Appendix C to Part 82 of Subpart B - Standard for Recover/Recycle Equipment forHFC-134aRefrigerant

I. SAE J2210, issued December, 1991.

HFC-134a Recycling Equipment for Mobile Air Conditioning Systems Foreword

The purpose of this standard is to establish the specific minimum equipment specification required for the recycling of HFC-134a that has been directly removed from, and is intended for reuse in, mobile air-conditioning systems. Establishing such specifications will assure that system operation with recycled HFC-134a will provide the same level of performance and durability as new refrigerant.

1. Scope

The purpose of this standard is to establish specific minimum equipment requirements for recycling HFC-134a that has been directly removed from, and is intended for reuse in, mobile air-conditioning (A/C) systems.

2. References

Applicable Documents—The following publications form a part of this specification to the extent specified.

2.1.1 SAE Publications—Available from SAE, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001. SAE J2099—Standard of Purity for Recycled HFC-134a for Use in Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems SAE J2196—Service Hoses for Automotive Air-Conditioning SAE J2197—Service Hose Fittings for Automotive Air-Conditioning 2.1.2 CGA Publications—Available from CGA, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. CGA Pamphlet S-1.1-Pressure Relief Device Standard Part 1—Cylinders for Compressed Gases 2.1.3 DOT Publications—Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 DOT Standard, 49 CFR 173.304—Shippers-General Requirements for Shipments and Packagings 2.1.4 UL Publications—Available from Underwriters Laboratories, 333 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062-2096. UL 1769—Cylinder Valves UL 1963—Refrigerant Recovery/Recycling Equipment 3. Specification and General Description 3.1The equipment must be able to remove and process HFC-134a from mobile A/C systems to the purity level specified in SAE J2099. 3.2The equipment shall be suitable for use in an automotive service garage environment and be capable of continuous operation in ambients from 10 to 49°C (50 to 120°F). 3.3The equipment must be certified that it meets this specification by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or an equivalent certifying laboratory. 3.4The equipment shall have a label which states “Design Certified by (Certifying Agent) to meet SAE J2210” in bold-type letters a minimum of 3 mm in height. 4. Refrigerant Recycling Equipment Requirements 4.1Moisture and Acid—The equipment shall incorporate a desiccant package that must be replaced before saturation with moisture, and whose mineral acid capacity is at least 5% by weight of the dry desiccant. 4.1.1The equipment shall be provided with a moisture detection means that will reliably indicate when moisture in the HFC-134a reaches the allowable limit and desiccant replacement is required. 4.2 Filter—The equipment shall incorporate an in-line filter that will trap particulates of 15 micron spherical diameter or greater. 4.3Noncondensable Gases 4.3.1The equipment shall either automatically purge noncondensables (NCGs) if the acceptable level is exceeded or incorporate a device that indicates to the operator that the NCG level has been exceeded. NCG removal must be part of the normal operation of the equipment and instructions must be provided to enable the task to be accomplished within 30 minutes. 4.3.2Refrigerant loss from noncondensable gas purging during the testing described in Section 8 shall not exceed 5% by weight of the total contaminated refrigerant removed from the test system. 4.4Recharging and Transfer of Recycled Refrigerant—Recycled refrigerant for recharging and transfer shall be taken from the liquid phase only. 5. Safety Requirements 5.1The equipment must comply with applicable federal, state, and local requirements on equipment related to handling HFC-134a material. Safety precautions or notices related to safe operation of the equipment shall be prominently displayed on the equipment and should also state “CAUTION—SHOULD BE OPERATED BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL”. 5.2HFC-134a has been shown to be nonflammable at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. However, tests under controlled conditions have indicated that, at pressures above atmospheric and with air concentrations greater than 60% by volume, HFC-134a can form combustible mixtures. While it is recognized that an ignition source is also required for combustion to occur, the presence of combustible mixtures is a potentially dangerous situation and should be avoided. 5.3Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should any equipment be pressure tested or leak tested with air/HFC-134a mixtures. Do not use compressed air (shop air) for leak detection in HFC-134a systems. 6. Operating Instructions 6.1The equipment manufacturer must provide operating instructions, including proper attainment of vehicle system vacuum (i.e., when to stop the extraction process), filter/desiccant replacement, and purging of noncondensable gases (air). Also to be included are any other necessary maintenance procedures, source information for replacement parts and repair, and safety precautions. 6.2The equipment must prominently display the manufacturer's name, address, the type of refrigerant it is designed to recycle, a service telephone number, and the part number for the replacement filter/drier. 7. Functional Description 7.1The equipment must be capable of ensuring removal of refrigerant from the system being serviced by reducing the system pressure to a minimum of 102 mm (4 in) of mercury below atmospheric pressure (i.e., vacuum). 7.2During operation, the equipment shall provide overfill protection to assure that the liquid fill of the storage container (which may be integral or external) does not exceed 80% of the tank's rated volume at 21.1°C (70°F) per Department of Transportation (DOT) Standard, 49 CFR 173.304 and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 7.3Portable refillable tanks or containers used in conjunction with this equipment must be labeled “HFC-134a”, meet applicable DOT or Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standards, and shall incorporate fittings per SAE J2197. 7.3.1The cylinder valve shall comply with the standard for cylinder valves, UL 1769. 7.3.2The pressure relief device shall comply with the Pressure Relief Device Standard Part 1—Cylinders for Compressed Gases, CGA Pamphlet S-1.1. 7.3.3The tank assembly shall be marked to indicate the first retest date which shall be 5 years after the date of manufacture. The marking shall indicate that retest must be performed every subsequent 5 years. The marking shall be in letter at least 6 mm (1/4 in) high. 7.4All flexible hoses must comply with SAE J2196. 7.5Service hoses must have shutoff devices located within 30 cm (12 in) of the connection point to the system being serviced as identified in J2196. All service fittings must comply with SAE J2197. 7.6The equipment must be able to separate the lubricant from the removed refrigerant and accurately indicate the amount of lubricant removed during the process, in 30 mL (1 fl oz) units. Refrigerant dissolves in lubricants and, as a result, increases the volume of the recovered lubricant sample. This creates the illusion that more lubricant has been recovered than actually has been. The equipment lubricant measuring system must take into account such dissolved refrigerant to prevent overcharging the vehicle system with lubricant. (Note: Use only new lubricant to replace the amount removed during the recycling process. Used lubricant should be discarded per applicable federal, state, and local requirements.) 8. Testing

