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Technical data -> 6.2.10 How R1234yf refrigerant reacts to metals and plastics for Your Volkswagen Touran 4 Door Second Generation (2015-2022)

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Air conditioning systems with refrigerant R1234yf - General information - Edition 07.2017  
Note  
Different trade names may be used in other countries.  
Of the wide range of refrigerants available, this is the only one  
which may be used for vehicles. The names Frigen and Freon  
are trade names. These also apply to refrigerants which are  
not to be used in vehicles.  
6.2.7  
Colour and odour of R1234yf refrigerant  
♦ Like water, refrigerants are colourless in both vapour and liq‐  
uid form. Gas is invisible. Only the boundary layer between  
gas and liquid is visible (liquid level in indicator tube of charg‐  
ing cylinder or bubbles in sight glass). Liquid refrigerant  
R1234yf may have a coloured (milky) appearance in a sight  
glass. This cloudiness is caused by partially dissolved refrig‐  
erant oil and does not indicate a fault.  
♦ Refrigerant is almost odourless. Should R1234yf refrigerant  
escape, it may be possible to detect a slight smell of ether  
depending on the ambient conditions.  
6.2.8  
Vapour pressure of R1234yf refrigerant  
In an enclosed container that is not completely full, refrigerant  
evaporates at the surface in a quantity sufficient to form an equi‐  
librium between vapour and liquid. This state of equilibrium occurs  
under the influence of pressure and is often called vapour pres‐  
sure. The vapour pressure is temperature-dependant  
⇒ “6.1.3 Vapour pressure table for refrigerant”, page 17 .  
6.2.9  
Physical properties of R1234yf refriger‐  
ant  
♦ The vapour pressure curves of the two refrigerants, R1234yf  
and R134a, are very similar across a broad temperature  
range, which is why no difference can be established between  
them  
⇒ “6.1.3 Vapour pressure table for refrigerant”, page 17 and  
⇒ Air conditioning system with R134a refrigerant, General in‐  
formation about the air conditioning system . It is only possible  
to determine a difference using relevant sensors, which can  
analyse the chemical structure of the refrigerant  
⇒ “6.2.16 Analysis of refrigerant R1234yf”, page 24 .  
♦ Lubrication of the air conditioner compressor with R1234yf is  
by special synthetic refrigerant oils, e.g. PAG oils (polyalky‐  
lene glycol oils) with certain additives adapted to the R1234yf  
refrigerant oil, the air conditioner compressor and the operat‐  
ing conditions.  
6.2.10  
How R1234yf refrigerant reacts to met‐  
als and plastics  
♦ In its pure state, R1234yf refrigerant is chemically stable and  
has no corrosive effect on e.g. iron, aluminium and specially  
developed plastics that are suitable for this purpose.  
♦ Contaminants in the refrigerant, however, cause components  
of the refrigerant circuit to become corroded and damaged  
beyond repair.  
♦ Unsuitable materials (e.g. seals and hoses that were not de‐  
veloped for the R1234yf refrigerant and the associated refrig‐  
erant oil) can also be corroded and damaged by pure R1234yf  
refrigerant and refrigerant oil.  
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Rep. gr.00 - Technical data  
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Air conditioning systems with refrigerant R1234yf - General information - Edition 07.2017  
♦ If the refrigerant is contaminated, e.g. with chlorine com‐  
pounds or by the influence of UV light, metals and also plastics  
developed and tested for this refrigerant and refrigerant oil can  
be corroded. This can lead to blockages, leaks and deposits  
on the air conditioner compressor piston.  
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♦ Certain metals can be corroded by R1234yf refrigerant (e.g.  
finely distributed aluminium, zinc, magnesium)  
6.2.11  
Critical temperature / critical pressure of  
R1234yf refrigerant  
Up to a gas pressure of 32.82 bar (which is equivalent to a tem‐  
perature of 94.7°C), refrigerant evaporates at the surface in a  
quantity that, combined with particles of vapour, returns it to liquid  
again. Above this temperature / pressure there is no longer a sur‐  
face separating the liquid and gas.  
6.2.12  
Water content of R1234yf refrigerant  
♦ Only very small amounts of water are soluble in liquid refrig‐  
erant. On the other hand, refrigerant vapour and water vapour  
mix in any ratio.  
♦ Any water in the refrigerant circuit will be entrained in droplet  
form once the dryer in the receiver or reservoir is full (once it  
has absorbed approx. 7 g of water). This water flows as far as  
the expansion valve nozzle or the restrictor and turns to ice.  
The air conditioner no longer provides cooling.  
♦ If the existing water at the regulating valve of the air conditioner  
compressor turns to ice, a variety of complaints may be made  
depending on the design of the air conditioner compressor  
(either the air conditioning system stops cooling or the air con‐  
ditioning system cools to such a degree that the evaporator  
ices over).  
♦ Water destroys the air conditioner because at high pressures  
and temperatures it can combine with other impurities to form  
acids.  
6.2.13  
Flammability / decomposition of  
R1234yf refrigerant  
♦ In certain concentrations in the ambient air, R1234yf refriger‐  
ant is flammable.  
♦ R1234yf begins to decompose when exposed to flames and  
glowing or hot surfaces. Even UV light causes refrigerant to  
break up (UV light is part of normal sunlight, it is also encoun‐  
tered e.g. during electrical welding), which releases poisonous  
fission products that must not be inhaled. However, these  
chemicals irritate the mucous membranes, giving adequate  
warning of their presence.  
♦ During decomposition, certain hazardous products such as  
carbon monoxide, hydrogen fluoride and / or hydrogen halide  
can be released.  
6.2.14  
Charge factor of refrigerant R1234yf  
♦ When charging compressed gas containers (returnable cylin‐  
ders, recycling cylinders etc.), observe the applicable regula‐  
tions, technical rules and legislation.  
♦ Never overcharge compressed gas containers (returnable cyl‐  
inders, recycling cylinders etc.). The gas cushion (expansion  
space) of overcharged compressed gas containers is too  
small to accommodate expansion of the fluid caused by a rise  
in temperature. Risk of bursting.  
6. Basic technical and physical properties  
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