Decommissioning 8. Decommissioning Prior to performing this procedure, it is imperative for the technician to fully understand the equipment and all its details. We recommend recovering all the refrigerants safely. Prior to performing the activity, a specimen of the oil and refrigerant must be drawn if these substances must be analysed before the recovered refrigerant is used again. Electricity must be available before the activity starts. Familiarise with the equipment and its operation. Isolate the system electrically. Before proceeding: – Make sure that all personal protective equipment is available and is used correctly. – Make sure that the recovery process is always supervised by a competent person. – Make sure that the recovery equipment and the cylinders conform to the appropriate standards. 8.1 Draining the circuit and recovering the refrigerant To correctly recover the refrigerant from the system, the following standard indications must be observed: – When the refrigerant is transferred to the cylinders, make sure that only appropriate refrigerant recovery cylinders are used. Make sure that the correct number of cylinders is available for maintaining the system’s total charge. The cylinders must be complete with the pressure limiting valve and the relative shut-off valves in efficient working order. The vacuum recovery cylinders must be drained and, if possible, cooled before the recovery operations begin. – The recovery equipment must be in good working order. Moreover, a set of calibrated scales must be available and in good working order. The flexible hoses must be complete with the disconnection joints without leakages and in good working order. Before using the recovery machine, check that it is in efficient working order, that it has been adequately serviced and that all the associated electrical components are sealed to prevent ignition in case of refrigerant leakages. Contact the manufacturer in case of doubts. – The refrigerant recovered must be returned to the refrigerant supplier in the correct recovery cylinder and the relevant waste transfer note must be drawn up. Do not mix the refrigerants in the recovery units and, above all, in the cylinders. – If the compressors or the compressor oils must be removed, make sure that they have been drained to an acceptable level so that no flammable refrigerant remains inside the lubricant. The drainage process must be carried out before returning the compressor to the suppliers. Only the electrical heating of the compressor body must be used to speed up this process. Whenever oil is drained from a system, the procedure must be carried out in safe conditions. i i i Equipment shall be labelled stating that it has been de-commissioned and emptied of refrigerant. The label shall be dated and signed. For appliances containing flammable refrigerants, ensure that there are labels on the equipment stating the equipment contains flammable refrigerant. 78 / EN
Decommissioning 8.2 Disposal The manufacturer is registered with the national EEE Register, in conformity to the implementation of Directive 2012/19/EU, and of the relative national regulations in force concerning waste electrical and electronic equipment. This directive recommends the correct disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment. Equipment bearing the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol must be disposed of at the end of its life and sorted to avoid detrimental effects on human health and on the environment. Electrical and electronic equipment must be disposed of together with all its constituent parts. To dispose of “domestic” electrical and electronic equipment, the manufacturer recommends contacting an authorised dealer or an authorised ecological facility. The disposal of “professional” electrical and electronic equipment must be made by authorised personnel through the specially instituted local consortiums. To this aim, we include below the definition of domestic WEEE and professional WEEE. WEEE deriving from households: WEEE deriving from households and WEEE deriving from commercial, industrial, institutional and other sources, similar by nature and quantity, to that deriving from households. WEEE that could be used both by households and by other types of users are nonetheless regarded as WEEE coming from households; Professional WEEE: all WEEE other than that coming from households as mentioned above. This equipment may contain: – Refrigerant gas that must be fully recovered by specialised personnel and accompanied by the necessary authorisations in special containers; – Lubricant oil contained in compressors and in the refrigeration circuit that must be collected; – Mixtures with anti-freeze liquids contained in the water supply distribution network, the contents of which must be appropriately collected; – Mechanical and electrical parts that must be sorted and disposed of in an authorised manner. When machine components are removed for being replaced for maintenance purposes or when the entire unit reaches the end of its life and must be removed from the installation, we recommend sorting the waste according to type and ensuring that it is disposed of by authorised personnel at the existing waste collection facilities. Fig. 95 EN / 79
