HFO-1234yf Ethane Refrigerant Blend With Negligible Glide
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Solution Overview
Problem
The automotive and stationary refrigeration industries face challenges in finding low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants that can effectively provide both heating and cooling, especially at low temperatures, while also meeting requirements for low toxicity, low flammability, and negligible glide to facilitate efficient thermal management in hybrid, electric, and mass transport vehicles, as well as residential and commercial structures.
Innovation Solution
Development of azeotropic and near-azeotropic compositions of HFO-1234yf and ethane (R-170) that exhibit ultra-low GWP, low toxicity, and low flammability, with negligible temperature glide, enabling efficient thermal management systems for heating and cooling applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If R-134a is used as the automotive refrigerant, then cooling performance is maintained, but global warming potential is high and the refrigerant is being phased out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by transitioning from HFC-based R-134a to an HFO-1234yf and ethane blend, achieving ultra-low GWP (less than 10) while maintaining refrigeration functionality. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by adopting a chemically different substance with improved environmental properties.
2Weight of moving object
If ICE size is reduced or eliminated in electrified vehicles, then vehicle weight is reduced and electric drive-cycle is increased, but heating capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pump system using HFO-1234yf/ethane refrigerant performs both cooling and heating functions, replacing the ICE's secondary heating function. The system provides heating by reversing the refrigeration cycle, extracting heat from the environment and delivering it to the passenger cabin, thus achieving multi-functionality that resolves the heating capability loss.
3Adaptability or versatility
If refrigerant blends with high glide are used, then composition flexibility is improved, but serviceability is degraded due to inability to reconstitute on-site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a near-azeotropic blend with less than 3K temperature glide, making the refrigerant composition extremely homogeneous in terms of phase change behavior. This near-homogeneity allows the refrigerant to function as a single-substance equivalent during service operations, enabling on-site recovery, recycling, and recharge without requiring complex reconstitution equipment or procedures.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If low GWP refrigerants are developed, then environmental impact is reduced, but thermal management performance at low temperatures may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite refrigerant blend of HFO-1234yf and ethane in specific proportions (at least 90 wt% HFO-1234yf and up to 10 wt% ethane). This composite composition combines the ultra-low GWP properties of HFO-1234yf with the thermodynamic properties of ethane to achieve both environmental compliance and effective heating performance down to -30°C.
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 HFO-1234yf and ethane blends provide improved refrigeration capacity, extend the lower heating range capability, maintain low GWP and flammability, and exhibit negligible glide, making them suitable for electrified vehicles and other thermal management systems from -30°C to +40°C.
Implementation Method 1
The compositions exhibit azeotropic and near azeotropic behavior... low temperature glide (less than 3K) or nearly negligible glide (less than 0.75K)... capable of being used in the heating, and/or in the cooling mode
Data Source
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AI summary
Refrigerant compositions including 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf) and at least one of ethane (R-170) or propane (R-290) which exhibit near-azeotropic or azeotrope-like behavior. The refrigerant compositions exhibit a low global warming potential (GWP) and are non-ozone depleting. The refrigerant compositions are useful as a heating or cooling fluids in a variety of heating or cooling systems including heat pumps and other heating and cooling loops, in, for example, the automotive industry.