Azeotrope-Like Refrigerant Blend for Low-GWP Chiller Replacement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current refrigerants like HCFC-123 are being phased out due to ozone-depleting potential, and while HFCs are stable and have high global warming potential, HCFO refrigerants with low GWP and ODP have short atmospheric life, necessitating a replacement with higher refrigerating capacity and gas density.

Innovation Solution

An azeotropic or azeotrope-like composition of HCFO-1233zd(E) and HFC-245fa at specific mass ratios, offering a low ODP and GWP alternative with enhanced refrigerating capacity and gas density, suitable for large chiller refrigerators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If HFC refrigerants are used as alternatives to HCFC-123, then ozone-depleting potential is reduced, but global warming potential increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveozone-depleting potentialVSAvoidglobal warming potential
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines HCFO-1233zd(E) and HFC-245fa in a specific mass ratio (18:82 to 49:51) to create a mixed refrigerant composition. This merging allows the composition to achieve low ozone-depleting potential (0.02 or less) while maintaining acceptable global warming potential (less than 150), resolving the contradiction between these two environmental parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If HCFO refrigerants are used as alternatives to HCFC-123, then global warming potential is reduced, but refrigerating capacity and gas density decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveglobal warming potentialVSAvoidrefrigerating capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges HCFO-1233zd(E) which has low global warming potential with HFC-245fa which has high refrigerating capacity and gas density. The specific mass ratio combination (18:82 to 49:51) ensures that the mixed composition achieves both low global warming potential and high refrigerating capacity (at least 4-7% higher than HFC-245fa alone), resolving the contradiction between environmental performance and refrigeration efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the mass ratio parameters of the two refrigerants to achieve the desired performance. By adjusting the composition within the specified range, the refrigerating capacity and gas density are enhanced while maintaining low global warming potential, demonstrating parameter optimization to resolve the contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-generated harmful factors

If HCFO refrigerants are used as alternatives to HCFC-123, then global warming potential is reduced, but atmospheric life becomes too short

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveglobal warming potentialVSAvoidatmospheric life
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the short-lived HCFO-1233zd(E) with the stable HFC-245fa in a specific ratio. This merging creates a mixed refrigerant that maintains the low global warming potential of HCFO while the HFC component provides sufficient atmospheric stability, ensuring the mixed composition has adequate atmospheric life for practical refrigeration applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10253231B2Azeotrope to azeotrope-like composition containing 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane
Publication Date: 2019.04.09 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD

AI summary

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a novel mixed refrigerant that can be an alternative for HCFC-123, has a low ODP and a low GWP, has a COP equal to that of HCFC-123, and has a refrigerating capacity and gas density higher than those of single refrigerants, such as HCFO-1233zd(E) and HFC-245fa, which are being considered as alternative refrigerants for HCFC-123. A composition comprising a refrigerant, wherein the refrigerant comprises HCFO-1233zd(E) and HFC-245fa, and has a mass ratio of HCFO-1233zd(E) to HFC-245fa of 18:82 to 49:51 is provided as a means for solving the above problem.