This test procedure and its requirements are to be used to determine the ability of the recycling equipment to adequately recycle contaminated refrigerant.

8.1The equipment shall be able to clean the contaminated refrigerant in section 8.3 to the purity level defined in SAE J2099. 8.2The equipment shall be operated in accordance with the manufacturer's operating instructions. 8.3Contaminated HFC-134a Sample. 8.3.1The standard contaminated refrigerant shall consist of liquid HFC-134a with 1300 ppm (by weight) moisture (equivalent to saturation at 38°C [100 °F]), 45,000 ppm (by weight) HFC-134a compatible lubricant, and 1000 ppm (by weight) of noncondensable gases (air). 8.3.1.1The HFC-134a compatible lubricant referred to in section 8.3.1 shall be ICI DGLF 118, or equivalent, which shall contain no more than 1000 ppm by weight of moisture. 8.4Test Cycle 8.4.1The equipment must be preconditioned by processing 13.6 kg (30 lb) of the standard contaminated HFC-134a at an ambient of 21°C (70°F) before starting the test cycle. 1.13 kg (2.5 lb) samples are to be processed at 5 min intervals. The test fixture, depicted in Figure 1 to Appendix A, shall be operated at 21°C (70°F). 8.4.2Following the preconditioning procedure per section 8.4.1, 18.2 kg (40 lb) of standard contaminated HFC-134a are to be processed by the equipment. 8.5 Sample Requirements 8.5.1Samples of the standard contaminated refrigerant from section 8.3.1 shall be processed as required in section 8.6 and shall be analyzed after said processing as defined in sections 8.7, 8.8, and section 8.9. Note exception for non-condensable gas determination in section 8.9.4. 8.6Equipment Operating Ambient 8.6.1The HFC-134a is to be cleaned to the purity level, as defined in SAE J2099, with the equipment operating in a stable ambient of 10, 21, and 49°C (50, 70, 120°F) while processing the samples as defined in section 8.4. 8.7Quantitative Determination of Moisture 8.7.1The recycled liquid phase sample of HFC-134a shall be analyzed for moisture content via Karl Fischer coulometric titration, or an equivalent method. The Karl Fischer apparatus is an instrument for precise determination of small amounts of water dissolved in liquid and/or gas samples. 8.7.2In conducting this test, a weighed sample of 30 to 130 g is vaporized directly into the Karl Fischer anolyte. A coulometric titration is conducted and the results are reported as parts per million moisture (weight). 8.8Determination of Percent Lubricant 8.8.1The amount of lubricant in the recycled HFC-134a sample shall be determined via gravimetric analysis. The methodology must account for the hygroscopicity of the lubricant. 8.8.2Following venting of noncondensable gases in accordance with the manufacturer's operating instructions, the refrigerant container shall be shaken 5 min prior to extracting samples for testing. 8.8.3A weighed sample of 175 to 225 g of liquid HFC-134a is allowed to evaporate at room temperature. The percent lubricant is calculated from weights of the original sample and the residue remaining after evaporation. 8.9Noncondensable Gases 8.9.1The amount of noncondensable gases shall be determined by gas chromatography. A sample of vaporized refrigerant liquid shall be separated and analyzed by gas chromatography. A Porapak Q column at 130°C (266°F) and a hot wire detector may be used for the analysis. 8.9.2This test shall be conducted on liquid phase samples of recycled refrigerant taken from a full container as defined in section 7.2 within 30 minutes following the proper venting of noncondensable gases. 8.9.3The liquid phase samples in section 8.9.2 shall be vaporized completely prior to gas chromatographic analysis. 8.9.4This test shall be conducted at 21 and 49°C (50 and 120°F) and may be performed in conjunction with the testing defined in section 8.6. The equipment shall process at least 13.6 kg (30 lb) of standard contami nated refrigerant for this test). Rationale

