Refrigerants and methods for their production

Abstract

The application provides a refrigerant and a preparation method thereof. The refrigerant is combined by a first component, a second component and a third component, wherein the first component is 3,3,3-trifluoropropynyl, the second component is 1,1-difluoroethane, and the third component is trifluoroiodomethane or one of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene; in the refrigerant, the content of the first component is a first preset value, the content of the second component is a second preset value, and the content of the third component is a third preset value; the first preset value, the second preset value and the third preset value are greater than zero and the sum is 100 percent. The refrigerant is combined by three components, the GWP is less than 150, the ODP is 0, and the refrigerant has obvious environmental protection advantages; meanwhile, the environmental protection mixed refrigerant has similar thermal performance and unit volume refrigerating capacity to R290. Compared with R290, the safety of the mixed refrigerant is obviously improved, and the safety grade is better than that of R290.

Description

Refrigerants and their preparation methods Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of refrigerant technology, specifically relating to a refrigerant and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] The development of refrigerants has driven the advancement of refrigeration technology. However, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants are one of the main causes of global warming, accounting for approximately 2-3% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. To protect the environment, curb global warming, and minimize emissions of HFC-type non-CO2 greenhouse gases, it is imperative to find refrigerants with lower global warming potential (GWP), lower ozone depletion potential (ODP), and that are safe, sustainable, and efficient to replace current high-GWP refrigerants.

[0003] Propane (R290), a natural working medium, has excellent environmental performance (ODP=0, GWP=3), meeting current requirements for the environmental performance of refrigerants. However, it has strong flammability (belonging to A3 class flammable refrigerants) and its safety is significantly lacking, which limits its development.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to find a mixed refrigerant with good environmental performance, high safety, and thermal performance comparable to or even better than R290 to replace R290, so as to maximize the satisfaction of the requirements for refrigerant environmental protection, safety, and efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, this application provides a refrigerant and its preparation method, which can solve the safety problems of R290 refrigerant having strong flammability in the prior art.

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a refrigerant composed of a first component, a second component, and a third component, wherein:

[0007] The first component is 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne;

[0008] The second component is 1,1-difluoroethane;

[0009] The third component is either trifluoroiodoformane or 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropylene;

[0010] In the refrigerant, the content of the first component is a first preset value, the content of the second component is a second preset value, and the content of the third component is a third preset value; satisfying that: the first preset value, the second preset value, and the third preset value are all greater than zero, and the sum is 100%.

[0011] Optionally, the first preset value is a mass percentage of 36%-88%.

[0012] Optionally, the first preset value is a mass percentage of 40%-84%.

[0013] Optionally, the first preset value is 44%-80% of the mass percentage.

[0014] Optionally, the first preset value is 48-76% of the mass percentage.

[0015] Optionally, the first preset value is 52-72% of the mass percentage.

[0016] Optionally, the first preset value is 56-68% of the mass percentage.

[0017] Optionally, the first preset value is 60%-64% of the mass percentage.

[0018] Optionally, the second preset value is 4%-32% of the mass percentage.

[0019] Optionally, the second preset value is 8%-20% of the mass percentage.

[0020] Optionally, the second preset value is 12%-16% of the mass percentage.

[0021] Optionally, the third preset value is a mass percentage of 4% to 56%.

[0022] Optionally, the third preset value is a mass percentage of 12%-44%.

[0023] Optionally, the third preset value is 20%-40% of the mass percentage.

[0024] Optionally, the third preset value is 24%-36% of the mass percentage.

[0025] Optionally, the third preset value is 28%-32% of the mass percentage.

[0026] According to another aspect of this application, a method for preparing the refrigerant as described above is provided, comprising:

[0027] At room temperature, the first component, the second component, and the third component are physically mixed evenly to obtain the refrigerant.

[0028] This application provides a refrigerant composed of a first component, a second component, and a third component, wherein: the first component is 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne; the second component is 1,1-difluoroethane; and the third component is either trifluoroiodomethane or 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropylene; in the refrigerant, the content of the first component is a first preset value, the content of the second component is a second preset value, and the content of the third component is a third preset value; satisfying that: the first preset value, the second preset value, and the third preset value are all greater than zero, and their sum is 100%.

