operating pressure and temperature in the
evaporator is reduced to the freezing point, moisture
in the refrigerant can collect at the orifice of the
expansion valve and freeze. This temporarily re-
stricts the flow of liquid causing erratic cooling.
As previously mentioned, moisture in excess of the
desiccant’s capacity can cause it to powder.
YOU SHOULD KNOW AND REMEMBER..That the inside of the refrigerat,ion system is com-
pletely sealed from the outside world. And if that
seal remains broken at any point
- the system will
soon be destroyed. That complete and positive seal-
ing of the entire system is vitally important and that
this sealed condition is absolutely necessary to retain
the chemicals and keep them in a pure and proper
condition.
That all parts of the refrigeration system are under
pressure at all times, whether operating or idle, and
that any leakage. points are continuously losing re-
frigerant and oil.
That the leakage of refrigerant can be so silent that
the complete charge may be lost without warning.
That refrigerant gas is heavier than air and will rap-
idly drop to the floor as it flows from a point of
leakage.
That the pressure in the system may momentarily
become as high as 400 lbs. per square inch, and that
under such pressure the molecules of refrigerant are
forced out through the smallest opening or pore.
That the compressor is continually giving up some
lubricating oil to the circulating refrigerant and de-
pends upon oil in the returning refrigerant for con-
tinuous replenishment. Any stoppage or major loss
of refrigerant will therefore be fatal to the compres-
SOT.That the extreme internal dryness of a properly proc-
essed system is a truly desert condition, with the
drying material in the receiver holding tightly on to
the tiny droplets of residual moisture.

REFRIGERANT COMPONENTS ALL MODELS99- 33
That the attraction of the drying material for mois-
ture is so powerful that if the receiver is left open,
moisture will be drawn in from the outside air.
That just one drop of water added to the refrigerantwill start chemical changes that can result in corro-
sion and eventual breakdown of the chemicals in the
system. Hydrochloric acid is the result of an R-12
mixture with water.
That the smallest amount of air in the refrigeration
system may start reactions that can cause malfunc-
tions.
That the drying agent in the receiver-dehydrator is
Activated Silica Alumina (silica-gel).
That
the inert gas in the expansion valve capillary
line is carbon dioxide.
DESCRIPTION OF AIR CONDITIONING
COMPONENTS
Compressor
The compressor is located in the engine compart-
ment. The purpose of the unit is to draw the low
pressure,gas from the evaporator and compress this
gas into a high temperature, high pressure gas. This
action will result in the refrigerant having a higher
temperature than the surrounding air.
The
cortipressor is of basic double action piston de-
sign. Three horizontal double acting pistons make up
a six cylinder compressor (See Figure
9B-162). The
pistons operate in
l-1/2 inch bore and have a l-1/8
inch stroke. A
wash plate keyed to the shaft drives
the pistons. The shaft is belt driven through a mag-
netic clutch and pulley arrangement. An oil pump
mounted at the rear of the compressor picks up oil
from the
botto’m of the compressor and lubricates the
bearings’and other internal parts of the compressor.
Reed type valves at each end of the compressor open
or close to control the flow of incoming and outgoing refrigerant. Two gas tight passages interconnect
chambers of the front and rear heads so that there is
one common suction port, and one common dis-
charge port. The internal parts of the compressor
function, as follows:
1. Suction Valve Reed Discs and Discharge Valve
Plates
_ The two suction valve reed discs and two
discharge valve plates (see Figure
9B-25) operate in
a similar but opposite manner. The discs are com-
posed of three reeds and function to open when the
pistons are on the intake portion of their stroke
(downstroke), and close on the compression stroke.
The reeds allow low pressure gas to enter the cylin- ders. The discharge valve plates also have three
reeds, however, they function to open when the pis- tons are on the compression portion of their stroke
(upstroke), and close on the intake stroke. High pres-
sure gas exits from discharge ports in the discharge
valve plate. Three retainers riveted directly above the
reeds on the valve plate serve to limit the opening of
the reeds on the compression stroke.
SUCTION VALVE
DISCHARGE-VALVE PLATES
Figure
98-25 - Compressor Suction Valve Reed Discs
and Discharge Valve Plates
2. Front and Rear Heads - The front and rear heads
(Figure
9B-26) serve to channel the refrigerant into
and out of the cylinders. The front head is divided
into two separate passages and the rear head is di-
vided into three separate passages. The outer passage
on both the front and rear heads channels high pres-
sure gas from the discharge valve reeds. The middle
passage of the rear head also contains the port open-
ing to the superheat switch cavity. This opening in
the rear head permits the superheat switch to be
affected by suction gas pressure and suction gas tem-
perature for the operating protection of the compres-
sor. The inner passage on the rear head houses the
oil pump inner and outer rotors. A Teflon sealing
material is bonded to the sealing surfaces separating
the passages in the rear head.
“0” rings are used to
affect a seal between the mating surfaces of the heads
and the shell. The front head suction and discharge
passages are connected to the suction and discharge
passages of the rear head by a discharge tube and
suction passage in the
body of the cylinder assembly.
A screen located in the suction port of the rear head
prevents foreign material from entering the circuit.
3. Oil Pump
- An internal tooth outer rotor and
external tooth inner rotor comprise the oil pump.
The pump works on the principle of a rotary type pump. Oil is drawn up from oil reservoir in underside
of shell through the oil inlet tube (see Figure
9B-27)