Heat-Cycle Working Fluid Blend for Low-GWP R410A Replacement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current working fluids for heat cycles, such as R410A, have high global warming potential (GWP) and limited refrigerating capacity, and existing alternatives like HFO-1234yf have low refrigerating capacity and cannot replace R410A in conventional air-conditioning systems.

Innovation Solution

A working fluid composition combining HFO-1123 and HFO-1234yf in specific proportions, ranging from 70 to 100 mass%, with HFO-1123 from 35 to 95 mass%, to achieve balanced refrigerating capacity and low GWP, suitable for replacing R410A in conventional systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If HFO-1234yf is used as a working fluid to reduce GWP, then global warming potential is reduced, but refrigerating capacity becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveglobal warming potentialVSAvoidrefrigerating capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines HFO-1234yf with HFO-1123 in a specific mass ratio (70:30 to 100:0) to create a blended working fluid. This merging allows the composition to inherit the low GWP特性 of HFO-1234yf while gaining sufficient refrigerating capacity from HFO-1123, thereby resolving the contradiction between environmental protection and cooling performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite working fluid system by combining two different HFO compounds (HFO-1234yf and HFO-1123) in optimized proportions. This composite approach enables the working fluid to exhibit both low global warming potential and adequate refrigerating capacity, which neither component can achieve alone at the required performance level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If HFO-1123 is used to increase refrigerating capacity, then cooling performance is improved, but critical temperature becomes too low for conventional systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverefrigerating capacityVSAvoidcritical temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges HFO-1123 (which provides high refrigerating capacity) with HFO-1234yf (which has higher critical temperature) in a controlled mass ratio. This combination allows the working fluid to achieve sufficient cooling performance from HFO-1123 while the HFO-1234yf component raises the overall critical temperature to levels suitable for conventional air-conditioning systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Quantity of substance

If R410A is used to achieve high refrigerating capacity, then cooling performance is improved, but global warming potential increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverefrigerating capacityVSAvoidglobal warming potential
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing HFC components (high GWP) with HFO components (low GWP). Specifically, it uses HFO-1234yf and HFO-1123 with GWPs of 150 and 143 respectively, compared to R410A's GWP of 2088, thereby dramatically reducing environmental harm while maintaining refrigerating capacity through optimized blending ratios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3020780B1Working fluid for heat cycle, composition for heat cycle system, and heat cycle system
Publication Date: 2018.05.09 AGC INC
  • EP3020780B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3020780B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3020780B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

To provide a working fluid for heat cycle having a low global warming potential, which can replace R410A, a composition for a heat cycle system comprising it, and a heat cycle system employing the composition. A working fluid for heat cycle, which comprises trifluoroethylene and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, wherein the total proportion of trifluoroethylene and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene based on the entire amount of the working fluid is from 70 to 100 mass%, and the proportion of trifluoroethylene based on the total amount of trifluoroethylene and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is from 35 to 95 mass%, a composition for a heat cycle system comprising the working fluid for heat cycle, and a heat cycle system employing the composition.