Sunday, January 24, 2016: 1:30 PM-3:00 PM
Fundamentals and Applications
Chair:
Edward Hessell, Ph.D., Chemtura Corporation
Technical Committee: 03.04 Lubrication
Sponsor: TC 3.3, MTG.LOW GWP
CoSponsor: 03.02 Refrigerant System Chemistry
The transition to lower global warming potential refrigerants such as HFOs, carbon dioxide and propane creates a number of design and operational challenges to compressor and system builders. Lubrication is one of the fundamental issues that must be addressed for any refrigerant change. This seminar presents examples of the lubrication challenges faced by the industry from three different perspectives; the compressor/system builder, the refrigerant manufacturer and the lubricant manufacturer. Examples are presented of strategies used to ensure that the transition to low GWP refrigerants results in refrigeration systems with the best possible properties of energy efficiency and long term reliability.
1 Energy Efficiency Performance of New Low-GWP Replacements for R-404A as a Function of Lubricant Structure and Refrigerant/Lubricant Properties in a Commercial Refrigeration Unit
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Laurent Abbas, Ph.D., Arkema, Inc. |
Lubricants optimized for R-404A refrigerant may not be the best choice for the new low GWP alternatives. In this study, selected low GWP alternative refrigerants to R-404A are evaluated with several synthetic POE lubricants of systematically varied chemical structure and correspondingly varied compatibility with these refrigerants. The results of laboratory and full system tests are correlated to the measured thermo-physical properties and miscibility of the refrigerant/POE mixtures. Combining the property information with full system test data allow for analysis of the impact of refrigerant-lubricant mixture properties on system performance.
2 Lubricants for Low GWP Refrigerants: Still Slippery on Both Sides
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Joseph A. Karnaz, CPI Fluid Engineering/Lubrizol |
The commercial transition to low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants that can benefit environmental impact does not preclude the need to consider the interactions/stability between the lubricant and refrigerant. Dealing with some low GWP refrigerants, it becomes even more essential to investigate and understand these interactions due to potential property differences these refrigerants have over refrigerants used today. This presentation will outline key interactions that need to be studied along with examples of lubricant options for some low GWP refrigerant candidates. Low GWP refrigerants based on various natural and synthetic chemistries will be assessed.
3 Challenges for Equipment Manufacturers in Adopting Low-GWP Refrigerants
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Stephen Kujak, Trane, Ingersoll Rand |
Low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants have been studied by the HVAC&R industry extensively with limited success in finding optimal design compatible replacements for all product segments. New ultra low GWP olefin refrigerants such as HFOs are being considered by themselves or blended with traditional refrigerants to optimize design attributes for equipment manufacturers, but there can be compromises that develop in other design attributes. This presentation will provide a summary of the design trade-offs when considering new refrigerants and the product differences associated with new lower GWP refrigerant products that are being introduced by the HVAC&R industry.