Decommissioning 8. Decommissioning Prior to performing this procedure, it is imperative for the technician to fully understand the equipment and all its details. We recommend recovering all the refrigerants safely. Prior to performing the activity, a specimen of the oil and refrigerant must be drawn if these substances must be analysed before the recovered refrigerant is used again. Electricity must be available before the activity starts. Familiarise with the equipment and its operation. Isolate the system electrically. Before proceeding: – Make sure that all personal protective equipment is available and is used correctly. – Make sure that the recovery process is always supervised by a competent person. – Make sure that the recovery equipment and the cylinders conform to the appropriate standards. 8.1 Draining the circuit and recovering the refrigerant To correctly recover the refrigerant from the system, the following standard indications must be observed: – When the refrigerant is transferred to the cylinders, make sure that only appropriate refrigerant recovery cylinders are used. Make sure that the correct number of cylinders is available for maintaining the system’s total charge. The cylinders must be complete with the pressure limiting valve and the relative shut-off valves in efficient working order. The vacuum recovery cylinders must be drained and, if possible, cooled before the recovery operations begin. – The recovery equipment must be in good working order. Moreover, a set of calibrated scales must be available and in good working order. The flexible hoses must be complete with the disconnection joints without leakages and in good working order. Before using the recovery machine, check that it is in efficient working order, that it has been adequately serviced and that all the associated electrical components are sealed to prevent ignition in case of refrigerant leakages. Contact the manufacturer in case of doubts. – The refrigerant recovered must be returned to the refrigerant supplier in the correct recovery cylinder and the relevant waste transfer note must be drawn up. Do not mix the refrigerants in the recovery units and, above all, in the cylinders. – If the compressors or the compressor oils must be removed, make sure that they have been drained to an acceptable level so that no flammable refrigerant remains inside the lubricant. The drainage process must be carried out before returning the compressor to the suppliers. Only the electrical heating of the compressor body must be used to speed up this process. Whenever oil is drained from a system, the procedure must be carried out in safe conditions. i i i Equipment shall be labelled stating that it has been de-commissioned and emptied of refrigerant. The label shall be dated and signed. For appliances containing flammable refrigerants, ensure that there are labels on the equipment stating the equipment contains flammable refrigerant. 78 / EN
Decommissioning 8.2 Disposal The manufacturer is registered with the national EEE Register, in conformity to the implementation of Directive 2012/19/EU, and of the relative national regulations in force concerning waste electrical and electronic equipment. This directive recommends the correct disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment. Equipment bearing the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol must be disposed of at the end of its life and sorted to avoid detrimental effects on human health and on the environment. Electrical and electronic equipment must be disposed of together with all its constituent parts. To dispose of “domestic” electrical and electronic equipment, the manufacturer recommends contacting an authorised dealer or an authorised ecological facility. The disposal of “professional” electrical and electronic equipment must be made by authorised personnel through the specially instituted local consortiums. To this aim, we include below the definition of domestic WEEE and professional WEEE. WEEE deriving from households: WEEE deriving from households and WEEE deriving from commercial, industrial, institutional and other sources, similar by nature and quantity, to that deriving from households. WEEE that could be used both by households and by other types of users are nonetheless regarded as WEEE coming from households; Professional WEEE: all WEEE other than that coming from households as mentioned above. This equipment may contain: – Refrigerant gas that must be fully recovered by specialised personnel and accompanied by the necessary authorisations in special containers; – Lubricant oil contained in compressors and in the refrigeration circuit that must be collected; – Mixtures with anti-freeze liquids contained in the water supply distribution network, the contents of which must be appropriately collected; – Mechanical and electrical parts that must be sorted and disposed of in an authorised manner. When machine components are removed for being replaced for maintenance purposes or when the entire unit reaches the end of its life and must be removed from the installation, we recommend sorting the waste according to type and ensuring that it is disposed of by authorised personnel at the existing waste collection facilities. Fig. 95 EN / 79
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