Inficon VORTEX Operating Manual

OPERATING MANUAL

VORTEX

Refrigerant Recovery Machine

™

Vortex Operating Manual

Thank you for buying the INFICON® Vortex™ Refr igerant Recovery Machin e !

To get the best performance from your Vortex, please read this manual carefully before you start
using the recovery machine.

Safety First!

When found on the machine, this international symbol is intended to alert the user to
the presence of important operating, safety and maintenance (servicing) instructions in this
Manual. As used in the Manual, it is intended to draw your attention to critical items.

It is important to read this entire Manual and be familiar with its contents before using the machine!
The Vortex is a Recovery Machine for a broad range of refrigerants. Recovering refrigerants into a

separate storage tank involves a process of gas compre ssion, resulting in high pressures within th e
machine, the connecting hoses and the storage tank. High pressu re systems must always be treated
with care and respect to prevent careless accidents.

Responsibility
INFICON Vortex must only be operated by a Qualified Technician who has been properly

trained in the care and use of such equipment and in the recovery process itself. Use of this
equipment by unqualified personnel is potentially dangerous and should not be attempted.

Trademarks

The trademarks of the products mentioned in this manual are held by the companies that produce
them.

INFICON®, Vortex™, D-TEK™, TE K-Mate®, and Wey-TEK™ are trademarks of INFICON Inc.
All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective

companies.
The information contained in this manu al is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, INFICON

assumes no responsibility for its use and shall not be liable for any special, incidental, or
consequential damages related to the use of this product.

©2003 All rights reserved.
Reproduction or adaptation of any part of this manual without permission is unlawful.

Declaration Of Conformity

Vortex Model # 708-202-P10 is CE Certifie d.
This is to certify that this equipment, designed and manufactured by:
INFICON Inc.

Two Technology Place
East Syracuse, NY 13057 USA

Meets the essential safety requirements of the European Union and is placed on the market
accordingly. It has been construct ed in accordance with good engineering practice in safety matters
in force in the Community and does not endanger the safety of person s, domestic animals or property
when properly installed and maintained and used in applications for which it was made.

Equipment Description . . . . . . . .Vortex Refrigerant Recovery Unit

Applicable Directives. . . . . . . . . .73/23/EEC as amended by 93/68/EEC

Applicable Standards . . . . . . . . .EN 61010-1 : 2001

CE Implementation . . . . . . . . . . .June 2, 2003

Authorized Representative . . . . .Gary W. Lewis

89/336/EEC as amended by 93/68/EEC

EN 55011, Group 1, Class A : 1991
EN 50082-1 : 1992

Vice President - Quality Assurance
INFICON Inc.

Preface

Vortex Operating Manual

Table Of Contents

1.0 Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2.0 Specifications, Features and Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.1 Vortex Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.2 Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3.0 Setup and Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3.1 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3.2 Normal Recovery Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.3 PURGING the Vortex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3.4 Push-Pull Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3.5 Cooling The Recovery Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

3.6 Special Operating Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4.0 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5.0 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

6.0 Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

6.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

6.2 Electrical Schematic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

1

Vortex Operating Manual

1.0 Safety Precautions

THIS EQUIPMENT MUST ALWAYS BE OPERATED BY A
QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH REFRIGERANT
SYSTEMS, REFRIGERANTS, REFRIGERANT SAFETY AND LAWS
PERTAINING TO REFRIGERANT USEAGE.

READ THIS MANUAL and become familiar with the specifications
and operation of this machine prior to use.

WEAR APPROPRIATE SAFETY PROTECTION APPAREL such as
gloves, eye protection and foot prot ection when working on refrigerati on
systems.

REFRIGERANT VAPOR CAN BE HAZARDOUS AND ITS BY
PRODUCTS CAN BE LETHAL — work only in well ventilated areas. When
working indoors, ensure there is adequate airflow in the work space and
install a separate circulation fan if necessary. DO NOT WORK IN AN
ENCLOSED AREA without special safety equipment as appropriate for
the conditions.

KNOW THE PROPER SAFETY AND HANDLING REQUIREMENTS
for the Refrigerant being recovered by reviewing the Material Safety Data
Sheets (MSDS) and the Temperature - Vapor Pressure information.

PERFORM LEAK DETECTION in accordance with recommended
practice only. For best results use only a refrigerant detector such as the
INFICON D-TEK™ or TEK-Mate®. NEVER USE OXYGEN for this process
as it can become an explosive mixture in the presence of oil and
pressure.

USE CAUTION WHEN OPERATING. This erquipment should be
used in clean, dry areas only. Be certain the power cord and the
equipment are not placed in residual water or other potenti ally
dangerous locations.

NEVER OVERFILL A STORAGE CONTAINER. The use of a
refrigerant scale, such as the INFICON Wey-TEK™, is required to prevent
overfill. OVERFILLED TANKS CAN RUP TURE EXPLOSIVELY!

OPEN SERVICE OR CYLINDER V AL VES SLOWL Y to ensure that all
connections are tight and there is no danger.

2

Vortex Operating Manual

DISCONNECT POWER before moving or servicing the INFICON

Vortex.

This unit should be opened only by a technically qualified person
who has been trained in basic electronics and refrigeration. The risk of
ELECTRIC SHOCK and exposure to HOT compressor parts is possible if
the unit is opened.

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE, EXTENSION CORDS SHOULD
NOT BE USED with this equipment as the wiring can overheat under
conditions of high current draw. If an extension cord is absolutely
necessary, its length should be as short as possible and it should
contain size 16 AWG or larger wiring.

FLAMMABLE ENVIRONMENTS ARE DANGEROUS when any
machine is used because motors and switches can generate sparks.
This equipment should be used in locati ons with mechanic al ventilation
providing at least four air changes per hour, or the equipment should be
located at least 18” above the floor. DO NOT USE THIS EQUIPMENT IN
THE VICINITY OF SPILLED OR OPEN CONTAINERS OF GASOLINE OR
ANY OTHER FLAMMABLE LIQUID.

2.0 Specifications, Features and Warranty

2.1 Vortex Specifications

Refrigerants . . . . . . . . . . R-12, R-134A, R-401C, R-500, R-401A, R-409A,

R-401B, R-22, R-502, R-407C, R-402B, R-408A,
R-407A, R-404A, R-402A, R-507, R-407B, R410A

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 V(ac), 50/60 Hz, 4A

Compressor:. . . . . . . . . . 1/3 HP Oilless, No inlet valve, DC Motor Drive

Cooling: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fan driven off DC compressor motor

Protection: . . . . . . . . . . . High Pressure Switch Cutoff at 3789 kPa

Compressor motor thermally protected

Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low side design pressure 3500 kPa

High side design pressure 5500 kPa

Temperature. . . . . . . . . . Operating Range 10 to 40 °C

Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blow-Molded, High Impact Strength

Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457.2 mm x 241.3 mm x 368.3 mm

Weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.79 kg

3