Installation Manual
AboveAir TM Technologies
Split System Refrigerant Piping Guide
Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps
(DX System Piping)
Refrigerant Piping Guide
•
Installation Requirements
•
Piping & Insulation
•
Pipe Routing
•
Sizing your line set
- Suction or Discharge
- Liquid
- Risers
Split Systems - Refrigerant Piping Guide
AboveAir
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1
REFRIGERANT PIPING GUIDE
Refrigerant Piping Guide
This manual provides general recommenda ons and
requirements for AboveAir Technologies split system
refrigerant piping. Read through this manual carefully
prior to beginning any installa on ac vity to guarantee
that your installa on meets the requirements to ensure
op mal unit performance.
For systems with the condenser located below the evaporator (compressor located in the evaporator sec on),
the maximum allowable ver cal component is 20 feet.
Installation Considerations
Long distances and eleva on changes can reduce the
overall efficiency of refrigerant based systems. Extended
piping runs increase the required line size, the cost of
refrigerant piping and the amount of refrigerant required
for the system. To minimize piping costs and maximize
unit performance, it is recommended to select component placement to minimize the length of the piping run.
Maximum Recommended Lengths
For op mal unit opera on, a maximum total equivalent
length (linear feet of horizontal pipe + linear feet of ver cal pipe + equivalent lengths of all fi ngs) of 150 feet is
permissible. The allowed ver cal component varies depending on system configura on. InstallaƟons in excess
of 150 total equivalent feet may void your compressor
warranty.
For systems with a condensing unit (compressors located
with the condensing sec on) located above the evaporator, the maximum allowable ver cal component is 50
feet.
For systems with a condensing unit (compressors located
with the condensing sec on) located below the evaporator, the maximum allowable ver cal component is 50
feet.
For systems with the condenser located above the evaporator (compressor located in the evaporator sec on),
the maximum allowable ver cal component is 100 feet.
For heat pump applicaƟons: Condensing and Evaporating secƟons flip funcƟonality during heaƟng operaƟon.
Maximum verƟcal run allowance is determined by the
worst case condiƟon.
Piping and Routing
Use Type L or K copper refrigerant grade piping for all
refrigerant lines. Securely mount all refrigerant lines to
the building structure with brackets intended for use
with refrigerant/copper piping. Where refrigerant lines
pass through walls or floors, provide a sleeve to prevent
the line from rubbing. Route piping through chases, ceiling plenums, wall cavi es, conduit, or similar protected
areas to minimize the possibility of damage to the piping.
Slope all refrigerant piping in the direc on of flow at 1/4”
2
AboveAir™ Refrigerant Guide
Refrigerant Piping
AboveAir Technologies
REFRIGERANT PIPING GUIDE
per ten feet: slope the liquid line towards the evaporator,
the hot gas discharge line towards the condenser, and/or
the suc on line towards the compressor. Piping should
be installed without sags or bends.
excess of 150°F. Insula on is not required. Insula on is
recommended where the hot pipe may present a hazard
to the space occupants.
Pipe Traps
Use proper transi on fi ngs to transi on from evaporator and condenser stub out sizes to the refrigerant line
sizes calculated herein.
Piping Configurations
Riser traps should be sizes as small as possible. Traps
should be included in the pipe sizing calcula ons, if required. Traps should be provided as follows:
Liquid Line - No traps required.
AboveAir Units are customizable for a variety of configura ons. Split configura ons include:
Remote Condenser: Compressors are located in the
evaporator sec on. Discharge and liquid lines between
the evaporator and condenser are required.
Condensing Unit: Compressors located with the remote
condensing sec on. SucƟon and liquid lines to between
the evaporator and condensing unit are required.
Each circuit in a mul -circuited unit will require its own
set of lines for connec on. For example, a dual circuited
condenser will require (2) discharge and (2) liquid lines
for connec on to the evaporator sec on.
Pipe Connections
Braze all piping connec ons with a high quality, high
temperature brazing compound of 15% silver suitable
for use with the refrigerant used in your unit and in
accordance with all local, na onal and ASHRAE code
requirements. Take care to avoid introducing debris to
the piping system. Run dry nitrogen through the piping con nuously during the brazing process to minimize
contamina on and ensure joint quality.