[0029] This application describes a refrigerant composed of three components, with a GWP of less than 150 and an ODP of 0, exhibiting significant environmental advantages. Furthermore, the thermal properties and volumetric refrigeration capacity of this environmentally friendly mixed refrigerant are similar to those of R290. Compared to R290, this mixed refrigerant offers significantly improved safety, exceeding the safety rating of R290, and its flammability is greatly reduced. This effectively solves the technical problems of high flammability and poor safety performance associated with R290 refrigerant. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solution of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this application or its application or use. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0032] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. Techniques and methods known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques and methods should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0033] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define each component is merely for the purpose of distinguishing each component. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] According to an embodiment of this application, a refrigerant is composed of a first component, a second component, and a third component, wherein:

[0035] The first component is 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne;

[0036] The second component is 1,1-difluoroethane;

[0037] The third component is either trifluoroiodoformane or 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropylene;

[0038] In the refrigerant, the content of the first component is a first preset value, the content of the second component is a second preset value, and the content of the third component is a third preset value; satisfying that: the first preset value, the second preset value, and the third preset value are all greater than zero, and the sum is 100%.

[0039] This application describes a refrigerant composed of three components, with a GWP of less than 150 and an ODP of 0, exhibiting significant environmental advantages. Furthermore, the thermal properties and volumetric refrigeration capacity of this environmentally friendly mixed refrigerant are similar to those of R290. Compared to R290, this mixed refrigerant offers significantly improved safety, exceeding the safety rating of R290, and its flammability is greatly reduced. This effectively solves the technical problems of high flammability and poor safety performance associated with R290 refrigerant.

[0040] The refrigerant in this application has the following advantages:

[0041] (1) It is a mixed refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) of less than 150, exhibiting excellent environmental performance;

[0042] (2) The flammability of the mixed refrigerant is better than that of R290, and its safety is greatly improved compared with R290;

[0043] (3) The energy efficiency of the mixed refrigerant is basically the same as or even better than that of R290.

[0044] The components used in the refrigerant of this application and the basic parameters of R290 are shown in Table 1 below;

[0045] Table 1 Basic parameters of each component

[0046]

[0047]

[0048] As shown in Table 1, the GWP of TFP is 11, that of R152a is 138, that of R13I1 is 1, and that of R1234yf is 1. The components exhibit excellent environmental performance, with GWPs all below 150. Mixing these components can significantly improve the environmental friendliness of the refrigerant.

[0049] Regarding safety ratings, i.e., flammability, TFP and R290 are classified as Class 3 flammability, R152a as Class 2, R13I1 as Class 1, and R1234yf as Class 2L. By selecting appropriate components (controlling the mass fraction of TFP), the flammability of the refrigerant in this application is at least superior to that of R290.

[0050] For thermodynamic performance, the main metrics are COP and relative volumetric cooling capacity. Compared to R290, TFP has a larger relative volumetric cooling capacity and a lower relative COP. R152a has a lower relative volumetric cooling capacity and a higher relative COP. R13I1 has a lower relative volumetric cooling capacity and a higher relative COP. R1234yf has a lower relative volumetric cooling capacity, but its COP is comparable to that of R290.

[0051] Therefore, by mixing the above working fluids in appropriate proportions, the thermodynamic properties of the mixture can be made comparable to those of R290.

[0052] According to another aspect of this application, a method for preparing the refrigerant as described above is provided, comprising:

[0053] At room temperature, the first component, the second component, and the third component are physically mixed evenly to obtain the refrigerant.

[0054] Since all three components are liquid at room temperature, preparation can be completed by direct physical mixing, which is a simple operation.

[0055] The present application is described and compared below with specific embodiments to demonstrate the superiority of the refrigerant of the present application. Specific embodiments are shown in Table 2.

