🔍 Key Concepts

• Refrigerant solubility in lubricating oil inside the compressor crankcase • What happens to dissolved gases or refrigerant when pressure suddenly drops • How foaming of lube oil can affect compressor operation

💭 Think About

• When the compressor is stopped, what is the pressure relationship between the crankcase and the rest of the system, and what can be absorbed into the oil under that condition? • If pressure in the crankcase suddenly drops during starting, what happens to any refrigerant or gas that was previously dissolved in the lube oil? • Which choice clearly describes a physical process that would directly produce foaming in the lubricating oil?

✅ Before You Answer

• Check which option mentions refrigerant behavior rather than changes in the oil’s own components like wax or air • Verify which process would be most directly triggered by a rapid pressure drop (think about opening a soda bottle quickly) • Confirm which choice logically explains lube oil foaming as a result of gas or refrigerant coming out of solution