Refrigerant composition and refrigeration cycle apparatus including refrigerant composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current refrigeration cycle technologies face challenges in achieving a refrigerant with low combustibility, high refrigeration capacity, and low global warming potential (GWP) while ensuring product reliability and heat exchange efficiency, particularly in large air conditioners and refrigerators, as existing alternatives like trifluoroiodomethane and monochlorotrifluoropropene have issues with toxicity, corrosiveness, and thermochemical stability.
Innovation Solution
A mixed refrigerant composition comprising difluoromethane (HFC32), pentafluoroethane (HFC125), and hexafluoropropene (FO1216) is developed, with specific molar fractions to achieve a GWP of 750 or less, a vapor pressure of 1.4 to 1.8 MPa at 25°C, and a flame retardant parameter of 0.46 or more, along with the use of compatible refrigerator oils to maintain two-phase separation and improve oil return properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If fluorine-based refrigerants are used to ensure safety and low combustibility, then combustibility is reduced, but global warming potential (GWP) becomes high due to infrared absorption and long atmospheric lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the refrigerant system by introducing a multi-component mixture rather than using a single fluorocarbon. The composition includes HFC32, HFO1234yf, HFO1234ze, and HFC125 in specific proportions, where each component contributes different properties. This segmentation allows the system to achieve low GWP through HFO components while maintaining safety and performance through HFC components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies composite refrigerant composition by combining multiple refrigerant components with different characteristics. The composite mixture of HFC32 (for refrigeration capacity), HFO1234yf/HFO1234ze (for low GWP), and HFC125 (for stability and safety) creates a synergistic effect that resolves the contradiction between low combustibility and low GWP.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If alternative refrigerants with low GWP are used to reduce environmental impact, then global warming potential is reduced, but combustibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameters by precisely controlling the weight percentages of each component. By adjusting the ratio of combustible HFO components (30-70%) to non-combustible HFC components (30-70%), the system achieves a flame retardant parameter Fmix ≥ 0.46 while maintaining GWP ≤ 750. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between low GWP and low combustibility.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If existing alternative refrigerants like trifluoroiodomethane or monochlorotrifluoropropene are used to achieve low GWP, then global warming potential is reduced, but reliability decreases due to toxicity, corrosiveness, and thermochemical instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of using low-GWP alternatives into benefit by selecting HFO components that offer low GWP without the severe toxicity and corrosiveness of iodine-containing or chlorine-containing compounds. The HFO components provide environmental benefits while HFC125 provides stability, creating a system where the weaknesses of individual components are compensated by the strengths of others.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by excluding problematic substances (iodine compounds, chlorine compounds) and selecting only HFC and HFO components with proven safety records. The specific compositional ranges ensure thermochemical stability while maintaining low GWP, thus improving reliability compared to previous alternatives.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If refrigerant composition is optimized for low GWP and low combustibility, then environmental performance is improved, but heat exchange efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes thermodynamic parameters by selecting components and ratios that balance environmental performance with heat exchange efficiency. The vapor pressure range (1.4-1.8 MPa at 25°C) and flame retardant parameter (Fmix ≥ 0.46) are specifically chosen to ensure sufficient refrigeration capacity and heat transfer performance while maintaining GWP ≤ 750.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a refrigerant composition as a mixed refrigerant containing refrigerant components of difluoromethane (HFC32), pentafluoroethane (HFC125), and hexafluoropropene (FO1216). The makeup of the refrigerant components in the mixed refrigerant is configured such that a global warming potential (GWP) is 750 or less, a vapor pressure at 25° C. is in a range of 1.4 to 1.8 MPa, and a flame retardant parameter Fmix represented by formula (1) below is 0.46 or more.Fmix=ΣiFixi (1)Here, Fmix indicates a flame retardant parameter of the refrigerant composition, Fi indicates a flame retardant parameter of each of the refrigerant components, and xi indicates a molar fraction of each of the refrigerant components.