With each passing summer, we seem to keep on seeing record high temperatures hit the UK. With a noticeable shift in the number of hot days we experience, it’s fair to say that homeowners and businesses alike are looking for ways to effectively keep cool during any hot spells; this is easier said than done though, with the vast majority of UK homes insulated for the colder months.
This is one of the main reasons that many employers and homeowners end up investing in air conditioning systems to keep their properties cool. Although these systems are extremely effective, they are susceptible to problems and breakdown, so it’s essential that you do your utmost to keep your air conditioning system working properly throughout the year.
Many people tend to think that their air conditioning machine just needs to be switched on and off and it will look after itself, but the truth is that taking a little bit of extra care will result in your AC continuing to perform well for years to come. In other words, you won’t run the risk of having an air conditioning failure on the hottest day of the year!
One of the things you need to do regularly is to purge your air conditioning system to make sure that the filtered air that comes out is clean and healthy. And for that, nothing is better than nitrogen.
How Do Air Conditioning Systems Get Contaminated?
Most air conditioning systems have copper tubes inside. The oxygen going through these tends to form copper oxide in their surface. You can easily check the effect of this by taking a look at the tubes of your air conditioning system: you will probably see a dark brown discoloration. The real problem is, though, that inside the tube oxide flakes are carried by the refrigerant through the system. And this means that the air that comes out from the system will be slightly contaminated.
Benefits of Using Nitrogen in AC Systems
No matter what type of AC unit you choose to install, over time oxidisation will occur and your system will inevitably become contaminated. However, there is a remedy to this, as you can make sure the system gets thoroughly cleaned by using nitrogen gas to purge it.
In the past, other gases were used to carry out this procedure, such as freon. However, nitrogen has quickly become a far more popular option as it does not damage the environment and it doesn’t contain chlorine. Besides, nitrogen doesn’t support damaging processes for the air conditioning system – such as combustion or oxidation.
Moreover, nitrogen gas cylinders can be stored very easily as it is an inert gas, which means that it doesn’t react with other stored materials and it doesn’t carry moisture.
Some of the main benefits of using nitrogen to purge your air conditioning system are:
It helps to absorb moisture trapped within the unit, so your AC system can function more efficiently and effectively in the future
Nitrogen is effective at flushing all contaminants out of the air conditioning unit’s system, enabling the unit to run without spreading contamination
Nitrogen gas is extremely easy to store, and you won’t need an awful lot to purge your air conditioning system. This means that you can use it a few times before needing to purchase another cylinder
How to Use It
The most important thing to consider before injecting nitrogen into your air conditioning system is to be adequately protected to do the job safely. Before starting any work, be sure that you are wearing safety shoes, gloves and goggles. Once you are ready, prepare the nitrogen cylinder and its pressure regulator. Use the nitrogen to push some of the contaminants out of the air conditioning unit. To do this, you just need to attach the nitrogen regulator to one of the lines, allowing it to blow out the other.
Try not to pump too much nitrogen into your air conditioning system though. An excess of it will tend to cool the tube, reducing brazing heat efficiency. In addition, an excess of nitrogen can build up inside the tube and reduce braze alloy penetration. A little hole in a cap at the end of the line will allow the nitrogen to escape.
If you want to make sure that your air conditioning system is always in pristine condition, make sure you apply dry nitrogen to purge it from time to time. Here at Adams Gas, we can offer you a wide range of rent-free nitrogen gas cylinders – including 2L, 9L, 20L and even 50L cylinders. So, if you have any questions about this or any other of our products, don’t hesitate in contacting us, our experts are on hand to give you all of the guidance you need before making a purchase.
