What is the ultimate bursting pressure of the receiver related to?

The ultimate bursting pressure of the receiver is related to the critical pressure of the refrigerant under specific conditions. This means that while it is good practice for the bursting pressure to be considered in relation to the critical pressure, it does not need to exceed this amount unless certain operational conditions dictate otherwise.

In practical terms, the critical pressure of a refrigerant is the pressure above which it cannot be liquefied, regardless of the temperature. If the system is designed to operate in a way that could approach conditions near this critical point, it then becomes essential to ensure that the receiver can handle these pressures without failure. However, in many standard applications, the receiver does not have to be rated beyond the critical pressure unless the system’s design includes situations, such as accidents or abnormal operation, that may lead to pressures exceeding typical operational parameters.

Understanding this distinction allows a designer or technician to minimize costs and improve system reliability by not unnecessarily over-engineering components when they are not required to withstand extreme conditions.