[0056] Table 2 Mass ratio of each component

[0057]

[0058]

[0059] This application uses a refrigerant formulation to replace R290. The selected design conditions are: evaporator evaporation temperature of 10℃, condenser condensation temperature of 40℃, the vapor phase at the evaporator outlet is in a superheated state with a superheat of 5℃, the liquid phase at the condenser outlet is in a subcooled state with a subcooling of 5℃, and the compressor adiabatic efficiency of 0.75. Theoretical calculations were performed using the cycle performance parameters of the above embodiments and R290 refrigerant in the refrigeration system. All physical property data were taken from REFPROP 10.0. The GWP (calculated as a linear summation by mass percentage), relative volumetric cooling / heating capacity Qv (ratio of volumetric cooling / heating capacity to R290), relative coefficient of performance COP (ratio of coefficient of performance to R290), and flammability rating were compared. The flammability rating was classified according to ASHRAE 34-2019 into categories 1 (no flame propagation), 2L (slightly flammable), 2 (flammable), and 3 (highly flammable). The results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0060] Table 3. Performance comparison results of the refrigerant in this application and R290.

[0061]

[0062]

[0063] Global Warming Potential (GWP) measures the impact of gases on global warming. Limiting GWP to a low level can reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate global warming. Due to environmental protection requirements, refrigerants with high GWPs will be phased out; generally, the lower the GWP, the better. Therefore, the search is underway for refrigerants with lower GWPs to meet the requirements of refrigerant reduction and quota restrictions.

[0064] Both volumetric cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP) reflect the cooling ability of a refrigerant. A superior refrigerant needs to simultaneously satisfy low GWP, high volumetric cooling capacity, and high COP. In Table 3, the relative COPs are all greater than 0.9, indicating that compared to R290, all embodiments have higher or similar volumetric cooling / heating capacity and COPs for R290, making them suitable as replacements for R290 in applications without requiring a redesign of the refrigeration system.

[0065] As shown in Table 3, the GWP of the mixed refrigerants provided in this application is less than 150, which fully meets the current Kigali Amendment requirements for refrigerant control. The relative volumetric refrigeration capacity and relative coefficient of performance of all refrigerant formulations are greater than 0.9, and the highest volumetric refrigeration capacity is increased by 15% compared to R290. All embodiments exhibit good safety, and their flammability is at least superior to R290.

[0066] Comparative Examples 1-4 are not within the mass percentages provided in this application, and their relative volumetric cooling capacity and relative coefficient of performance are relatively small.

[0067] In summary, the three-component mixed refrigerant provided in this application has a GWP of less than 150, and its safety performance is superior to that of R290. Its thermodynamic performance is also comparable to or even better than that of R290 refrigerant, making it a good substitute for R290.

[0068] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments can be freely combined and superimposed without conflict.

[0069] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application. The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A refrigerant, characterized in that, The refrigerant is composed of a first component, a second component, and a third component, wherein: the first component is 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne; the second component is 1,1-difluoroethane; and the third component is either trifluoroiodomethane or 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropylene. In the refrigerant, the content of the first component is a first preset value, the content of the second component is a second preset value, and the content of the third component is a third preset value; satisfying that: the first preset value, the second preset value, and the third preset value are all greater than zero, and their sum is 100%; wherein the first preset value is 36%-88% by mass, the second preset value is 4%-32% by mass, and the third preset value is 4%-56% by mass.

2. The refrigerant according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first preset value is a mass percentage of 40%-84%.

3. The refrigerant according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first preset value is a mass percentage of 44%-80%.

4. The refrigerant according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first preset value is 48-76% of the mass percentage.

5. The refrigerant according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first preset value is 52-72% of the mass percentage.

6. The refrigerant according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first preset value is 56-68% of the mass percentage.

7. The refrigerant according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first preset value is 60%-64% of the mass percentage.

8. The refrigerant according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second preset value is 8%-20% of the mass percentage.

9. The refrigerant according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second preset value is 12%-16% of the mass percentage.

10. The refrigerant according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third preset value is a mass percentage of 12%-44%.

11. The refrigerant according to claim 10, characterized in that, The third preset value is a mass percentage of 20%-40%.

12. The refrigerant according to claim 11, characterized in that, The third preset value is a mass percentage of 24%-36%.

13. The refrigerant according to claim 12, characterized in that, The third preset value is a mass percentage of 28%-32%.

14. A method for preparing the refrigerant according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that, include: At room temperature, the first component, the second component, and the third component are physically mixed evenly to obtain the refrigerant.

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