What is the minimum design pressure for a refrigeration system?

The minimum design pressure for a refrigeration system is established to ensure safety and efficiency. It helps to prevent issues like leaks and ensures that the system can withstand various operating conditions, including pressure fluctuations and thermal expansion during operation.

Choosing 15 psig as the minimum design pressure aligns with industry standards and best practices for many refrigeration systems. This pressure level provides a sufficient margin for safe operation, particularly for systems utilizing refrigerants that operate at varying pressures depending on their phase and temperature conditions. It is essential for the structural integrity of the system components, such as compressors, condensers, evaporators, and piping, which may experience pressure rises due to normal operation or transient conditions.

In this context, other options may set the design pressure significantly higher than what is typically necessary, potentially leading to over-engineering and increased costs without an actual benefit in safety or performance for standard refrigeration applications. Thus, 15 psig represents a balanced and practical figure used widely in the field.