Pipe Insulation
Pipe insula on materials should be provided as required
by the project documents and local codes. Piping should
be insulated in accordance with the following:
Liquid Line - Opera ng temperatures for the pipe will
typically be in the range of 110-120°F. Insula on is recommended on external installa ons and where piping is
routed through non-condi oned spaces or where the hot
pipe may present a hazard to the space occupants.
Suc on Line - Typical temperatures are in the vicinity of
40-50°F. Insula on is required to prevent condensa on,
minimize temperature loss to the environment, and prevent refrigerant from flashing.
Hot Gas Discharge Line - Typical temperatures may be in
Suc on Line - Provide ver cal risers with a trap at the
bo om of the riser and an inverted trap at the top of the
riser.
Hot Gas Discharge Line - Provide ver cal risers with a
trap at the bo om of the riser and an inverted trap at
the top of the riser.
In addi on to these requirements, any vapor riser not
sized for 1,000 fpm minimum pipe velocity must be
trapped every 20 feet. Traps may be omi ed for risers
less than 5 feet in height.
Filter Driers
Your unit was shipped with filter-drier(s) either installed
in the evaporator sec on or filter-drier(s) shipped loose
with the system.
If the filter-drier was not factory installed, it must installed in the liquid line as close to the evaporator secon as possible. Refer to the labeling on the device and
ensure that it is installed with the proper orienta on to
the flow.
For mul -circuited units, each liquid line must have its
own filter-drier.
Riser Sizing
Vapor piping must be sized to maintain a minimum
velocity of 1,000 fpm for oil transport. Refer to Table 6b
(R-410a) or Table 7b (R-407c) for the maximum pipe sizes
to maintain this velocity; if your horizontal piping run is
larger than the indicated pipe size, use the value from
the table for the risers. Note that this may increase system pressure drop and degrade unit performance - long
risers should be avoided, if possible.
Flooded Condenser Sizing
Pipes from a remote flooded condenser to a receiver
should be sized for a maximum of 100 fpm. Refer to
Table 6c (R-410a) or Table 7c (R-407c) for the required
pipe sizes for maximum liquid line sizes.
Refrigerant Piping
AboveAir Technologies
AboveAir™ Refrigerant Guide
3
REFRIGERANT PIPING GUIDE
Pipe Sizing Method
Pipe sizing is based on the method detailed in the 2010 ASHRAE Refrigera on Handbook. The following charts and
recommenda ons are provided for your convenience - AboveAir Technologies recommends all refrigerant pipe sizes be
calculated by an engineer in accordance with the latest ASHRAE Refrigera on sizing guidelines.
To begin the calcula on, circle the refrigerant type in Table 1 below. Note the unit tonnage from the unit’s nameplate
and the number of refrigera on circuits. Divide the unit tonnage by the number of circuits to determine the tons per
circuit. All of the subsequent calcula ons in this sec on will be based on tons per circuit.
Table 1 - Tonnage per Circuit
Refrigerant Type
R-407c
R-410a
Unit Tonnage
Number of Circuits
Tons per Circuit
To determine the pipe size to be used for installa on, the total equivalent length must be determined. The following
tables will lead you through the itera ve process of determine the total equivalent length and unit pipe sizes. To begin
the process, record the total length of piping to be installed (horizontal + ver cal) in Table 2 below. To make an ini al
es mate of pipe sizes, mul ply this value by 1.5 and record the value under the total equivalent length column.
Table 2 - Initial Pipe Size Estimates
Line Type
Liquid
Suc on
Discharge
Total
Length
Total
Fi ng Alx
= Equivalent
lowance
Length
x
1.5
=
x
1.5
=
x
1.5
=
Ini al Pipe
Size
The ini al pipe size can be looked up in either Table 6a (R-410a) or Table 7a (R-407c). To look up the line size, round
the total equivalent length up to the next 25 feet. Locate the Tons per Circuit in the column at the top, then follow
down to this total equivalent length. Record the values for the ini al pipe sizes for your applica on in Table 2 above.
Note: The following steps are an iteraƟve process and may need to be conducted more than once. It is recommended
that you copy the next page to allow for one or more addiƟonal iteraƟons.
In Table 3, record the actual quan ty of fi ngs to be installed on all applicable line types. Using the Ini al Pipe Sizes
recorded in Table 2, look up the equivalent fi ng lengths in Table 4. For each line type, mul ply the quan ty of fitngs by the equivalent fi ng lengths. Record this value as indicated in the table, then add the values as indicated to
determine the total equivalent fi ng lengths for each line type. Record these values in i, ii, or ii as applicable.