Not applicable.

Relationship of Standard to ISO Standard

Not applicable.

Application

The purpose of this standard is to establish the specific minimum equipment requirements for recycling HFC-134a that has been directly removed from, and is intended for reuse in, mobile air-conditioning (A/C) systems.

Reference Section SAE J2099—Standard of Purity for Recycled HFC-134a for Use in Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems SAE J2196—Service Hoses for Automotive Air-Conditioning SAE J2197—Service Hose Fittings for Automotive Air-Conditioning CGA Pamphlet S-1.1—Pressure Relief Device Standard Part 1—Cylinders for Compressed Gases UL 1769—Cylinder Valves UL 1963—Refrigerant Recovery/Recycling Equipment DOT Standard, 49 CFR 173.304—Shippers—General Requirements for Shipment and Packagings II. SAE J2211, issued December, 1991. Recommended Service Procedure for the Containment of HFC-134a 1. Scope

Refrigerant containment is an important part of servicing mobile air-conditioning systems. This procedure provides guidelines for technicians for servicing mobile air-conditioning systems and operating refrigerant recycling equipment designed for HFC-134a (described in SAE J2210).

2. References 2.1Applicable Documents-The following publications form a part of this specification to the extent specified. The latest issue of SAE publications shall apply. 2.1.1SAE Publications—Available from SAE, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001. SAE J2196—Service Hoses for Automotive Air-Conditioning SAE J2197—Service Hose Fittings for Automotive Air-Conditioning SAE J2210—Refrigerant Recycling Equipment for HFC-134a Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems SAE J2219—Concerns to the Mobile Air-Conditioning Industry 2.2Definitions 2.2.1Recovery/Recycling (R/R) Unit—Refers to a single piece of equipment that performs both functions of recovery and recycling of refrigerants per SAE J2210. 2.2.2Recovery—Refers to that portion of the R/R unit operation that removes the refrigerant from the mobile air-conditioning system and places it in the R/R unit storage container. 2.2.3Recycling—Refers to that portion of the R/R unit operation that processes the refrigerant for reuse on the same job site to the purity specifications of SAE J2099. 3. Service Procedure 3.1Connect the recycling unit service hoses, which shall have shutoff devices (e.g., valves) within 30 cm (12 in) of the service ends, to the vehicle air-conditioning (A/C) service ports. Hoses shall conform to SAE J2196 and fittings shall conform to SAE J2197. 3.2Operate the recycling equipment per the equipment manufacturer's recommended procedure. 3.2.1Verify that the vehicle A/C system has refrigerant pressure. Do not attempt to recycle refrigerant from a discharged system as this will introduce air (noncondensable gas) into the recycling equipment which must later be removed by purging. 3.2.2Begin the recycling process by removing the refrigerant from the vehicle A/C system. Continue the process until the system pressure has been reduced to a minimum of 102mm (4 in) of mercury below atmospheric pressure (i.e., vacuum). If A/C components show evidence of icing, the component can be gently heated to facilitate refrigerant removal. With the recycling unit shut off for at least 5 minutes, check A/C system pressure. If this pressure has risen above vacuum (0 psig), additional recycler operation is required to remove the remaining refrigerant. Repeat the operation until the system pressure remains stable at vacuum for 2 minutes. 3.3Close the valves in the service lines and then remove the service lines from the vehicle system. If the recovery equipment has automatic closing valves, be sure they are operating properly. Proceed with the repair/service. 3.4Upon completion of refrigerant removal from the A/C system, determine the amount of lubricant removed during the process and replenish the system with new lubricant, which is identified on the A/C system label. Used lubricant should be discarded per applicable federal, state, and local requirements. 4. Service With a Manifold Gauge Set 4.1High-side, low-side, and center service hoses must have shutoff devices (e.g., valves) within 30 cm (12 in) of the service ends. Valves must be closed prior to hose removal from the A/C system to prevent refrigerant loss to the atmosphere. 4.2During all service operations, service hose valves should be closed until connected to the vehicle A/C system or to the charging source to exclude air and/or contain the refrigerant. 4.3When the manifold gauge set is disconnected from the A/C system, or when the center hose is moved to another device that cannot accept refrigerant pressure, the gauge set hoses should be attached to the recycling equipment to recover the refrigerant from the hoses. 