How to Deal with Water Ingress in Automotive Refrigeration System?

[LukasLee]

Methods for handling water ingress in the refrigeration system include: 1. Identify the cause of water ingress, which can be due to leaks in the condenser, leaks in the evaporator, or moisture in the added refrigerant; 2. If there is significant water ingress, disassemble the refrigeration system components, perform segmented purging, and finally restore the refrigeration system; 3. If the water ingress is not severe, simply identify the cause and replace the filter. The refrigeration system requires dry and clean pipelines. Once there is water in the pipelines or the moisture content in the refrigerant exceeds the standard, water can cause ice blockage during compression, damage the insulation of motors and wires, and lead to acidification of the refrigeration oil at high temperatures, resulting in copper plating. Water impurities can throttle the refrigerant flow in the system. If present in the refrigerant, they can clog the filter, causing high compressor return gas temperature. In the oil system, they can result in reduced or no oil return, ultimately leading to dry friction and burnout of the compressor.