Bulletin No.

760-D

Liquid Seals
Liquid Seals For Refrigeration
Service. Armstrong Liquid Seals
are widely used in Air Conditioning Systems, Breweries and Food
Processing Plants. Applications
Include Liquid Seals and Hot Gas
Defrost.

Table of Contents
How to Select and Size Armstrong Liquid Seals

Ball Float Liquid Seal Capacity Chart for Ammonia

Ball Float Liquid Seal Capacity Chart for R-22

Ball Float Liquid Seals

Inverted Bucket Liquid Seals for Ammonia Service

Inverted Bucket Liquid Seal Capacity Chart for Ammonia

Inverted Bucket Liquid Seal Capacity Chart for R-22

10

Series 200 & 300 Inverted Bucket Liquid Seals

11

Series 1010 Stainless Steel Liquid Seals

12

Armstrong Inverted Bucket Expansion Valves

13

Drain Traps For Hot Gas Defrost

14

Other Armstrong Refrigeration Products

15

Packaged Purger for Ammonia Systems

16

Accessories for Refrigeration Systems

16

Limited Warranty and Remedy

Armstrong International, Inc. warrants to the original user that those products supplied by it and used
in the service and in the manner for which they are intended shall be free from defects in materials
and workmanship for a period of one (1) year after installation, but not longer than fifteen (15) months
from date of shipment. Except as may be expressly provided for in a written agreement between
Armstrong International, Inc. and the user, which is signed by both parties. Armstrong International,
Inc. DOES NOT MAKE ANY OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY
IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The sole and exclusive remedy
with respect to the above limited warranty or with respect to any other claim relating to the products
or to defects or any condition or use of the products supplied by Armstrong International, Inc. however caused, and whether such claim is based upon warranty, contract, negligence, strict liability or any
other theory, is limited to Armstrong International, Inc.s repair or replacement of the part or product,
excluding any labor or any other cost to remove or install said part or product or, at Armstrong International, Inc.s option, to repayment of the purchase price. Notice of any such claim must be given in
writing to Armstrong International, Inc. within fifteen months after the first installation or use of the
products. In no event shall Armstrong International, Inc. be liable for special, direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages, including, but not limited to loss of use or profits or to interruption of
business activity.
2

How to Select and Size Armstrong Liquid Seals

For Draining Liquids from
Gases Under Pressure
Armstrong liquid seal traps are
offered in a wide variety of sizes
and types to meet the most
specific requirements. The
most widely used models and
sizes utilize bodies, caps and
some operating parts that are
mass produced for Armstrong
steam traps. The proven capabilities of these components,
along with volume production
economies, enable us to offer
you exceptionally high quality at
attractive prices. You can
choose the smallest and least
costly model that will meet your
requirements with confidence.

Selection Procedure for

Draining Liquid Refrigerant
From Vapor
1. Multiply the maximum liquid
load (lb/hr) by a safety factor
of 1.5 or 2.0 See paragraph
headed Safety Factors.
2. From the Orifice Capacity
Charts, find the orifice size
that will deliver the required
liquid capacity at the maximum operating pressure. For
halocarbon refrigerants
other than R-22, convert to
an equivalent R-22 flow rate
using Table 3-1.
3. From the Orifice Size Operating Pressure Table 6-1,
find the ball float liquid seal
capable of opening the
required orifice size at a
particular pressure and at
the specific gravity appropriate for the refrigerant.

Safety Factors

How to Order
Liquid Seal Traps

Safety factor is the ratio between actual continuous discharge capacity of the drain
trap and the amount of liquid to
be discharged during any given
period. The capacity charts in
this bulletin show the maximum
continuous rate of discharge of
the drain traps. However, you
must provide capacity for
maximum loads and, possibly,
lower than normal pressures. A
safety factor of 1.5 or 2 is
generally adequate if applied to
the maximum load and the
minimum pressure at which it
occurs. If the load discharge to
the trap is sporadic, a higher
safety factor may be required.
Contact your Armstrong Representative for details.

