METHOD OF SELECTING REFRIGERANT-LUBRICANT COMBINATIONS

• US 20120272668A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arkema Incorporated (Arkema)
• Original Assignee: Arkema Incorporated (Arkema)
• Inventors: Van Horn, Brett L., Bonnet, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 9,481,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/77
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/126 Unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/041 for compression-type refrigeration systems
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/044 comprising halogenated compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/045 containing only fluorine as halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/008 Lubricant compositions compatible with refrigerants
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/1006 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/1045 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2205/0285 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/0406 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/283 of polyhydroxy compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/043 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1033 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2211/022 aliphatic
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/099 Containing Chlorofluorocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/101 Containing Hydrofluorocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/103 Containing Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/105 Containing Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/106 Containing Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/30 Refrigerators lubricants or compressors lubricants

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for selecting refrigerant and lubricant combinations for use in heat transfer cycle systems and provides methods for operating said heat transfer systems. More particularly, the invention provides methods to select lubricant and refrigerant combinations for a heat transfer cycle system wherein at the lower temperatures of the heat transfer cycle the refrigerant and lubricant are miscible and at the upper temperatures of the heat transfer cycle the refrigerant and lubricant are phase separated and such that the density phase inversion temperature of the combination is below the upper operating temperature of the heat transfer cycle.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a refrigerant and lubricant combination for a vapor-compression heat transfer system comprising:

a. determining a lower operating temperature range of a vapor-compression heat transfer system;

b. determining an upper operating temperature range of the vapor-compression heat transfer system; and

c. selecting a refrigerant selected from hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrochlorofluoroolefins (HCFOs), hydrocarbons (HCs), carbon dioxide, ammonia, dimethyl ether, or mixtures thereof at a first concentration and a lubricant selected from polyalkylene glycols (PAGs), polyol esters (POEs), polyvinyl ethers (PVEs), polyglycols, polyalkylene glycol esters, alkyl benzenes, mineral oils, polyalphaolefins, or mixtures thereof at a second concentration to wherein said refrigerant and said lubricant are miscible at a first temperature within said lower operating temperature range and produce a fluid system having a refrigerant-rich phase and a lubricant-rich phase at a second temperature within said upper operating temperature range provided that said second temperature is higher than said first temperature, wherein the lubricant-rich phase is denser relative to the refrigerant-rich phase at said second temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the phase inversion point of said refrigerant and lubricant combination is between the upper operating temperature range and the lower operating temperature range of the system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrofluoroolefin is selected from the group consisting of C3 to C6 alkenes.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said C3 to C6 alkene is selected from the group consisting of trifluoropropene, tetrafluoropropene, pentafluoropropene and mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said trifluoropropene, tetrafluoropropene is selected from the group consisting of 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HFO-1243zf), 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf) and 1,3,3,3 -tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234ze).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said higher operating temperature range is about +15°

C. to about +90°

C. and said lower operating temperature range is about −

60°

C. to about +25°

C.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said higher operating temperature range is about +30°

C. to about +70°

C. and said lower operating temperature range is about −

30°

C. to about +15°

C.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluid system further comprises one or more of additives selected from the group consisting of dyes, viscosity modifiers, anti-foaming agents, corrosion inhibitors, stabilizers, compatibilizers, anti-oxidants, pour point depressants, nanoparticles, flame suppressants and mixtures thereof.

9. A method for introducing a refrigerant and lubricant into a vapor-compression heat transfer device system comprising:

a. providing a vapor-compression heat transfer device comprising a heat transfer circuit, a compressor having an inlet side and an outlet side, a refrigerant and lubricant reservoir, wherein said reservoir is in fluid communication with the inlet side of the compressor and with said heat transfer circuit, and said heat transfer circuit is in fluid communication with said outlet side of the compressor;

b. determining the lower operating temperature range of the vapor-compression refrigeration device;

c. determining the upper operating temperature range of the vapor-compression refrigeration device;

d. selecting a refrigerant selected from hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFs), hydrocarbons (HCs), carbon dioxide, ammonia, or mixtures thereof at a first concentration and selecting a lubricant selected from polyalkylene glycols (PAGs), polyol esters (POEs), polyvinyl ethers (PVEs), polyglycols, polyalkylene glycol esters, alkyl benzenes, mineral oils, polyalphaolefins, or mixtures thereof at a second concentration to produce a fluid system wherein said refrigerant and said lubricant are miscible at a first temperature within said lower operating temperature range and produce a fluid system having a refrigerant-rich phase and a lubricant-rich phase at a second temperature within said upper operating temperature range provided that said second temperature is higher than said first temperature, wherein the lubricant-rich phase is denser relative to the refrigerant-rich phase at said second temperature; and

e. introducing said refrigerant and lubricant into the vapor-compression heat transfer device.