Industry application

Coriolis flow meters for refrigerant charging

OEM charging stations, conveyor lines, micro-dosing of refrigerants

Mass-EXPERT Coriolis meters measure the mass of refrigerant in grams right in the charging line: shop temperature, line pressure and momentary flashing do not distort the dose. Micro sizes DN01–DN04 measure from 0.1 kg/h, liquid mass accuracy is ±0.1%, and the P execution withstands up to 45 MPa (CO₂).

Recommended configurations Request a quote
Measured in grams ±0.1% by mass Refrigerants & CO₂ Ex: R290 / R600a Modbus to the line controller
The challenge

Why refrigerant charging is hard to measure

Charging refrigerators, air conditioners and vehicle climate systems on a conveyor is a fast discrete process: doses are counted in grams, valves fire every few seconds, and the refrigerant in the line lives on the edge between liquid and vapour.

Jewellery doses: 20–150 grams

A domestic refrigerator takes just 20 to 150 g of refrigerant. Underfilling cuts cooling capacity and wears the compressor out; overfilling causes liquid slugging and system damage. A couple of grams of error is already a reject.

20–150 gcost of error

Flashing in start-stop cycles

The conveyor runs in cycles: valves open and close every 30–60 seconds. On rapid pressure drop the refrigerant flashes right inside the measuring unit — volumetric and blade meters read vapour bubbles as liquid, lose accuracy and wear out from cavitation.

start-stopflash gas

Density drifts with shop temperature

Liquid refrigerant comes from the supply manifold under pressure, while the shop temperature swings through the day — and so does the refrigerant density. A dose measured in millilitres keeps drifting: constant corrections, and still an error.

ml ≠ gday / shift

Very high pressures of new refrigerants

CO₂ (R-744) charging stations run at 100–140 bar and above — standard industrial fittings and ordinary sensors do not qualify. R290 and R600a add one more requirement: explosion protection, because these gases are flammable.

R-744: 100–140 barR290 / R600a

Key principles for refrigerant charging lines

Reference points for refrigerant charging areas: measurement units, sizes, explosion protection and metrology.

Mass, counted in grams
Charging is about the number of refrigerant molecules — that is, mass. Mass does not depend on temperature, pressure or flashing. Millilitres are a derivative of density at a particular moment.
Micro bores DN01–DN04
The smallest sensors measure flow from 0.1 kg/h — the working range of conveyor charging doses. The line also includes DN08–DN250 for supply and mid-range lines.
Ex protection for flammable refrigerants
Domestic appliances are moving to isobutane (R600a) and propane (R290) — flammable gases. The meters are rated Ex db ib / db ia IIC T6 Gb, certified to TR CU 012/2011.
State Register No. 98506-26
An approved type of measuring instrument: documented metrology for production, verification under the MP 98506-26 procedure, and a complete document set for quality departments.
The solution

How Mass-EXPERT solves refrigerant charging tasks

Coriolis mass measurement is the industrial standard for automatic charging stations: grams do not depend on the physics of the medium, and the data goes straight to the line controller.

Direct weighing in grams

The sensor measures mass: shop heat, a new refrigerant batch or manifold pressure do not change the result. The controller receives the exact mass of the dose in grams.

±0.1% mass accuracy

The liquid mass channel accuracy is ±0.1%: the meter's contribution to dose accuracy is minimal. The overall charging accuracy is set by the combination of "meter + shut-off valve + controller".

No wearing parts

Smooth measuring tubes with no blades or bearings: millions of conveyor cycles do not affect factory calibration or dose repeatability.

Compact for the cradle

Slim DN01–DN04 sensors fit into charging modules and robotic carriers; straight pipe runs are not required — the station layout gets simpler.

Flammable refrigerants under control

R290 and R600a belong to group IIA; meters marked IIC cover them with margin. Intrinsically safe sensor circuits, markings Ex db ib / db ia IIC T6 Gb.

Digital interface for the line

RS-485 Modbus RTU, pulse output, 4–20 mA (HART), CAN — mass and totals go straight to the station controller, without intermediate devices or recalculation.

Typical charging station flow path

Flow path:Liquid refrigerant supply manifoldPneumatic shut-off valveMass-EXPERT (DN01–DN04)Cradle hoseCharging nozzleRefrigeration circuit

Before charging, the system evacuates the circuit, then liquid refrigerant is fed into the line. The meter continuously weighs the dose mass, and the station controller closes the shut-off valve at the setpoint — the controller performs the batching, the meter is responsible for mass accuracy.

