Suction line pressure

Discharge gauge pressure

Suction line pressure

Intake valve

Suction line pressure

Suction line pressure

Steam injector

Suction line pressure

Manometer

Suction line pressure

Steam generator

Suction line pressure

Fan

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Okay hopefully Ive made my point that the two factors suction line pressure
loss and suction line velocity are the most important parts of sizing suction lines for
any air conditioning system either residential of commercial. After my last post, I
received this comment from Bruce Porter Senior Manager of Field Service for UPG
Johnson Controls and it really shows how important suction line sizing is to a
system:
It must also be noted that the pressure loss effect of any percentage above the
maximum allowed will result in a loss of refrigerant flow to the compressor. As
such, the loss will always show up under the highest load condition on the hottest

Suction line pressure

day of the year. That being said, the culprit that will show up is too
much superheat. This kills compressors. Usually speaking, when the compressor
has less refrigerant to deal with things are usually good, however, when the load
continues to be high, the discharge superheat goes up exponentially. Generally
speaking, discharge temperatures of around 245 degrees are within range. You
must however, remember the temperature in the compressor is usually 30 to 50
degrees higher approaching the breakdown temperature of the oil. The real
burning question is can I get away with it? Will the under-sizing of the suction
line cause enough havoc in the system to create a compressor failure? In my
experience when you hold the value in the suction line from 5 to 9 pounds, 5 being
therecommended maximum, that only gives you 4 more pounds of loss that you
have a window for until you cause the superheat to get way out of hand. The
refrigerant itself contains superheat in it as a component. When you start adding
superheat and cannot reject it due to restrictions in the suction line, death to the
compressor will be the result. Remember that almost all failures are truly
mechanical in nature first; then electrical will be the fail mode after the oil has been
broken down or burned or lubricity has been compromised due to high
temperatures.
So how do we size suction lines to accomplish this? Suction Line Selection
Chart:manufactures have put together line sizing charts based on industry
acceptable practices. Most of these charts are the same from manufacturer to
manufacturer. The chart below shows the line size that can be selected for each
tonnage of unit. This chart is for R-410A refrigerant application (there are others
for R-22). The chart is based on TOTALEQUIVALENT LINE LENGTH. You need to
keep in mind that the number of elbows and other components (solenoids, check
valves, accumulators, etc) will increase the equivalentlength. In the far right hand
column is the velocity. NOTE that the velocities are mostly above 1000 fpm which is
one of the requirements. Across the top is the equivalent length (the
maximum actual line length for most systems is 200 feet). The numbers in
each column under each equivalent feet is the PERCENTAGE OF CAPACITY
LOSS based on suction line pressure loss or friction. (Remember, we prefer to see
less than 5% loss on a system with R-410A refrigerant).
This chart is a rule of thumb for sizing and the key is to keep the percentage loss as
low as possible and still maintain over 1000 fpm in the entire line set. In most cases,
using the larger line choice gives you the best scenario for the application as long as
you can maintain enough velocity to get the oil back to the compressor. Sometime
you need to use a smaller line to get the velocity and then lose capacity due to

Suction line pressure

pressure loss in the lines. As long as your system sizing can stand the loss of capacity
(up to a maximum of 9% loss), it is always better to sacrifice capacity in order to
maintain proper suction line velocity. (You need to remember Bruces comment
above the maximum loss should not exceed 9 psi to control superheat.)
This, again, is a rule of thumb chart and should only be used for checking possible
line sizing problems on service calls or estimating a job. Nothing can replace doing
an actual calculation for proper line sizing. As you can see right away, the very
smallest tonnage units really start losing capacity quickly as the line lengths get
longer. Those little pumps are just not designed for that type of load. In fact, if
you look at most manufacturers installation guides and look at the limitations 75
to 100 actual feet(not equivalent) is usually the longest recommend line size for
most small tonnage units.

Gauges

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Engine valves are located in the cylinder head. The main function of the
engine valves is to let air in and out of the cylinders. That air is used to
help ignite the fuel which will drive the pistons up and down.
There are two types of engine valves; intake and exhaust valves.
The intake valves of course let air in, and the exhaust valves let
exhaust air out. The more air you can move air in and out of the engine
the more efficient, and therefor power the engine will have. This is why
the engine valve plays a pretty critical role in an engines performance.

Pistons travel up and down inside cylinders. At the top of the pistons
journey are the valves. There are a varying number of valves depending
on the manufacturer. As the piston is at the bottom of the cylinder, the
intake valve opens to let air in, it then closes so the cylinder is air tight to
build compression. Once the piston goes through the compression and
firing stroke, the exhaust valve will open and let the exhaust out. It then
closes immediately after. But you may ask how do the valves open and
close? There is a shaft that pushes on the all the valves called a cam
shaft. Be sure to check out the cam shaft link for more information on the
camshaft.

