OIL SEPARATORS

The oil separator is installed in the discharge line to eparate the oil from the
refrigerant and turns the oil to the compressor crankcase. All reciprocating and rotary
compressors allow a small amount of oil to pass through into the discharge line. Once the
oil leaves the compressor, it would have to go through the complete system to get back to
the compressor crankcase by way of the system piping and coils. The oil separator has a
reservoir and float to allow this oil to shortcut and return to the crankcase, Figure 23-
46(A) and (B). Oil separators work on the principle of low refrigerant and oil velocity.
As oil-laden discharge gas enters the oil separator, its velocity is immediately slowed.
This slowing of velocity happens from an abrupt change of direction, impingement
screens, internal baffling, or a large opening or transitioning of the piping at the entrance
of the oil separator. Oil is usually mixed with the hot discharge gas in the form of a fog.
This refrigerant oil fog runs into the
internal baffling screens, which
cause the refrigerant and oil fog to
change direction and slow down
rapidly. These cause very fine
particles of oil to collide with one
another and form larger, heavier
particles. Fine mesh impingement
screens separate the oil and
refrigerant even more. Causing large
oil droplets to form and drop to the
bottom of separator. The oil collects
is a sump or reservoir at the bottom
of the separator. A magnet is often
connected to the bottom of the oil
sump to collect any metallic
particles.
When the oil level becomes
high enough to raise a float, an oil
return needle is opened, and the oil is
returned to the compressor crankcase
or oil reservoir through a small
return line this return line should be
just above room temperature most of
the time. If it is always hot, the float
could be stuck open, allowing hot gas to enter the crankcase. This would also cause
excessively high crankcase pressure and could overheat compressors, resulting in serious
damage.
Because the oil separator is in the high side of the system and crankcase is in the
low side, pressure differences naturally exist. This pressure difference is the driving force
for the oil to travel from the separator to the crankcase when the float is in the right
position. Only a small amount of oil is needed to actuate the float mechanism. These
ensure that only a small amount of oil is ever absent from the compressor crankcase at
any given time.
Figure 25-26(C) shows a helical oil separator. Helical oil separators are about
98% efficient in separating oil. When the oil separator and refrigerant fog enters the oil
separators, it is the leading edge of a helical flighting. The fog mixture centrifugally
forced along the spiral path of the helix, this causes the heavier oil particles to be forced
the perimeter of the separator’s shell. This is where impingement with a screen layer
occurs. The screen layer acts as an oil stripping and draining medium. The liquid oil then
flows through a baffle and into an oil collection area at the bottom of the separator just
below flighting. A float-activated oil return valve allows the captured oil to return to the
compressor’s crankcase or oil reservoir. The oil separator should be kept warm to keep
liquid refrigerant from condensing in it during the off cycle. The float does not
distinguish between oil and liquid refrigerant. If liquid refrigerant were in the separator, it
would return the refrigerant to the compressor crankcase. This would dilute the oil and
cause marginal lubrication. If liquid refrigerant is returning to the compressor crankcase,
the return line between the separator and the crankcase will be cold from vaporizing
refrigerant experiencing the pressure drop. A damage, leaking or collapsed excessive
amounts of oil will accumulate in the oil separator. This situation could rob the system of
its valuable lubricant and cause compressor damage.