Expansion Devices

Capillary tube

Capillary Tube

What is Capillary Tube in Refrigerators?

Capillary tube is one of the most commonly used throttling

devices in the refrigeration and the air conditioning systems.
The capillary tube is a copper tube of very small internal
diameter. It is of very long length and it is coiled to several
turns so that it would occupy less space. The internal diameter
of the capillary tube used for the refrigeration and air
conditioning applications varies from 0.5 to 2.28 mm (0.020 to
0.09 inches). Capillary tube used as the throttling device in the
domestic refrigerators, deep freezers, water coolers and air
conditioners.

How Capillary Tube Works?

When the refrigerant leaves the condenser and enters the capillary
tube its pressure drops down suddenly due to very small diameter of
the capillary. In capillary the fall in pressure of the refrigerant takes
place not due to the orifice but due to the small opening of the
capillary
The decrease in pressure of the refrigerant through the capillary
depends on the diameter of the capillary and the length of the capillary.
Smaller is the diameter and more is the length of the capillary more is
the drop in pressure of the refrigerant as it passes through it.
In the normal working conditions of the refrigeration plant there is drop
in pressure of the refrigerant across the capillary but when the plant
stops the refrigerant pressure across the two sides of the capillary
equalize. Due to this reason when the compressor restarts there wont
be much load on it. Also, due to this reason one cannot over-charge the
refrigeration system with the refrigerant and no receiver is used.

Capillary tubes used to meter refrigerant and control its

flow are most likely to be found on

Room air conditioners or through-wall air conditioners

Portable air conditioners
Portable dehumidifiers
Residential refrigerators
Residential freezer
Refrigeration systems of various types in up to 6-tons of cooling
capacity

How the capillary tube metering rate is set:

tube diameter and length

The air conditioning system or refrigeration systemcapillary tube,

like the TEVs and AEVs and other devices discussed here, is a
simple refrigerant liquid metering device which regulates the flow
of refrigerant from the incoming high pressure side (from the
compressor/condenser) into the low pressure side (in the cooling
coil).
So how is the refrigerant metering rate set when a cap tube is
used?
The refrigeration engineer who designed the system specifies the
internal diameter and the length of the capillary tube to be used that's it. The flow rate through the cap tube will be fixed and is a
function of the tube length, diameter, and operating pressure at
which the liquid refrigerant is being delivered.
In the field, capillary tubing comes in a pack of given diameter
tubing size. The technician cuts off the desired length to carefully
solder in place if field replacement is needed.
Our capillary tube refrigeration system schematic sketch (above
left) shows the location of the capillary tube (red box at center top
of the sketch) and a refrigerant accumulator (green arrow at lower
left) at the end of the evaporator coil and ahead of the compressor

Advantages of the Capillary Tube

Here are some of the advantages of using capillary tube as the throttling
device in the refrigeration and the air conditioning systems:
1) The capillary tube is a very simple device that can be manufactured
easily and it is not very costly.
2) The capillary tube limits the maximum amount of the refrigerant that
can be charged in the refrigeration system due to which the receiver is not
required in these systems.
3) When the refrigeration plant stops the pressure across the capillary
tube becomes same and also along the whole refrigeration cycle the
pressure is constant. This means that when the plant is stopped the
pressure at the suction and discharge side of the compressor are same.
Thus when the compressor is restarted there is not much load on it since it
does not have to overcome very high pressures. Due to this the
compressor motor of smaller torque can be selected for driving the
compressor, thus reducing the cost of the compressor. This along with the
above two advantages helps reducing the overall cost of the refrigeration
and the air conditioning systems.

Accumulator Used in the Refrigeration Systems with

Capillary Tube

Accumulator is a small hollow cylindrical shape

vessel made of copper. It is fitted between the
evaporator and the compressor of the refrigeration
system towards the suction side of the compressor.
Sometimes the refrigerant leaving the evaporator
carries liquid particles. These particles get
separated in the accumulator. The liquid refrigerant
collected in the accumulator slowly gets vaporized
and is then sucked by the compressor. The
accumulator also prevents the flooding of the liquid
refrigerant to the compressor when the load on the
evaporator drops down drastically.

Guide to Diagnosing Problems with Capillary Tubes

for Refrigerant Metering

SeeREFRIGERANT LEAK DETECTIONwhere we describe the effects

of dirt and moisture on TEVs and capillary tubes. A quick test for a
moisture/ice jammed TEV is to add some heat to see if the device
will begin working again. Water or dirt in the system can cause
serious and costly problems.
SeeTHERMOSTATSfor other details of the operation of primary air
conditioning thermostats and switches.
AtA/C - HEAT PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHESwe explain the many
electrical switches and controls that control an air conditioner or
heat pump system. You'll need to check these if your air
conditioner won't start.
AtOPERATING DEFECTSwe take you through the major air
conditioning problem symptoms and how to get the air
conditioning system working again.