4
AboveAir™ Refrigerant Guide
Refrigerant Piping
AboveAir Technologies
REFRIGERANT PIPING GUIDE
Table 3 - Fitting Equivalent Lengths
Liquid Line
x
Value from
Table 7 for ini- =
al pipe size
90°
45°
x
=
(a)
x
=
(b)
Traps
x
=
(c)
Fi ng
Type
Quan ty
Total Liquid Fi ng Equivalent Length (a + b + c) =
Suc on Line
Total Fi ng
Equivalent
Length
x
=
(d)
x
=
(e)
Traps
x
=
(f)
Total Suc on Fi ng Equivalent Length (d + e + f) =
Hot Gas Discharge Line
(ii)
90°
45°
x
=
(g)
x
=
(h)
Traps
x
=
(i)
Total Suc on Fi ng Equivalent Length (g + h + i) =
Pipe
Size
3/8
1/2
5/8
3/4
1 1/8
1 3/8
1 5/8
2 1/8
(i)
90°
45°
Table 4 - Fitting
Equivalent Lengths
Fi ng Type
90°
45°
Trap
0.9
0.7
2.3
1.0
0.8
2.5
1.2
0.9
2.9
1.4
0.9
3.2
2.0
1.4
4.9
2.5
1.8
6.0
2.8
2.2
6.8
3.5
2.8
8.7
(iii)
Record the total line length and the total equivalent fi ng lengths (i, ii, and iii) calculated in Table 3 in Table 5 below.
Add these two values together to determine the total equivalent length. Using Table 6a (R-410a) or Table 7a (R-407c)
and the procedure described previously, record the pipe sizes in Table 5.
Table 5 - Calculated Pipe Size
Line Type
Liquid
Suc on
Discharge
Total
Length
+
+
+
+
Fi ng
Equivalent
Lengths
=
(i)
=
(ii)
=
=
(iii)
Total
Equivalent
Length
Pipe Size
Note: this calculaƟon should be repeated with the new line size as a new iniƟal value if there are significant changes in
the line size. Use the pipe size calculated in Table 5 instead of the iniƟal pipe size and recalculate Tables 3 and 5.
Refrigerant Piping
AboveAir Technologies
AboveAir™ Refrigerant Guide
5
REFRIGERANT PIPING GUIDE
Table 6a - Refrigerant Line Sizing Charge for R-410a
Total
Line Type
Equivalent
1
1.5
Length
25
Liquid
3/8 3/8
(7.6 m)
Suc on
1/2 1/2
Discharge
3/8 1/2
50
Liquid
3/8 3/8
(15.2 m)
Suc on
1/2 5/8
Discharge
1/2 1/2
75
Liquid
3/8 3/8
(22.9 m)
Suc on
1/2 5/8
Discharge
1/2 1/2
100
Liquid
3/8 3/8
(30.5 m)
Suc on
5/8 5/8
Discharge
3/8 5/8
125
Liquid
**
3/8
(38.1 m)
Suc on
**
3/4
Discharge
**
5/8
150
Liquid
**
3/8
(45.7 m)
