Receiver Drier for Car Air Conditioning System

The receiver drier is a component that protects all the other parts of the A/C loop.

It is located between the condenser outlet and the expansion valve inlet, on the high-pressure side of the car A/C loop.

The receiver drier has different roles:

• Retaining moisture and contaminants from the system (during the receiver drier’s lifetime)
• Finalising and securing condensation of the fluid
• Compensating for variations in fluid volume
• Ensuring oil returns to the compressor

 

Regularly replacing the filter prevents severe failures and costly replacement of other components in the air conditioning system.

The receiver drier must be replaced whenever the circuit is opened. For example, the receiver drier must be replaced if the condenser is damaged after an accident. Otherwise, the desiccator will no longer retain the humidity in the circuit and will become saturated. 

The receiver drier plays a critical role in the A/C system, as it retains humidity (it’s hygroscopic.) Therefore it is essential to follow replacement guidelines closely to avoid damaging the new receiver drier.

All receiver driers include plugs that must be removed as late as possible, i.e. just before drier installation.

 

Valeo Info

• Replace the receiver drier approximately every 3 years
• If the receiver drier is not replaced, A/C loop performance will degrade, increasing the risk of a breakdown (blocked expansion valve, impurities in the circuit, etc) 
• The receiver drier must be installed in the A/C loop at the last moment, just before the vacuum procedure