What is the fastest method to recover refrigerant?

The fastest method to recover refrigerant is through the recovery of refrigerant in a liquid state. When refrigerant is recovered in a liquid state, it allows for quicker transfer since liquids are denser and facilitate more efficient movement through recovery equipment. Liquid refrigerant can be more directly pumped into a recovery cylinder without requiring extensive changes in pressure or state, making the process faster.

Recovering refrigerant in a gas state, while possible, generally takes longer because the compressor must draw in the vapor and then compress it, which can slow down the overall recovery process. Other methods, such as filtering or evaporating the refrigerant, are not standard practices for recovery and would not be efficient for quick refrigerant retrieval. Evaporation would typically occur after the refrigerant has been fully recovered, rather than being a method for rapid recovery in itself.