PCR

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
1. General Remarks 2. Safety and Warnings
This manual allows the user to be familiarized with and 2.1. PCR meets current standards and directives. A risk
understand the function of the API PCR product (Precooler- assessment has been executed. Due to the principle of
Chiller-Reheater) with regard to its usage. operation there are residual risks which have to be taken
into account during design, manufacturing, operation and
The information in this manual is intended to provide instruction maintenance of the equipment into which the cooler is installed.
for proper installation, operation and maintenance of PCRs Therefore, mind the following instructions and take safety
manufactured by API Heat Transfer. Adherence to these measures as mentioned below as well as any additional safety
guidelines will help improve safety and extend the useful life of measures that may be applicable.
the product.
2.2. All equipment must be installed by fully qualified
This PCR manual should be read and understood by anyone professionally accredited personnel and it must be in
who is responsible for the following tasks: compliance with all local and national codes and regulations for
electrical, pressurized piping, and mechanical installation.
 installation the PCR product in the final assembly
2.3. Due to its principle of operation, the cooler may be
 putting into service damaged in an extreme over-pressure event. Hazardous
 operation substances and energy may be released. In order to protect
 maintenance emergency staff and personnel, take precautions in accordance
 transport with the positioning, size and purpose of the equipment.

The API PCR product is meant to be installed in another 2.4. The API PCR can only be used if it is in technically good
machine/ device (end product). It is forbidden to put this condition and only in accordance with this manual. The unit
PCR product into service in a final assembly that is not in full should be taken out of service if any minor damage could
compliance with the 2006/42/EC regulation. escalate to greater damage or injury.

It is strongly recommended that the final assembly manufacturer 2.5. Any modifications of the PCR that may affect its safety must
incorporate these guidelines into the final assembly user’s be given approval by the manufacturer before the modification is
manual. made. This regulation is also valid when installing the PCR into
the final assembly (setting the vents, additional welding, etc.)

2.6. Spare parts must comply with the original product

requirements. This is always guaranteed by using original spare
parts the manufacturer.

2.7. All electrical parts must be installed and connected by

qualified and experienced personal.

2.8. All the pipes, cables, screw connections should be regularly

checked and repaired or replaced as required.

2.9. Before attempting any repair or replacement of damaged

pressure parts, be sure that the system is completely shut down
and depressurized (0 bar pressure).

2.10. When the PCR is functioning, the surface temperatures

can be above 50°C or below 0°C. There is the risk of getting
burned. During operation, touching the cold/ hot surfaces
should be avoided.

2.11. The appropriate means of transportation/ hoists should be

used.

2.12. The end product should be so built/ constructed that the

maximal allowed pressure (PS) will not be exceeded. A brief
over-pressure of not more than 10% is allowed.
3. Product Description 4. Mounting
3.1. Usage 4.1. Mounting Situation
The API PCR uses special manufacturing, testing and For the PCR to function properly, it must be mounted in the
performance techniques intended for heat exchangers used specific orientation that was defined during the technical
in refrigerant air drying applications (mobile or stationary development stage of the dryer assembly. Mounting the PCR
compressors). must be done using only the specially provided mounting
elements. The PCR must be properly insulated to ensure that no
The PCR is not intended for any other use. extremely cold or hot surfaces are exposed during operation.

3.2. Technical Data 4.2. Mounting in Dirty Ambient Conditions

The maximum allowable working conditions are mentioned on Fouling on the heat transfer surfaces decreases the
the nameplates of each PCR model. effectiveness of the PCR. In ambient conditions where fouling
is likely it is important to regularly clean the unit per the cleaning
3.3 Acceptable Fluids methods described in section 7.

The API PCR is designed for drying compressed air using any
one of a number of common refrigerants. These refrigerants
may include R-22, R-134a, R-404a, R-407C, or R-410a. Other
refrigerants may be used as long as they are compatible with
aluminum and their saturation pressures during exposure to
operating and storage temperatures do not exceed the unit
nameplate maximum allowable working pressure.

Do not violate these operational limits.

