Refrigerant Recovery Training Manual Third Edition - September 2020 DRAFT v8.4

Oct 4, 2026

Refrigerant Recovery Training Manual, Third Edition, September 2020 (Draft v8.4) provides technician training for refrigerant recovery and related recycling qualification testing. It covers ozone depletion and climate change impacts, refrigerant types and the refrigerant numbering system, CFC regulatory requirements including the Montreal Protocol and Clean Air Act, and practical responsibilities for conservation and consumer education. It also details refrigerant handling, safety data sheets, cylinder and shipping procedures, plus basic refrigeration principles and service recovery procedures.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages85

Reading Time3 h 34 min

AccessFree to download

Section 1 – Ozone Depletion

Introduction

Stratopheric Ozone

Causes of Ozone Depletion

The Ozone Hole

Other Ozone-Depleting Chemicals

Health and Environmental Concerns

Human Health Effects

Global Impact of Ozone Depletion

Section 2 – Climate Change and Global Warming

Background

Progression of Refrigerants

Section 3 – Refrigerants

Refrigerant Types

The Refrigerant Numbering System

CFCs

HCFCs

HFCs

Replacement Refrigerants

Refrigerant Pressure Classification

Refrigerant 134a

Azeotropes and Blends

Zeotropic Refrigerant Blends

Oils Used with Refrigerants

Section 4 – CFC Regulations

The Montreal Protocol

Compounds Controlled by the Montreal Protocol

International Trade Agreements

Copenhagen Revisions to the Protocol

Clean Air Act

EPA Regulations

Required Practices

Certification of Recovery and Recycling Equipment

Technician Certification Requirements

Disposal of Appliances

Penalties

State and Local Regulations

Section 5 – Our Role

Economic Considerations

Conservation of Refrigerants

Educational Requirements

Continual Education

Consumer Awareness

Section 6 – Refrigerant Handling and Safety

General Refrigerant Safety

Safety Data Sheets

Health Hazards of Improper Refrigerant Use

ASHRAE Refrigerant Safety Classifications

General Precautions when Handling Refrigerants

Handling Refrigerant Spills or Releases

Cylinder Safety

Disposable Refrigerant Cylinders

Recovery Cylinders

Valves

Transportation of Refrigerant Cylinders

Shipping Papers

Bill of Lading

Other Shipping Papers

Section 7 – Basic Refrigeration and Dehydration Principles

The Basic Refrigeration System

Compound Gauges

Evacuation and Dehydration

Factors Affecting System Dehydration

Counteracting Evacuation Problems

Determining State of Dehydration

Sweep Charge

Section 8 – Service Procedures

Recovery Equipment

System-Dependent Recovery Equipment

Self-Contained Recovery Equipment

Vacuum Pumps

When Not to Recover

Recovery Procedures

PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENT Refrigerant Recovery Training Manual Third Edition – September 2020 DRAFT v8.4 Acknowledgements The original, first edition training book was originally developed by: Tony Vieira, Sears Product Services; Karen Couch, GE Appliances; and Keith Miller, Whirlpool Corporation. Information was reviewed and approved by a Task Force of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) in 1994. The Task Force also created an accompanying test to measure appliance service technicians' knowledge of refrigerant recovery techniques and the reasons for its importance. This third edition was reviewed and updated by a new AHAM Task Force, consisting of the following people: Steve Church BSH Home Appliances Corporation Alicia Cafferty BSH Home Appliances Corporation Michael Edwards BSH Home Appliances Corporation Greg Hall Danby Corporation Alberto Aloisi De’Longhi America Inc. Stefano Vit De’Longhi America Inc. Paolo Rognini De’Longhi America Inc. Danny Parker Electrolux Major Appliances N.A. Chad Strickland Electrolux Major Appliances N.A. Mary Shown GE Appliances, a Haier Company James Osborn GE Appliances, a Haier Company Jeff Jacoby GE Appliances, a Haier Company Sophia Wright GE Appliances, a Haier Company Dan Wood LG Electronics USA Inc. Johnson Choo LG Electronics USA Inc. Chanil Jung LG Electronics USA Inc. Tony Ye LG Electronics USA Inc. Eric Scalf Midea America Corporation Jimmy Salame Samsung Electronics America Inc. Guolian Wu Samsung Electronics America Inc. Bo Young Jung Samsung Electronics America Inc. Tim Steele Sub-Zero Group Inc. Benjamin Dehn Sub-Zero Group Inc. Kurt Moses Sub-Zero Group Inc. Dan Peters Sub-Zero Group Inc. Mike Reading Sub-Zero Group Inc. Doug Johnson Sub-Zero Group Inc. Pradeep Bansal Viking Range, LLC Andrew Doberstein The Middleby Corporation Stephen E. Gatz Whirlpool Corporation Jordan Sahs Whirlpool Corporation Jason Schmidt Whirlpool Corporation Charles Samuels Mintz Levin Evelyn French Mintz Levin Wayne Morris WCPS—Consultant to AHAM Randy Cooper AHAM Inhye Kang AHAM Format design and proofreading editor: Chris Doscher This manual was prepared to train technicians about refrigerant recovery in preparation for testing to qualify for Type I (small appliance) certification required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . It is part ofa testing program offered by AHAM and PSA. EPA approved AHAM/PSA as a testing organization on December 28, 1993. Copyright ©2020 AHAM, 1111 19th St. NW Suite 402 Washington DC 20036 Table of Contents Section 1 – Ozone Depletion INTRODUCTION……………………………………..5 STRATOSPHERIC OZONE……………………………………..6 Causes of Ozone Depletion……………………………………..6 The Ozone Hole…………………………………….. 7 Other Ozone-Depleting Chemicals…………………………………….. 8 HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS…………………………………….. 8 Human Health Effects…………………………………….. 8 GLOBAL IMPACT OF OZONE DEPLETION…………………………………….. 10 Section 2 – Climate Change and Global Warming Background…………………………….……..11 Progression of Refrigerants…………………...12 Section 3 – Refrigerants REFRIGERANT TYPES…………………………………….. 14 THE REFRIGERANT NUMBERING SYSTEM……………………………………..15 CFCs……………………………………..15 HCFCs…………………………………….. 16 HFCs…………………………………….. 16 REPLACEMENT REFRIGERANTS……………………………………...16 Refrigerant Pressure Classification……………………………………..17 Refrigerant 134a………………………………….….18 Azeotropesand Blends……………………………………..18 Zeotropic Refrigerant Blends……………………………………..20 Oils Used with Refrigerants…………………………………….23 Section 4 – CFC Regulations THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL……………………………………. 24 Compounds Controlled by the Montreal Protocol…………………………………..…24 International Trade Agreements……………………………………..25 Copenhagen Revisions to the Protocol…………………………………….. 25 CLEAN AIR ACT……………….……………………..26 EPA Regulations .......................................................... 26 Required Practices…………………

FAQs

What is the purpose of this manual for technicians?

It trains technicians about refrigerant recovery for preparation for testing to qualify for Type I (small appliance) certification required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Which topics are included regarding environmental impacts of refrigerants?

The manual covers ozone depletion, including the ozone hole and other ozone-depleting chemicals, and it also addresses climate change and global warming with refrigerant-related progression.

What safety and handling areas does the manual cover?

It includes general refrigerant safety, safety data sheets, hazards of improper use, ASHRAE refrigerant safety classifications, cylinder safety, spill/release precautions, and transportation and shipping-paper requirements.

Oct 4, 2026

Uploaded by CatatanPagi