Flashing: how to handle it

Short flashing episodes distort any flow measurement — so the measuring section is designed for minimum gas content: a short supply run, liquid-phase pressure maintained downstream of the sensor, and proper evacuation before charging. The mass principle itself needs neither density nor correction tables: it counts the mass of refrigerant delivered into the circuit.

Examples

Mass-EXPERT solutions for refrigerant charging

Recommended configurations

Optimal solutions for refrigerant charging stations

Combinations of micro sizes, executions and interfaces for conveyor doses and refrigerant types

Micro sizes for the doses

  • DN01–DN04 — conveyor micro-doses (20–150 g)
  • DN01–DN08 — stable measurement from 0.1 kg/h
  • DN08–DN25 — supply and mid-range lines
  • Materials — 316L or Hastelloy (selected by medium)

Executions for refrigerants

  • Standard — for R134a, R410A, R32, R404A
  • P execution (up to 45 MPa) — for CO₂ (R-744)
  • Station working pressures — from a few bar to 140 bar
  • Smooth tubes — no stagnant zones or condensate traps

ME100 / ME200 transmitters

  • ME200 — Ex db ia IIC T6 Gb, ME100 — Ex db ib IIC T6 Gb
  • Climate −60…+70 °C — for shops and cold areas
  • IP66/IP67, stainless steel
  • Power supply 24 V DC

Accuracy and repeatability

  • ±0.1% of the liquid mass channel
  • High sensitivity at low flow rates
  • Stable zero point at micro-doses
  • Dose repeatability unit-to-unit

Line integration

  • Fits existing evacuation and charging stations
  • Modbus/pulse — batching performed by the controller
  • Replacement of imported micro flow meters by dimensions
  • Complete metering units engineered to your specification

Recommended configuration for a conveyor station

For doses of 20–150 g: a DN02 or DN04 sensor + ME200 transmitter (Ex, Modbus RS-485) — the dose mass reaches the station controller in real time. For R-744 (CO₂) — the P execution (up to 45 MPa). For flammable R290/R600a — the same meters with IIC marking. Send us the dose, refrigerant and cycle — we will prepare a quotation and dimensions.

Key parameters

Mass-EXPERT capabilities for refrigerant charging

Micro-doses: DN01–DN08 — stable measurement from 0.1 kg/h
Mass channel accuracy (liquid): ±0.1%
Refrigerants: R134a, R410A, R32, R404A; CO₂ (R-744) — P execution up to 45 MPa
Flammable refrigerants R290/R600a: Ex db ib / db ia IIC T6 Gb (TR CU 012/2011)
Materials: 316L, Hastelloy — resistant to POE/PAG compressor oils
Interfaces: RS-485 Modbus RTU, pulse output, 4–20 mA (HART), CAN
Metrology: State Register No. 98506-26; verification under MP 98506-26
Service life: 20 years / 100,000 hours; no wearing parts
The payoff

What accurate charging delivers on an OEM line

Every dose on the conveyor is either quality of the finished appliance or hidden scrap. Charging accuracy feeds directly into warranty claims and cost.

AspectWith volumetric / blade metersWith Mass-EXPERT
Scrap on the conveyorUnder- and overfills ship with the appliance — claims, returns, service costsDose mass is stable unit to unit; the recipe repeats
Units of accountMillilitres drift with shop temperature and batch densityGrams: ±0.1% from the meter, medium physics irrelevant
Downtime and serviceRecalibration, worn meters, cavitation damage at valvesNo rubbing pairs: factory accuracy holds for millions of cycles
Import substitutionEmerson LF, Endress+Hauser — lead times, price, serviceA Russian measuring instrument: supply, verification and service locally
Flammable refrigerantsR290/R600a require Ex versions — not available from every vendorCertified to TR CU 012/2011, IIC T6 marking

For process engineers, integrators and station builders

For process engineers and quality managers — charging recipe repeatability and less scrap off the line. For automation engineers — standard interfaces and documented characteristics, real-time data for the dose setpoint. For charging station and cradle manufacturers — a compact metering unit for your own controller and enclosure, backed by Russian metrology.

Specification

Micro bores and executions for refrigerants

Sizes for conveyor doses, supply and mid-range charging lines.

SizeWorking rangeApplication
DN01–DN04from 0.1 kg/hConveyor micro-doses (20–150 g), robotic carriers
DN08from 0.1 kg/hSupply lines, medium doses
DN15–DN25by sizeEvacuation and charging stations of medium capacity

Station pressures — from a few bar up to 140 bar: standard execution and P (up to 45 MPa) for CO₂. Liquid mass accuracy — ±0.1%. The final size is selected by dose, cycle time and refrigerant.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the questions most often asked about this application.

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690 questions across 23 applications — in the FAQ Center

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