5. Assembly
5.1. Operating Conditions The end user is required to install an appropriate pressure
Remember to follow all safety guidelines listed in this manual. limiting device in the compressed air system where a PCR is
used.
Mount units only from the integral mounting bosses. The fluid
connections are not designed to support any external loads or The contained fluids are known to be non-toxic and not harmful
vibrations. A properly mounted PCR is grounded to the dryer to the all-aluminum construction. When mounted in the proper
frame to prevent static build-up. orientation, the PCR process and coolant connections are
oriented in such a way as to also serve as the required vents and
drains.
PCR’s have no moving parts, all aluminum construction. PCR’s
can be inspected internally with a borescope.
During installation of the PCR, appropriate tools should be used
to avoid putting any additional stress on the elements.
PCR’s are all aluminum construction and are not affected by
exposure to air, water or helium during leak testing.
All the components in the end product have to be mounted
securely to prevent breakage. The flanges or any other mounting
The single OEM purchaser encloses installed PCR’s in a molded parts should not be damaged during the installation. Any
Styrofoam shell. The shell is external to PCR’s and can easily be damaged element can cause a leak in the system.
visually inspected.

OEM use of the hot gas bypass valve ensures stable PCR
temperatures during dryer operation. The airside nozzles are
connected to the end user’s piping or to a steel pipe manifold
assembly. The refrigerant side is connected to copper refrigerant
lines. Non-electrolytic fluids wet the mating surfaces to prevent
galvanic corrosion.

Use of an appropriate pressure limiting device is required in the

compressed air system where a PCR is used.

Use of an inlet filter as required by the OEM O&M dryer manual

will buffer inlet pulsations from reciprocating air compressors
and prevent blockage. OEM O&M manual recommends the
use of a properly sized receiver, pulsation dampers, and flex
connections.

Improper coolant flow may cause freeze-up. Use a properly

sized hot gas bypass valve to ensure coolant flow matches
cooling demand. “Terms of Sale” dictate that purchaser
assumes responsibility for damage due to corrosion, erosion,
and flow induced vibration.

PCR’s have all aluminum construction. Aluminum retains its

strength within the foreseeable temperature extremes. At
lower temperatures, aluminum strength increases without
embrittlement or loss of ductility.

To prevent extreme conditions in the refrigerant circuit, the OEM

equips the finished dryers with a hot gas bypass valve, fan
pressure switch, high temperature thermostat, high pressure
switch, and low pressure switch.

Never expose the dryer to ambient temperatures below 41 F (5

C) or above 104 F (40 C). The compressed air inlet temperature
must never exceed 122 F (50 C). These requirements exist
to protect the non-PCR dryer components and to prevent
exceeding the dryer cooling capacity.
6. Putting into Service 7. Use and Maintenance
6.1. Leakage Test 7.1. Condensate
All API PCRs are leak tested before leaving the manufacturing Accumulating condensate has to be removed by special means.
facility. After installing the PCR in the end product, the end This happens by a water separator which is built-in between the
machine manufacturer should check to ensure that no leaks air to refrigerant heat exchanger and the air to air heat exchanger
exist in the system. combined with an OEM supplied condensate drain trap that
discharges the condensate without releasing excessive amounts
Do not operate the refrigeration circuit if there are any leaks of compressed air.
known to be present. Severe damage to system may occur
due to a shortage of refrigerant! 7.2. Inspection / Visual Check
Visually inspect the external surface of the PCR each time it is
6.2. Control serviced or at least on a regular basis. This visual inspection
If normal operating temperatures are not reached during start-up should focus on the welds to identify any cracks and ensure that
or if temperatures rise too rapidly then check these items before they remain in good condition. Also, a leak test should be done
attempting to restart the system: regularly using the appropriate tools and media. A pressure test
is done by exposing the PCR to the test pressure defined on the
nameplate.
 Check that there are no leaks in the refrigerant circuit.
 Ensure that the system is charged with the correct amount of An API PCR doesn’t need any special maintenance. But if it
refrigerant. is exposed to heavy fouling conditions, regular cleaning is
 Check the evaporating and suction temperatures in the required/ recommended.
refrigeration circuit and adjust the hot gas bypass valve
accordingly. Under no circumstances should the aluminum PCR be exposed
 Verify that the heat transfer surfaces are free of fouling. to any caustic soda (lye) solution because caustic soda is known
 Verify that the compressed air inlet temperature is not to be corrosive to aluminum.
exceeding specified limits.
7.3. Cleaning on the Air Side
After resolving these items, restart the system, check that Fouling leads to a decrease of heat transfer capacity. As
normal operating conditions have been achieved, and repeat this required, the fins can be cleaned with a cleaning solution that
troubleshooting process if required. is compatible with aluminum. This cleaning solution should be
approved by API for use in the PCR.

