What is the process of extracting and cleaning refrigerant for reuse without requirements called?

The correct answer is recycling. In the context of refrigerants, recycling refers to the process of extracting refrigerant from a system and cleaning it to a certain standard that allows it to be reused in other systems. This process typically involves filtering and removing contaminants, but does not require the refrigerant to meet the same purity standards necessary for reclamation.

Recycling is a critical practice in HVAC and refrigeration systems because it helps reduce waste and environmental impact by reusing refrigerants rather than disposing of them. This is particularly important given the potential harm some refrigerants can pose to the ozone layer and their contribution to global warming.

While recovery and reclamation are related concepts, they differ in terms of the purity of the refrigerant after processing. Recovery is simply the extraction of refrigerant from a system without any cleaning or verification of purity and is often a preliminary step before recycling or reclamation takes place. Reclamation, on the other hand, involves a more thorough purification process that ensures the refrigerant meets stringent industry standards for reuse. Refrigeration itself refers to the overall cooling process and is not relevant to the specific activities of treating refrigerant for reuse.