HFO-1234yf Refrigerant Blends That Reduce Purification Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
New environmental regulations necessitate the development of low global warming potential compounds for refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat pump applications, where existing compounds have limitations in terms of purity and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising HFO-1234yf and additional compounds such as HFO-1243zf, HCFC-243db, HCFO-1233xf, and HCFC-244bb, with specific weight percentages, is developed to address the need for low global warming potential refrigerants, where these additional compounds may be present as impurities or formed through reaction pathways, and are useful in various applications including heat transfer, aerosol propellants, and fire suppression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing refrigerant compounds are used, then refrigeration and air-conditioning systems can operate, but they have high global warming potential and fail to meet new environmental regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using HFO-1234yf as the primary refrigerant compound and controlling the presence of specific additional compounds within defined concentration ranges. This parameter change achieves low global warming potential (GWP less than 150) while meeting environmental regulations, thereby resolving the contradiction between harmful environmental factors and regulatory compliance.
2Manufacturing precision
If high purity HFO-1234yf is produced through multiple purification steps, then purity increases, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of eliminating all additional compounds through complex purification, the patent converts the manufacturing challenge into a benefit by defining acceptable concentration ranges for specific compounds (e.g., 0.1-10% HFO-1243zf, 0.01-1% HCFC-243db). This approach maintains sufficient purity for refrigeration applications while avoiding the need for complex multi-step purification processes, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If additional compounds are present in the composition, then the composition reflects realistic production outcomes and can be used directly, but purity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific parameter ranges for additional compounds that may be present from production processes. By defining acceptable concentrations (e.g., HFO-1243zf: 0.1-10%, HCFC-243db: 0.01-1%, HFC-245eb: 0.1-5%), the patent allows direct use of production output without additional purification while maintaining sufficient purity for refrigeration applications, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are compositions comprising HCFC-243db, HCFO-1233xf, HCFC-244db and/or HFO-1234yf and at least one additional compound. For the composition comprising 1234yf, the additional compound is selected from the group consisting of HFO-1234ze, HFO-1243zf, HCFC-243db, HCFC-244db, HFC-245cb, HFC-245fa, HCFO-1233xf, HCFO-1233zd, HCFC-253fb, HCFC-234ab, HCFC-243fa, ethylene, HFC-23, CFC-13, HFC-143a, HFC-152a, HFC-236fa, HCO-1130, HCO-1130a, HFO-1336, HCFC-133a, HCFC-254fb, CHF═CHCl, HFO-1141, HCFO-1242zf, HCFO-1223xd, HCFC-233ab, HCFC-226ba, and HFC-227ca. Compositions comprising HCFC-243db, HCFO-1233xf, and/or HCFC-244db are useful in processes to make HFO-1234yf. Compositions comprising HFO-1234yf are useful, among other uses, as heat transfer compositions for use in refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump systems.