5. Supplemental Refrigerant Checking Procedure for Stored Portable Containers 5.1Certified recycling equipment and the accompanying recycling procedure, when properly followed, will deliver use-ready refrigerant. In the event that the full recycling procedure was not followed or the technician is unsure about the noncondensable gas content of a given tank of refrigerant, this procedure can be used to determine whether the recycled refrigerant container meets the specification for noncondensable gases (air). (Note: The use of refrigerant with excess air will result in higher system operating pressures and may cause A/C system damage.) 5.2The container must be stored at a temperature of 18.3 °C (65 °F) or above for at least 12 hours, protected from direct sunlight. 5.3Install a calibrated pressure gauge, with 6.9 kPa (1 psig) divisions, on the container and read container pressure. 5.4With a calibrated thermometer, measure the air temperature within 10 cm (4 in) of the container surface. 5.5Compare the observed container pressure and air temperature to the values given in Tables 1 and 2 to determine whether the container pressure is below the pressure limit given in the appropriate table. For example, at an air temperature of 21 °C (70 °F) the container pressure must not exceed 524 kPa (76 psig). 5.6If the refrigerant in the container has been recycled and the container pressure is less than the limit in Tables 1 and 2, the refrigerant may be used. 5.7If the refrigerant in the container has been recycled and the container pressure exceeds the limit in Tables 1 and 2, slowly vent, from the top of the container, a small amount of vapor into the recycle equipment until the pressure is less than the pressure shown in Tables 1 and 2. 5.8If, after shaking the container and letting it stand for a few minutes, the container pressure still exceeds the pressure limit shown in Tables 1 and 2, the entire contents of the container shall be recycled. Table 1.—Maximum Allowable Container Pressure (Metric)Temp, C(F)kPaTemp, C(F)kPaTemp, C(F)kPaTemp, C(F)kPa18 (65) 476 26 (79) 621 34 (93) 793 42 (108) 100719 (66) 483 27 (81) 642 35 (95) 814 43 (109) 102720 (68) 503 28 (82) 655 36 (97) 841 44 (111) 105521 (70) 524 29 (84) 676 37 (99) 876 45 (113) 108922 (72) 545 30 (86) 703 38 (100) 889 46 (115) 112423 (73) 552 31 (88) 724 39 (102) 917 47 (117) 115824 (75) 572 32 (90) 752 40 (104) 945 48 (118) 117925 (77) 593 33 (91) 765 41 (106) 979 49 (120) 1214 Table 2.—Maximum Allowable Container Pressure (English)Temp, FpsigTemp, FpsigTemp, FpsigTemp, Fpsig65 69 79 90 93 115 107 14466 70 80 91 94 117 108 14667 71 81 93 95 118 109 14968 73 82 95 96 120 110 15169 74 83 96 97 122 111 15370 76 84 98 98 125 112 15671 77 85 100 99 127 113 15872 79 86 102 100 129 114 16073 80 87 103 101 131 115 16374 82 88 105 102 133 116 16575 83 89 107 103 135 117 16876 85 90 109 104 137 118 17177 86 91 111 105 139 119 17378 88 92 113 106 142 120 176 6. Containers for Storage of Recycled Refrigerant 6.1Recycled refrigerant should not be salvaged or stored in disposable containers (this is one common type of container in which new refrigerant is sold). Use only DOT 49 CFR or UL approved storage containers, specifically marked for HFC-134a, for recycled refrigerant. 6.2Any container of recycled refrigerant that has been stored or transferred must be checked prior to use as defined in Section 5. 6.3Evacuate the tanks to at least 635 mm Hg (25 in Hg) below atmospheric pressure (vacuum) prior to first use. 7. Transfer of Recycled Refrigerant 7.1When external portable containers are used for transfer, the container must be evacuated to at least 635 mm (25 in Hg) below atmospheric pressure (vacuum) prior to transfer of the recycled refrigerant to the container. External portable containers must meet DOT and UL standards. 7.2To prevent on-site overfilling when transferring to external containers, the safe filling level must be controlled by weight and must not exceed 60% of the container gross weight rating. 8. Safety Note for HFC-134a 8.1HFC-134a has been shown to be nonflammable at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. However, recent tests under controlled conditions have indicated that, at pressures above atmospheric and with air concentrations greater than 60% by volume, HFC-134a can form combustible mixtures. While it is recognized that an ignition source is also required for combustion to occur, the presence of combustible mixtures is a potentially dangerous situation and should be avoided. 8.2Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE should any equipment be pressure tested or leak tested with air/HFC-134a mixtures. Do not use compressed air (shop air) for leak detection in HFC-134a systems. 9. Disposal of Empty/Near Empty Containers 9.1Since all refrigerant may not have been removed from disposable refrigerant containers during normal system charging procedures, empty/near empty container contents should be recycled prior to disposal of the container. 9.2Attach the container to the recycling unit and remove the remaining refrigerant. When the container has been reduced from a pressure to vacuum, the container valve can be closed and the container can be removed from the unit. The container should be marked “Empty”, after which it is ready for disposal. III. SAE J2099, issued December, 1991. Standard of Purity for Recycled HFC-134a for Use in Mobile Air Conditioning Systems Foreword