Steam injector:
Efficiency was further improved by the development of a multi-stage injector
which is powered not by live steam from the boiler but by exhaust steam from
the cylinders, thereby making use of the residual energy in the exhaust steam
which would otherwise have gone to waste. However, an exhaust injector also
cannot work when the locomotive is stationary; later exhaust injectors could use
a supply of live steam if no exhaust steam was available.

An injector, ejector, steam ejector, steam injector, eductor-jet pump or

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The non-lifting injector cold water input is fed by gravity. It uses the principle of induced
current (Impulse (physics)) to push water up to the boiler check valve. It avoids the premature
boiling of feed water at very low absolute pressure, by avoiding the Venturi effect. The steam
cone minimum orifice diameter is kept larger than the combining cone minimum diameter.[1]
The non-lifting Nathan 4000 injector used on the Southern Pacific 4294 could push 12,000
gallons per hour at 250 psi.[2]
The lifting injector uses the Venturi effect of a converging-diverging nozzle to convert the
pressure energy of a motive fluid to velocity energy which creates a low pressure zone that
draws in and entrains a suction fluid. After passing through the throat of the injector, the
mixed fluid expands and the velocity is reduced which results in recompressing the mixed
fluids by converting velocity energy back into pressure energy. The motive fluid may be a
liquid, steam or any other gas. The entrained suction fluid may be a gas, a liquid, a slurry, or a
dust-laden gas stream.[3][4]
The adjacent diagram depicts a typical modern injector. It consists of a motive fluid inlet
nozzle and a converging-diverging outlet nozzle. Water, air, steam, or any other fluid at high
pressure provides the motive force at the inlet.
The Venturi effect is a particular case of Bernoulli's principle. Fluid under high pressure is
converted into a high-velocity jet at the throat of the convergent-divergent nozzle which
creates a low pressure at that point. The low pressure draws the suction fluid into the
convergent-divergent nozzle where it mixes with the motive fluid.
In essence, the pressure energy of the inlet motive fluid is converted to kinetic energy in the
form of velocity head at the throat of the convergent-divergent nozzle. As the mixed fluid
then expands in the divergent diffuser, the kinetic energy is converted back to pressure energy
at the diffuser outlet in accordance with Bernoulli's principle. Steam locomotives use
injectors to pump water into the steam-producing boiler and some of the steam is used as the
injector's motive fluid. Such steam injectors take advantage of condensation of the motive
steam resulting from the mixing with cold feed water.

Manometer

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an instrument for measuring the pressure of a fluid, consisting of a tube filled

Different fluids are used in the fluid column depending on the nature of the pressure
difference. If the different is large, then a heavy fluid, such as mercury may be used. If the
difference is relatively small, such as that measured in a wind tunnel, then a lighter fluid, such
as water is used.
There are many different designs of manometers, including digital models. The simplest
design uses a sealed length of glass tubing bent into a U-shape. The tube is then filled with
the liquid to the sealed end so that no air remains trapped in it. The open end of the tube is
then attached to the system whose pressure is to be measured. Gas will exert pressure on the
open end with the result that the liquid will be at a higher level in the sealed end than in the
open end. The difference between the two levels is an indication of the pressure of the gas in
the system.
Manometers are used in a variety of laboratory applications to measure the pressure of gases
and liquids and also in the field of medicine

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large apparatus for converting hot water into steam at high pressure and often with
supplementary coils to superheat the steam

Small size, small capacity Sussman MBA Electric Steam Generators are perfect for industries that
require efficient, high quality steam in laboratories, hospitals, computer rooms, pilot plants and for
small intermittent, low-steam consuming loads.
These generators are perfect for standby operations in off seasons or when a larger boiler is shut
down or unavailable. The automatic electronic controller meets all UL and ASME requirements. A
main waterline pressure 10 psig greater that the operating pressure of the steam generator is
required for automatic water feeding.
All MBA Steam Generators are factory tested and are ready to operate.
SUSSMAN MBA Series Features:

Safe and easy-to-use heat source no on-site products of combustion.

Easy and quick to install, they require only a water feed connection and electrical hook-up.

Steam available at the flip of a switch

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Applications include: laboratory use, steam for small tanks, reactions and distillations,
autoclaves, food products, jacketed vessels for processing waxes, paraffins, glues, resins &
varnishes, and wood bending.

FAN

UL and cUL Listed