SPECIFY:
1. Liquid seal trap size by
model number
2. Orifice size
3. Pipe connection size and
type
4. Maximum operating
pressure (differential)
5. Refrigerant used
If the correct liquid seal cannot
be determined, advise the
capacity required, maximum
pressure, and the SPECIFIC
GRAVITY of the liquid.

Where Not to Use

Float type drain traps are not
recommended where heavy oil,
sludge or considerable dirt are
encountered. Dirt can prevent
the valve from seating tightly,
and cold oil can prevent float
traps from opening. Where
these conditions exist,
Armstrong inverted bucket
liquid seal traps should be used.
Table 3-1. Refrigerant Flowrate Conversion Table.

S p e c ific G ra v ity
o f L iq u id

R e frig e ra n t

L b /h r E q u iv a le n t to C o n v e rs io n F a c to r to
1 to n o f
F in d R -2 2 E q u iv a le n t o f
R e frig e ra tio n
O th e r R e frig e ra n ts *

R-717

0.60

25.3

N.A.

R-11

1.46

180

0.90

R-12

1.29

240

0.95

R-22

1.17

171

1.00

R-134a

1.20

127

1.00

R-502

1.19

267

1.00

*Flow of other refrigerant x factor = Required equivalent capacity of R-22. Based on mass
flowrates (lb/hr) NOT on tonnage equivalents. This factor is for use with Chart 5-1 to find
required orifice sizes.

Table 7-1.
Model No.

Valve & Seat

leverage System

Float

Body 81 Cap

Gasket

Stainless
Steel

Stainless
Steel

Stainless
Steel

Cast Iron
ASTM A-48,
Class 30

Compressed
Asbestos-free

Stainless
Steel

Stainless
Steel

Stainless
Steel

Sealed
Stainless Steel,
304-L

Stainless
Steel

Stainless
Steel

Stainless
Steel

Forged Steel
ASTM A-l 05

Compressed
Asbestos-free

I-LD
2-LD
3-LD
6-LD
Ii-LD
12-LD
13-LD
32-LD
33-LD
36-LD

For information on special materials, consult the Armstrong Application Engineering Department.

Table 7-2.

Armstrong Ball Float Liquid Seals

NOTE: Vessel design pressure may exceed float collapse pressure in some cases.
Pipe size of vent connection is same as that of inlet and outlet connections.
tAvailable in type 316 stainless steel. Consult factory.
** /2 Outlet.
VENT

LA-I

Figure 7-1.
No. 2-LD, 3-LD and 6-LD
cast iron ball float
liquid seal traps.

-A--1

Figure 7-2.
No. 32-LD, 33-LD and 36-LD forged steel
liquid seal trap. Socketweld or ANSI flanged
connections are also available.
Note: Forged steel traps rated -20F

All dimensions and weights are approximate, Use certified print for exact dimensions.
7

Figure 7-3.
No. 1 I-LD, 12-LD and 13-LD
stainless steel guided lever
liquid seal trap with sealed,
tamperproof construction.

Inverted Bucket Liquid Seals For Ammonia Service

How Armstrong Inverted Bucket Liquid Seals Work to Prevent System Problems
The Problem: When the liquid level in a refrigerant
receiver drops below the end of the outlet pipe
(See Figure 8-l), high pressure gas will enter the
evaporator. This is not desirable.
TO EVAPORATOR

.
A
B
ARMSTRONG
LIQUID SEAL
(OPEN)

Figure 8-1.

The Solution: To prevent this condition, install an

KEY:

LIQUID

[1 G

Armstrong liquid seal. Figure 8-2 shows normal

operation with the liquid level in the receiver
above the end of the outlet pipe. The Liquid seal
is full of refrigerant. The inverted bucket is down
and the valve is wide open offering little resistance to the flow of refrigerant. When high pressure gas enters the liquid line, the gas will displace the refrigerant from under the bucket, and
will cause the bucket to float and close the liquid
seals valve as shown in Figure 8-3. No high
pressure gas can now enter the evaporator. As
soon as the liquid supply is restored, the end of
the drain pipe will become submerged and refrigerant will reach the liquid seal where it will now
displace the gas under the bucket. The bucket
will then sink and open. Conditions will now be
normal.

