High Suction Pressure: What, Types, Causes, Several Facts

In the article we will discuss about the topic of “High Suction Pressure” and their related facts with types, causes, and how the high suction pressure is related with the other parameters with several facts.

High suction pressure is the present of refrigerant to the compressor which is carrying by the suction line into the air conditioning system is facing leakage from the discharge valve which is increasing the temperature and pressure without any necessity to the system of the evaporator at its outlet.

The phenomenon high suction pressure for the air conditioning system can be easily fixed. When the dirt is contains by the coil by this situation the air flow could not flow properly by the coils and increases unwanted temperature and pressure.

The problem is mainly arising from the compressor. If at the beginning of the process we go through over the compressor then this unwanted situation can be easily avoided. If the condition of the air conditioning system is not handle by the compressor then it need to repair.

In the next step we need to observe the condition of the evaporator. The refrigerant is passes through the outlet of the evaporator due to high temperature. In this situation the expansion valve need to open to move the refrigerant.

High suction pressure
High suction pressure
Image Credit – Wikimedia commons

Or the other process to control the high pressure suction in the air conditioning system is to observe the expansion valve for the temperature and the pressure.

The phenomenon measured by the measuring instrument which is, Manometer.

640px Druck Manometer
Manometer
Image Credit – Wikimedia Commons

What is high suction pressure?

The main reason behind the high suction pressure is excess amount of temperature and pressure is present in the system which is flowing from the compressor of the air conditioning system.

The high suction pressure is excess amount of refrigerant is present in the evaporator’s suction line with in the fixed area of the air conditioning system which is increases unwanted temperature and pressure.

The main reason behind this situation is the refrigerant present in the evaporator of the air conditioning system is not able to transfer into heat which is carrying by the evaporator coil.

The coils are usually made with metal such as copper, tungsten which is used in the high section pressure in the air conditioning system. The evaporator coil and condenser unit connected with the help of suction line. Mainly the refrigerants present in the evaporator carrying by the suction line which could not move the heat properly.

In the suction line present refrigerant is pressurized about 60 – 72 pound per square. When this amount of pressurized refrigerant is crosses the compressor the pressure is arise and thus the inside temperature is also increases. This condition can slow the whole process even can damage the air conditioning system.

High suction pressure causes:

In this portion we will discuss the causes behind the reason of the high suction pressure. The reasons are discuss in given below briefly,

Leakage from the valve of the compressor:

 In the air conditioning system one of the common problems for the phenomenon of high suction pressure is leakage of the compressor valve. This is very difficult to detect but when this condition occur the gasses are emitted from the holes and the air flow is not flow perfectly .The discharge gas is moves into the compressor cylinder by the down stroke of the crankshaft.

When the sealing of the discharge valve is not done properly thus the causes low head pressure and increases the temperature thus the discharge temperature is more than the usual temperature.

 Sometimes the gases which are discharge from the compressor cylinder is run through short cycle, in this situation the flow of the present refrigerants became low. As a result the pressure and temperature became less for the heat load which is present in the condenser.

When the low refrigerant go through the condenser, the rate of the heat is reduced, means the subcooling of condenser causes high suction pressure.

Damage of the piston ring of the compressor:

When the emit gasses facing leakage due to the piston ring of the compressor the pressure is developed than the normal pressure and the high suction pressure is happened. During the compressor stroke the piston ring of the compressor is produce low head pressure.

Leakage of the return line of the oil separator:

The purpose of the oil separator is to differentiate and control the level of the high and low sides of the air conditioning system. In the refrigeration system the oil separator is place in the higher side of the level and the compressor crankcase is situated in the lower side of the air condition system. The oil is flow by high level means the oil separator to low side of the level means in the crankcase.

If the oil is could not flow properly in the air conditioning system then high pressure is occur and high suction pressure is appear.

When the refrigerant is overcharged:

If the size of the electronic expansion valve is large than the usual size then the evaporator is overfeed and causes the high suction pressure.

Excessive temperature:

When the flow of discharge gasses is not go properly through the suction line the temperature increases and high suction pressure is appear.

High suction pressure types:

High suction pressure is the inside condition of the air conditioning system. When some unnecessary situation or object is present in the refrigeration system the temperature is increases and causes a lot of problem.

