Final answer:
The process of cleaning refrigerant by oil separation and through filter-driers to remove moisture and acidity is known as refinement. This process is crucial for the proper functioning and longevity of HVAC systems. In the oil industry, refinement applies to the processing of crude oil into various products in oil refineries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of cleaning refrigerant by oil separation and single or multiple passes through filter-driers which reduce moisture and acidity is commonly referred to as refinement. This process is essential in applications like air conditioning systems, where the refrigerant must be free of impurities to function effectively. The refrigerant refinement process ensures the removal of unwanted contaminants, such as moisture and acidic compounds, which could otherwise cause damage to the system or reduce its efficiency.
At a broader scale, the concept of refinement is also applied in the oil industry. Crude oil, as extracted from the ground, undergoes refinement to separate it by hydrocarbon chain length, producing a range of products from gasoline to tar. The same principles of separation and purification apply, but at different complexity and scale, including activities such as fractional distillation in large-scale oil refineries.
Especially relevant to HVAC systems and refrigerants, the refinement process is important to maintain system health and efficiency, prevent damage, and extend the lifetime of the equipment.