Composition for heat cycle system, and heat cycle system

• US 9,976,067 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGC, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited (AGC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukushima, Masato, Mitsuoka, Hiroaki, Tasaka, Mai, Shirakawa, Daisuke, Takagi, Hirokazu, Arai, Takeaki
• Primary Examiner(s): MC GINTY, DOUGLAS J
• Application Number:
  US15/238,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20160355717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 252 67, 252 68, 252 69
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/122 Halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/126 Unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/22 All components of a mixture being fluoro compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2205/40 Replacement mixtures
• 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 2207/2835 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/043 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/02 Viscosity; Viscosity index
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/101 Containing Hydrofluorocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/02 Pour-point; Viscosity index
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/16 Dielectric; Insulating oil or insulators
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/30 Refrigerators lubricants or compressors lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/00 Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle F25B3/00, F25B5/00, F25B6/00, F25B7/00, F25B9/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/002 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 43/00 Arrangements for separating or purifying gases or liquids in analysers or rectifiers F25B33/00; Arrangements for vaporising the residuum of liquid refrigerant, e.g. by heat F25B40/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A composition for a heat cycle system and a heat cycle system employing the composition are provided. The composition has favorable lubricating properties and contains a working fluid for heat cycle and a refrigerant oil. The working fluid has a low global warming potential and can replace R410A. The working fluid contains an unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound having a specific structure. The refrigerant oil has a breakdown voltage of at least 25 kV, a hydroxyl value of at most 0.1 mgKOH/g, and a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. of from 5 to 200 mm²/s and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 2 to 30 mm²/s.

Claims

1. A composition for a heat cycle system, comprising:

a working fluid for heat cycle containing at least one unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound of formula (I), which contains at least one carbon-carbon unsaturated bond, and

a refrigerant oil having a breakdown voltage of at least 25 kV, a hydroxyl value of at most 0.1 mgKOH/g, and a kinematic viscosity at 40°

C. of from 5 to 200 mm²/s and a kinematic viscosity at 100°

C. of from 1 to 100 mm²/s;

C_xF_yR_z 

 

(I)

where R is H or Cl, x is an integer of from 2 to 6, y is an integer of from 1 to 12, and z is an integer of from 0 to 11, provided that 2x≥

y+z≥

2,

wherein the refrigerant oil does not comprise an ether refrigerant oil.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the compound of the formula (I) with x being 2 or 3 is contained.

3. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of trifluoroethylene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1,2-difluoroethylene, 2-fluoropropene, 1,1,2-trifluoropropene, (E)-1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene, (Z)-1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene, (E)-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, (Z)-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 3,3,3-trifluoropropene.

4. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the working fluid for heat cycle further contains a saturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound.

5. The composition according to claim 4, wherein the saturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of trifluoromethane, difluoromethane, difluoroethane, trifluoroethane, tetrafluoroethane, pentafluoroethane, trifluoroiodomethane, pentafluoropropane, hexafluoropropane, heptafluoropropane, pentafluorobutane and heptafluorocyclopentane.

6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein trifluoroethylene is contained as the unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound in a content of from 20 to 80 mass % per 100 mass % of the working fluid for heat cycle.

7. The composition according to claim 4, wherein difluoromethane is contained as the saturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound in a content of from 20 to 80 mass % per 100 mass % of the working fluid for heat cycle.

8. The composition according to claim 4, wherein trifluoroethylene and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene are contained as the unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound, and difluoromethane is contained as the saturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound,

a proportion of a total amount of trifluoroethylene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and difluoromethane based on an entire amount of the working fluid for heat cycle is higher than 90 mass % and at most 100 mass %, and

based on the total amount of trifluoroethylene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and difluoromethane, a proportion of trifluoroethylene is at least 10 mass % and less than 70 mass %, a proportion of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is higher than 0 mass % and at most 50 mass %, and a proportion of difluoromethane is higher than 30 mass % and at most 75 mass %.

9. The composition according to claim 4, wherein trifluoroethylene and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene are contained as the unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound, and difluoromethane is contained as the saturated fluorinated hydrocarbon compound,

a proportion of a total amount of trifluoroethylene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and difluoromethane based on an entire amount of the working fluid for heat cycle is higher than 90 mass % and at most 100 mass %,

based on the total amount of trifluoroethylene, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and difluoromethane, a proportion of a total amount of trifluoroethylene and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is at least 70 mass %, a proportion of trifluoroethylene is at least 30 mass % and at most 80 mass %, a proportion of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is at most 40 mass %, and a proportion of difluoromethane is higher than 0 mass % and at most 30 mass %, and

a ratio of trifluoroethylene to 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is at most 95/5.

10. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant oil is at least one polyol ester refrigerant oil.

11. The composition according to claim 1, which contains at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a copper deactivator, an extreme-pressure agent, an oil agent, an antioxidant, an acid scavenger, an antifoaming agent and a polymerization inhibitor.

12. A heat cycle system, comprising the composition according to claim 1.

13. The heat cycle system according to claim 12, which is at least one selected from the group consisting of a refrigerating apparatus, an air-conditioning apparatus, a power generation system, a heat transport apparatus and a secondary cooling machine.

14. The heat cycle system according to claim 12, wherein the heat cycle system has a compression mechanism having a contact portion in contact with the composition, and the contact portion comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of an engineering plastic, an organic film and an inorganic film.