High suction pressure cannot be classified the pressure reading inside the air conditioning system can be classified. The reading of the pressure measuring instrument is, Pressure Gauge.

Pressure gauge
Pressure Gauge
Image Credit – Wikimedia Commons

Read more about Gauge Pressure : Its Important properties with 30 FAQs

  • 100 PSI / 100 PSI
  • 50 PSI / 50 PSI
  • 150 PSI / 30 PSI
  • 150 PSI / > 10 PSI
  • 125 PSI / 30 PSI
  • 160 PSI / 10 PSI

High suction pressure low head pressure:

In the air conditioning system if the suction side the pressure is increasing continuously then the low head pressure will be increasing inside the system. When the refrigeration system continuously faces the less temperature the amount of capacity will be also decreases.

High suction pressure normal head pressure:

When the refrigerant is flowing in the suction line from the compressor to evaporator coil without any leakage or damaging the compressor’s piston and also there no impurities are present then the pressure range will be inside the system is 0.75 – 1.3 MP ,this called the High suction pressure normal head pressure.

High suction pressure high head pressure:

When the discharge gasses facing the leakage of the piston ring of the compressor the high head pressure is appears.

The pressure is developed inside the refrigeration system more than the normal pressure. When the pressure is sudden increases the temperature is also increases. Thus, the unwanted unbalanced condition of high suction pressure is happened. During the compressor stroke the piston ring of the compressor is produce low head pressure than the normal pressure.

High suction pressure in refrigeration system:

The condition of high suction pressure in the refrigeration system is occurs just because of the absence of the insufficient compressor.

From the term for the insufficient compressor means the leakage should be present in the discharge valve of the compressor. In the refrigeration system the refrigerant present in the compressor is not enough for the cooling medium. When the refrigerant of the compressor is not totally transfer into heat this low head pressure is increases and temperature increases.

High suction pressure in heat mode:

The high suction pressure is a phenomenon where the pressurized gas is reaching about 60 -72 pounds per square and crated an imbalance situation inside the refrigeration system.

When the discharge gasses are passes through the condenser the dirt can be present in it. Mixing the dirt with discharge gasses the motion of the flow cannot be stay as same as a result the quantity of the vaporized gas is increases and the heat properly does not transfer thus the temperature is also increases and causes extreme high head pressure to the air conditioning system.

High suction pressure in heating:

When the refrigeration system is go through the condition of the high suction pressure the inside temperature and pressure is also increases.

This condition of high suction pressure in heating occurs for the insufficient compressor. From the term of insufficient compressor we easily could say that, definitely a leakage should be present in the discharge valve. In the refrigeration system the refrigerant present in the compressor is not enough for the cooling medium.

High suction pressure in heat pump:

Heat pump can be defined as, by the help of the refrigeration cycle without taking any external power the device by which hot or cool medium is flowing in a closed or domestic medium by transferring the thermal energy from a less temperature space to more temperature area.

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If in the heat pump of the refrigeration cycle without taking any external power the flowing liquid could not flow in normal manner then the pressure and temperature will be increases in the refrigeration system and high suction pressure is appear.

What causes high suction pressure and high discharge pressure?

The high suction pressure is an unwanted phenomenon of the air conditioning system. The sudden increasing of the temperature and pressure not only damage the equipment but also can damage the whole system. In below the causes of this phenomenon briefly described.

Causes of the high suction pressure:

1.Heavy load of the system:

From the compressor the discharge gas is flow in a motion to the evaporator. When the gas is flow if the gaps are present in the compressor due to less uses the discharge gas could not transfer properly to the heat thus the air conditioning system became very high due to heavy load.

2.The capacity of the expansion valve of the air conditioning system is too high.

3. Leakage of the compressor’s valve

4. The capacity of the regulation is higher than the normal

5. Dirt present in the suction line and the evaporator coil

6. Unbalance of the oil flow in the oil separator

7. Subcooling of the condenser

8.Heavy size of the equipments

High discharge pressure can be described as, the pressure of the compressor in the refrigeration system is produced by the discharge gases is usually more than the normal pressure generated in the outside of the compressor.

Causes of the high discharge pressure:

1. When the compressor of the air conditioning system carry the cooling medium.

2. Temperature of the cooling medium is more than the normal temperature for the refrigeration or air conditioning system.

3. Size of the evaporator is too high.