Has the evacuation requirement been met?

Recovery requirements · EPA 608 Type III. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Evacuation levels for low-pressure appliances, and major versus non-major repairs.

The question

A technician pulls the vapor space of an R-123 chiller to 25 mm Hg absolute, but liquid is still pooled in the bottom of the evaporator. Has the evacuation requirement been met?

• ANo; the refrigerant must be evacuated, including all the liquidCorrect answer
• BYes; the rule measures the vapor pressure only, not the liquid level
• CYes, if the liquid amount is under 200 pounds
• DOnly if the recovery unit was made after 1993

Why “No; the refrigerant must be evacuated, including all the liquid” is correct

40 CFR 82.156(a) requires technicians to evacuate the refrigerant, including all the liquid refrigerant, to the Table 1 level. A momentary reading over pooled liquid will not hold, because the liquid keeps boiling off and raising the pressure.

Source: 40 CFR 82.156(a)

Why the other answers are wrong

• Yes; the rule measures the vapor pressure only, not the liquid level — The rule names liquid refrigerant specifically; pooled liquid must be removed.
• Yes, if the liquid amount is under 200 pounds — There is no allowance for leaving liquid behind, whatever the amount.
• Only if the recovery unit was made after 1993 — The equipment date does not change the requirement to remove the liquid.

Practice more of this

More EPA 608 Type III practice questions, or see every EPA 608 practice test.