Heat-Cycle Working Medium Composition for Low-GWP Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current working mediums for heat cycles, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), pose environmental concerns due to ozone layer depletion and global warming, and existing alternatives like hydrochlorofluorolefins (HCFOs) have insufficient cycle performance.
Innovation Solution
A working medium comprising 1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HCFO-1224yd) with a high halogen proportion, easily decomposed by OH radicals, combined with hydrocarbons and HFCs or hydrofluoroolefins, to suppress combustibility and enhance cycle performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If HFCs are used as working medium, then ozone layer depletion is reduced, but global warming potential increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing HCFO compounds with specific molecular structures (containing carbon-carbon double bonds and halogen atoms) to simultaneously achieve low ozone depletion potential and low global warming potential, resolving the trade-off between these two environmental parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite working medium compositions combining HCFO-1224yd with other refrigerants (such as HFC-134a, HFC-125, or HFO-1234yf) in specific ratios to balance environmental performance with thermodynamic properties, achieving both environmental protection and system efficiency
2Reliability
If HCFO-1233zd(E) is used as working medium, then combustibility is suppressed and environmental impact is reduced, but cycle performance becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular structure parameters by selecting HCFO-1224yd with specific atomic composition (1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene) that provides better thermodynamic properties while maintaining the carbon-carbon double bond for environmental benefits and halogen content for combustibility suppression
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards HCFO-1233zd(E) which has insufficient cycle performance and recovers/adopts HCFO-1224yd which maintains the safety and environmental benefits while providing improved cycle performance and capacity
3Object-generated harmful factors
If carbon dioxide is used as coolant, then global warming potential is reduced, but equipment pressure becomes extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermodynamic parameters by using HCFO-1224yd which has refrigerant properties closer to conventional refrigerants, maintaining operating pressures within standard equipment ranges while achieving low global warming potential
4Object-generated harmful factors
If HFC-152a is used as coolant, then global warming potential is reduced, but safety is compromised due to inflammability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition by incorporating high proportions of halogen atoms (chlorine and fluorine) in HCFO-1224yd, which suppresses combustibility while maintaining low global warming potential through the carbon-carbon double bond structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of inflammation by using the halogen atoms (chlorine and fluorine) in the HCFO molecular structure, which act as flame suppressors, thereby transforming the chemical composition to simultaneously achieve safety and environmental benefits
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a heat cycle system with reduced ozone layer impact, low global warming potential, improved efficiency, and capacity, ensuring safety and enabling system downsizing through reduced power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
having a carbon-carbon double bond which is easily decomposed by OH radicals in the air
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a working medium for heat cycle, of which combustibility is suppressed, which has less influence over the ozone layer, which has less influence over global warming and which provides a heat cycle system excellent in the cycle performance (efficiency and capacity), and a heat cycle system, of which the safety is secured, and which is excellent in the cycle performance (efficiency and capacity).A working medium for heat cycle comprising 1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene is employed for a heat cycle system (such as a Rankine cycle system, a heat pump cycle system, a refrigerating cycle system 10 or a heat transport system).