Figure 8-2,

RECEIVER

TO EVAPORATOR
<

*r

KEY:
LIQUID k
I/
G
A

Figure 8-3.
RIXEIVER

Multiple Seals
If a single Armstrong liquid seal does not have
sufficient capacity, multiple seals can be used as
shown in Figure 8-4 . This drawing represents an
actual installation in a 1000 ton ammonia system
in a large ice cream plant.

Figure 8-4.

Inverted Bucket Liquid Seal Capacity Chart For Ammonia

Inverted Bucket Liquid Seal Capacity Chart For R-22

10

Series 200 & 300 Inverted Bucket Liquid Seals

List of Materials
Table 11-1. Series 200 & 300 Liquid Seals.
N a m e o f P a rt

M a te ria l

Cap & Body Series 200

ASTM A-48 Class 30

Cap & Body Forgings

Series 300

ASTM A-105

Inlet Tube

Steel Pipe

Gasket

Compressed Non-Asbestos

Bolt & Nut Set Series 200

SAE Grade 2

Bolts Series 300

ASTM A-193, Grade B-7

Nuts Series 300

ASTM A-194, Grade 2-H

Valve Seat

Stainless Steel

Valve

Stainless Steel

Valve Retainer

Stainless Steel

Lever

Stainless Steel

Guide Pin Assembly

Stainless Steel

Bucket Series 200

Stainless Steel, No. 213 and larger

buckets have cast iron weights.

Bucket Series 300

Stainless Steel cap and tube, No. 313

and larger buckets have cast iron weights.

Options
Stainless Steel Check Valves
Socketweld Connections - Series 300
Cast 316 Stainless Steel Bodies are available on
Models 312, 313, 316.

Physical Data
Table 11-2. Series 200 & 300 Liquid Seals.
M odel No.

211

212

213

Z\x , C\v Z\x , C\v ,1

214

215

216

310

312

313

314

315

316

Pipe Connections (in)

Z\x

1 , 1Z\v

1 , 1Z\v , 1Z\x

Z\x , C\v

Z\x , C\v

Test plug (in)

Z\,

C\,

Z\x

Z\x

C\v

A (Flange Diameter) (in)

4Z\v

5Z\v

6C\,

7Z\x

8Z\x

10C\zn

4B\,

6C\v

8B\,

9C\v

11M\,

B ( Height) (in)

6C\,

10C\v

12Z\x

14B\zn

17

7ZB\zn

10C\zn

11Z\x

13ZZ\zn

15

17Z\,

Z\x ,C\v ,1 1 , 1Z\v 1 , 1Z\v , 1Z\x

Number of Bolts

12

10

Weight (lb)

11Z\x

20Z\v

33

44C\v

77Z\x

10

30

50

70

98

179

250

250

250

250

250

250

770

600

1080

1130

1015

1100

Max. Allowable Pressure, psig

@ 100F (Vessel Design)

Note: Add Suffix to Model No. - 6 for Ammonia Service, - 12 for Freon Service (Specify Refrigerant).

Figure 11-1.
Series 200 Traps

All dimensions and weights are approximate. Use certified print for exact dimensions.
11

Figure 11-2.
Series 300 Traps

Drain Traps for Hot Gas Defrost with Elevated Lines

HOT GAS

KEY

SUCTION
SOLENOID VALVE WITH STRAINER

LIQUID

PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE

SHUT-OFF VALVE
METERING VALVE
CHECK VALVE
DC TRAP

THROUGH ROOF

Figure 15-1.
Typical thru roof installation for use with DC series traps.

Traps for Draining Elevated Lines

Figure 15-2.

Figure 15-3.

Figure 15-4.

Series 20-6-DC Traps.

Series 80-6-DC Traps.

Series TVS81-6-DC Traps.

** Call the factory for sizing and dimensions.

15

Armstrong International, Inc.

www.armstrong-intl.com

816 Maple Street, P.O. Box 408, Three Rivers, Michigan 49093 - USA Phone: (616) 273-1415 Fax: (616) 278-6555
Parc Industriel Des Hauts-Sarts, B-4040 Herstal/Liege, Belgium Phone: (04) 2409090 Fax: (04) 2481361
Bulletin No. 760-D 5M

8/99

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1999 Armstrong International, Inc.

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