The internal channels, if it’s necessary, can be also flushed

with a special compatible cleaning solution. The duration of the
flushing process depends on the degree of fouling. After clean-
up, the residual liquid can be blown out with compressed air.
8. Transport, Storage
and Preserving 9. Disassembly / Disposal
8.1. Transport After removing any liquid from the inside of the cooler, it should
PCRs are packed at the API facility on common pallets and be fully contained in approved storage containers and disposed
prepared for safe transportation. Normally the coolers are according to local regulations.
packed in a way that allows for up to 6 months of storage. If
storage for longer periods is necessary, please consider Section If a PCR product is to be shipped for whatever reason to any
8.3: Storage. location, make sure it is vented and (in case it has been used
with hazardous fluids) properly rinsed. Include a certificate
Coolers that weigh more than 30kg should be lifted by a crane, about its cleanliness with the shipping documents.
but they should not be lifted by nozzles, drains, etc. If they are
damaged due to mishandling, they should not be used. The disposal should be done by qualified workers who are
familiar with all code requirements.
8.1.1. Transport of API PCRs with Refrigerant Inside
API PCRs are all aluminum construction so they should be
During the transport in high ambient temperature conditions, recycled to recover the aluminum at the end of the product's
the pressure on the refrigerant side can increase to above the useful life.
nameplate pressure of 14 bars. In this case an over pressure of
30 bars is allowed for brief periods.

8.2. Delivery
Upon receipt of equipment, carefully check all parts for
shortages and any type of damage. Do not remove items from
the shipping skid until a receiving inspection is completed and
the material is found to be satisfactory. Shipping damage should
be reported immediately, and a claim filed with the carrier.

8.3. Storage
The storage place should be clean and dry.

Avoid storing the unit in areas with rapidly fluctuating

temperatures and humidity. If the unit is moved from cold
temperatures to warm humid temperature condensate will form
inside the unit and may create problems when pumping down
for the refrigerant charge.

If the temperatures conditions can’t be held, it is

recommended that the PCRs are sealed in a plastic bag.

8.4. Preserving
If the PCR is to be stored for less than 6 months, there is no
necessity to protect the PCR from corrosion on the internal
side. If the expected storage is up to 2 years, then the air side
of the API PCR should be preserved from the inside with an oil
flush and capped connections. The refrigerant side connections
should be sealed and the refrigerant side should be evacuated
with a vacuum pump then pressurized with dry nitrogen to
about 2 or 3 barG to ensure the system stays dry and free of any
corrosive agents. Upon recommissioning, a simple check for the
presence of positive pressure proves the unit remains leak free
and ready for use.

Plans for long term storage should be mentioned at order

placement because there are additional costs involved. Before
preparations for long term storage, any condensate must be
completely removed from the cooler. Before running the cooler
again, any residual preserving medium must be completely
flushed from the cooler."
10. Warranty 11. Support
API HEAT TRANSFER warrants that upon shipment the If you have any questions, please contact your sales
PCR products will be free from defects in materials and representative or API Heat Transfer directly. Visit our website at
workmanship. The warranty is valid for a period of 12 months [Link] for a listing of all our sales
from the date of shipment unless national legislation demands a and factory locations.
longer term.

If it’s not negotiated differently, API standard terms and

conditions of sale apply.
 TTP Thermal
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