Heat Cycle Working Medium Composition Balancing GWP and Pressure Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing refrigerants like R410A cause high global warming potential and pressure loss when used in heat cycle systems, necessitating a working medium that suppresses pressure loss while maintaining low GWP and high cycle performance.

Innovation Solution

A working medium comprising trifluoroethylene, 1,1-difluoroethane, and trifluoroiodomethane, with specific mass proportions to minimize pressure loss and maintain low GWP, including a mixture with a maximum of 75.0% by mass of these components, ensuring a relative pressure loss of 1.50 or less.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If R410A is used as a working medium, then refrigeration capacity is improved, but global warming potential increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefrigeration capacityVSAvoidglobal warming potential

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing HFC-32 and HFC-125 with HFO-1123, HFC-152a, and CF3I in specific proportions. This parameter change achieves low GWP (≤150) while maintaining refrigeration capacity through the synergistic effects of the mixed refrigerant components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite refrigerant mixture comprising HFO-1123, HFC-152a, and CF3I. This composite working medium combines the advantages of individual components: HFO-1123 provides low GWP, HFC-152a enhances refrigeration capacity, and CF3I suppresses pressure loss, achieving overall system optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the composition from Patent Literature 1 is used, then GWP is reduced, but pressure loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglobal warming potentialVSAvoidpressure loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the composition parameters by limiting CF3I to 24.5% or less and HFC-152a to 57.5% or less of the total, while maintaining HFO-1123 at 18.5% or more. This parameter optimization balances pressure loss suppression with low GWP, achieving relative pressure loss of 1.50 or less compared to R410A.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a working medium with low GWP is developed, then environmental impact is reduced, but cycle performance may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglobal warming potentialVSAvoidcycle performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite working medium where HFO-1123 provides low GWP, HFC-152a boosts refrigeration capacity and cycle performance, and CF3I suppresses pressure loss. The synergistic combination maintains coefficient of performance at 0.96 or more compared to R410A while achieving GWP of 150 or less.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS20250270431A1Heat cycle working medium, and heat cycle system composition

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 AGC INC

AI summary

Provided is a working medium for a heat cycle, including trifluoroethylene, 1,1-difluoroethane, and trifluoroiodomethane, in which a proportion of 1,1-difluoroethane with respect to a total of trifluoroethylene and 1,1-difluoroethane is 57.5% by mass or less, a proportion of trifluoroiodomethane with respect to a total of trifluoroethylene, 1,1-difluoroethane, and trifluoroiodomethane is 24.5% by mass or less, and a total proportion of trifluoroethylene, 1,1-difluoroethane, and trifluoroiodomethane with respect to the working medium for a heat cycle as a whole is 75.0% by mass or more.