mSORB RG is a refrigerant desiccant: a molecular sieve bead with a nominal 3 angstrom pore, formulated for use inside the closed loop of an air conditioning or refrigeration system. Installed in the system's filter-drier, the bed adsorbs water from the refrigerant passing through it, and the small pore typically admits water while excluding the refrigerant molecule, so the desiccant holds moisture at the very low concentrations found in a charged system without taking up the refrigerant itself. The grade is formulated to be compatible with the refrigerants and lubricants of its intended service, and its beads are made for physical strength and attrition resistance in both the activated and the hydrated state, which matters in a drier that sees vibration and refrigerant flow for the life of the equipment.
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
mSORB RG is designed as the desiccant for stationary and mobile air conditioning and refrigeration systems:
- Commercial air conditioning and refrigeration equipment
- Automotive (mobile) air conditioning systems
- Appliance refrigeration
SIZES AND PACKAGING
- mSORB RG 6x10 mesh beads, product code RG-11
- The beads ship in 77 lb (35 kg) and 396 lb (180 kg) drums. Other sizes and packaging are quoted on request.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is refrigerant desiccant?
Refrigerant desiccant is the adsorbent inside the filter-drier of an air conditioning or refrigeration system that removes water from the circulating refrigerant. mSORB RG is Interra Global's refrigeration grade of molecular sieve; RG stands for refrigeration grade. The grade is supplied as 6x10 mesh beads under product code RG-11.
Why does a refrigeration system need a desiccant?
Water that enters a closed refrigerant loop during manufacture, charging, or service reacts with the refrigerant and lubricant to form acids, which corrode metals and degrade the lubricant, and free water can freeze at the expansion device. Because some moisture typically enters over a system's life, the filter-drier holds a desiccant charge that keeps residual water bound while the drier is in service. Interra Global's page on moisture in refrigeration systems covers the chemistry in more depth.
Why is molecular sieve used rather than other desiccants?
Molecular sieve holds water at the very low partial pressures found in a charged refrigeration system and retains it across the temperature swings of operation, which is why it is the typical desiccant in filter-driers. Its uniform pore also lets it take up water while excluding the refrigerant. Some drier designs pair the sieve with activated alumina for acid control.
Why does attrition resistance matter in a refrigerant desiccant?
A drier's desiccant stays in the system for years, under refrigerant flow and, in mobile and some commercial equipment, constant vibration. Beads that abrade or break shed fines that can travel with the refrigerant toward screens, valves, and the compressor. The mSORB RG product data sheet rates attrition in both the dry and the hydrated state, since a bead's strength can change once it has taken up water.
Which refrigerants and lubricants is mSORB RG compatible with?
The product data sheet states that mSORB RG is formulated to be compatible with the refrigerants and lubricants of its intended operation. Compatibility depends on the specific refrigerant and lubricant pair, and Interra Global reviews a system's refrigerant, lubricant, and drier design when called on.
How should mSORB RG be stored before loading?
In a dry location, in its sealed drums. The beads are supplied activated, and water they take up from the surrounding air before the drier is sealed uses capacity the system will need, so drums are typically resealed promptly after opening and the oldest stock used first.