🔍 Key Concepts

• Function of suction valves in a reciprocating refrigeration compressor • Relationship between suction valve leakage and suction/discharge pressures • How leaking valves affect compressor capacity and temperatures

💭 Think About

• Think about what happens to gas that should stay on the discharge side if a suction valve is leaking—where can it flow back to? • If gas leaks back during the compression stroke, will the compressor draw in more or less fresh refrigerant on the next suction stroke? How would that affect suction pressure? • Would leaking suction valves be more likely to change system pressures/temperatures, or mainly create mechanical noise?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on which side of the compressor (suction vs discharge) the leak is occurring and which gauge would show that effect. • Decide whether a leak would tend to reduce effective compression or increase it, and how that impacts suction pressure. • Consider whether evaporator temperature normally goes up or down when the compressor is doing less effective work.