The purpose of this standard is to establish the minimum level of purity required for recycled HFC-134a removed from, and intended for reuse in, mobile air-conditioning systems.

1. Scope

This standard applies to HFC-134a refrigerant used to service motor vehicle passenger compartment air-conditioning systems designed or retrofitted to use HFC-134a. Hermetically sealed, refrigerated cargo systems are not covered by this standard.

2. References 2.1Applicable Documents—The following publications form a part of this specification to the extent specified. The latest issue of SAE publications shall apply. 2.1.1SAE publications—Available from SAE, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001. SAE J2210—HFC-134a Recycling Equipment for Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems SAE J2211—Recommended Service Procedure for the Containment of HFC-134a 3. Purity Specification

The refrigerant referred to in this standard shall have been directly removed from, and intended to be returned to, a mobile air-conditioning system. Contaminants in this recycled refrigerant shall be limited to moisture, refrigerant system lubricant, and noncondensable gases, which, when measured in the refrigerant liquid phase, shall not exceed the following levels:

3.1Moisture—50 ppm by weight 3.2Lubricant—500 ppm by weight 3.3Noncondensable Gases (Air)—150 ppm by weight 4. Requirements for Recycle Equipment Used in Direct Mobile Air-Conditioning Service Operations 4.1Such equipment shall meet J2210, which covers additional moisture, acid, and filter requirements. 5. Operation of the Recycle Equipment

Recycle equipment operation shall be in accord with SAE J2211.

Application

This Standard applies to HFC-134a refrigerant used to service motor vehicle passenger compartment air-conditioning systems designed or retrofitted to use HFC-134a. Hermetically sealed, refrigerated cargo systems are not covered by this standard.

Reference Section SAE J2210—HFC-134a Recycling Equipment for Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems SAE J2211—Recommended Service Procedure for the Containment of HFC-134a.