 |
Never leave accumulator dryers lying around open, as the dryer will be saturated already by the ambient humidity and be made unusable. |
 |
 | |
| Illustration 1 | g00388292 |
(1) Dryer | |
The accumulator serves as a storage tank for the refrigerant. Dryer (1) is the lower portion of the accumulator. The dryer serves as a filter and a dryer for the refrigerant. The desiccant is capable of removing a small quantity of water.
Liquid refrigerant enters the top of the accumulator. The refrigerant can be stored in the accumulator if the air conditioning system is not active. The refrigerant in the accumulator flows through a solid dryer. Contaminants are removed from the refrigerant in the dryer.
Dryer
Dryer (1) removes moisture and contaminants from the air conditioning system. Moisture in the air conditioning system is harmful to the piping and components. Moisture can corrode the metal in the components of the system. Moisture will freeze in the evaporator. The moisture can contaminate the oil in the system. The frozen moisture will prevent the flow of the refrigerant.
The dryer is made of silica gel, molecular sieves, and aluminum oxide. The dryer is baked together in order to form a solid. The dryer can absorb 9 ± 3 g (0.20 ± 0.07 lb) of water. The water absorption capacity depends on the temperature of the refrigerant. If a dryer is saturated at 40°C (104°F), the dryer will start releasing the water at 60°C (140°F). Once the dryer starts releasing the water, the dryer can not be regenerated. The dryer should be replaced when water is released.
Air Indicator
 | |
| Illustration 2 | g00300038 |
To check for air, the air conditioning system must be in operation for two to three hours. A false indication of air may be observed, if the air indicator is checked before the operation of the system. Air is present in the system if a bubble is observed in the air indicator. The air must be removed.