Suc on
**
3/4
Discharge
**
5/8
** Installa on not recommended.
2
2.5
3/8
5/8
1/2
3/8
5/8
5/8
3/8
3/4
5/8
3/8
3/4
5/8
3/8
3/4
5/8
1/2
3/4
5/8
3/8
5/8
1/2
3/8
3/4
5/8
3/8
3/4
5/8
1/2
3/4
5/8
1/2
7/8
3/4
1/2
7/8
3/4
3
Tonnage per Circuit
4
5
6
3/8 1/2
5/8 3/4
5/8 5/8
3/8 1/2
3/4 7/8
5/8 3/4
1/2 1/2
3/4 7/8
3/4 3/4
1/2 1/2
7/8 7/8
3/4 3/4
1/2 1/2
7/8 1 1/8
3/4 7/8
1/2 5/8
7/8 1 1/8
3/4 7/8
1/2
3/4
5/8
1/2
7/8
3/4
1/2
1 1/8
3/4
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
1/2
7/8
3/4
1/2
7/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 1/8
1 1/8
7.5
8
10
15
5/8
7/8
3/4
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 1/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
5/8
7/8
3/4
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 1/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 1/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 1/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
7/8
1 3/8
1 3/8
7/8
1 5/8
1 3/8
7/8
1 5/8
1 3/8
Table 6b - Maximum Riser Size for oil return (R-410a)
Line Type
Discharge
Suc on
1
3/8
1/2
1.5
2 2.5
3/8 1/2 1/2
5/8 3/4 7/8
3
5/8
7/8
Circuit Tonnage
4
5
6
5/8
3/4
7/8
1 1/8 1 1/8 1 1/8
7.5
7/8
1 3/8
8
7/8
1 3/8
10
1 1/8
1 5/8
15
1 3/8
2 1/8
Table 6c - Flooded Condenser to Receiver Sizing (R-410a)
1
3/8
6
1.5
1/2
2
1/2
AboveAir™ Refrigerant Guide
2.5
5/8
Circuit Tonnage
3
4
5
6
7.5
5/8 3/4 3/4 7/8 1 1/8
8
1 1/8
10
1 1/8
15
1 3/8
Refrigerant Piping
AboveAir Technologies
REFRIGERANT PIPING GUIDE
Table 7a - Refrigerant Line Sizing Charge for R-407c
Total
Equivalent Line Type
1
1.5
Length
Liquid
3/8 3/8
25
Suc on
1/2 5/8
(7.6 m)
Discharge
3/8 1/2
Liquid
3/8 3/8
50
Suc on
5/8 3/4
(15.2 m)
Discharge
1/2 1/2
Liquid
3/8 3/8
75
Suc on
5/8 3/4
(22.9 m)
Discharge
1/2 5/8
Liquid
3/8 3/8
100
Suc on
3/4 3/4
(30.5 m)
Discharge
1/2 5/8
Liquid
**
3/8
125
Suc on
**
3/4
(38.1 m)
Discharge
**
5/8
Liquid
**
3/8
150
Suc on
**
7/8
(45.7 m)
Discharge
**
5/8
** Installa on not recommended.
Tonnage per Circuit
2
2.5
3
4
3/8 3/8
3/8
1/2
5/8 3/4
3/4
7/8
1/2 5/8
5/8
5/8
3/8 3/8
1/2
1/2
3/4 3/4
7/8 1 1/8
5/8 5/8
3/4
3/4
3/8 1/2
1/2
1/2
3/4 7/8
7/8 1 1/8
5/8 3/4
3/4
7/8
1/2 1/2
1/2
1/2
7/8 7/8 1 1/8 1 1/8
3/4 3/4
3/4
7/8
1/2 1/2
1/2
5/8
7/8 1 1/8 1 1/8 1 1/8
3/4 3/4
7/8
7/8
1/2 1/2
1/2
5/8
7/8 1 1/8 1 1/8 1 1/8
3/4 3/4
7/8
7/8
5
6
7.5
8
10
15
1/2
7/8
3/4
1/2
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
1/2
1 1/8
3/4
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 5/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 5/8
1 1/8
5/8
1 1/8
7/8
5/8
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 5/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 5/8
1 3/8
3/4
1 5/8
1 3/8
3/4
1 3/8
1 1/8
3/4
1 5/8
1 1/8
7/8
1 5/8
1 3/8
7/8
2 1/8
1 3/8
7/8
2 1/8
1 3/8
7/8
2 1/8
1 5/8
10
1 1/8
1 5/8
15
1 3/8
2 1/8
Table 7b - Maximum Riser Size for oil return (R-407c)
Line Type
Discharge
Suc on
1
3/8
5/8
Circuit Tonnage
1.5
2 2.5
3
4
5
6
1/2 1/2 5/8 5/8
3/4
7/8
7/8
3/4 7/8 7/8 1 1/8 1 1/8 1 3/8 1 5/8
7.5
7/8
1 5/8
8
1 1/8
1 5/8
Table 7c - Flooded Condenser to Receiver Sizing (R-407c)
1
3/8
1.5
1/2
2
1/2
2.5
5/8
Circuit Tonnage
3
4
5
6
7.5
5/8 3/4 3/4 7/8 1 1/8
Refrigerant Piping
AboveAir Technologies
8
1 1/8
10
1 1/8
15
1 3/8
AboveAir™ Refrigerant Guide
7
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www.aboveair.com
8
5179 Mountville Road
Frederick, Maryland 21703, U.S.A.
Phone: 301-874-1130, Facsimile: 301-874-1131
AboveAir™ Refrigerant Guide
Email: [email protected]
Copyright 03/13
Specifications are subject to
change without notice.
AboveAir Technologies