Liquid drops to the bottom and boils off slowly, while vapor leaves from the top through a U-tube with a small oil return hole so oil keeps moving to the compressor. Accumulators are standard on heat pumps, which flood back during defrost and changeover, and on many fixed orifice systems. A sweating or frosted accumulator on a running system means liquid is coming back.
Accumulator is frosted down to the base, it's flooding back, check airflow inside before you touch the charge.
Also heard as
- suction accumulator
- suction line accumulator
Related terms
Floodback
Liquid refrigerant returning continuously to the compressor through the suction line while the system runs.
Slugging
Liquid refrigerant or oil being drawn into a compressor's cylinders, where it can't be compressed and causes damage.
Heat pump
A refrigeration system that can reverse its flow to move heat indoors in winter as well as outdoors in summer.
Compressor
The pump that raises refrigerant vapor from evaporator pressure to condenser pressure and keeps it circulating.