Refrigerant Blends for R123 Replacement with Low GWP
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current refrigerant blends, particularly zeotropic and azeotropic blends, face challenges in replacing phased-out refrigerants like R123 due to issues with global warming potential, toxicity, flammability, and temperature glide, which affect their suitability for refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump systems.
Innovation Solution
Development of binary and ternary refrigerant blends combining refrigerants such as R1336mzz(Z), R1233zd(E), R245ca, R245eb, R245fa, R1224yd(Z), R1130(E), and DCE to create compositions that match the properties of R123, including low global warming potential, non-flammability, and manageable temperature glide, while maintaining thermodynamic efficiency and compatibility with lubricants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If zeotropic blends are used to replace phased-out refrigerants, then refrigerant performance and environmental properties are improved, but temperature glide increases affecting system efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the composition parameters of refrigerant blends by carefully selecting specific components (R1224yd(Z), R1336mzz(E), and R1130(E)) and their proportions to achieve low GWP while controlling temperature glide. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between environmental performance and thermodynamic efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates composite refrigerant formulations by combining multiple refrigerant components in specific ratios. These composite blends (e.g., formulations with 5-45% R1224yd(Z), 30-60% R1336mzz(E), and 20-40% R1130(E)) achieve properties that individual components cannot provide alone, simultaneously reducing GWP and managing temperature glide.
2Productivity
If azeotropic blends are used to maintain constant composition, then temperature glide is reduced, but replacement of R123 becomes more difficult due to property mismatches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing specific properties of the refrigerant blend (such as solubility in mineral oil, vapor pressure, and temperature glide) independently while maintaining overall zeotropic characteristics. This allows the blend to exhibit azeotropic-like behavior in critical areas while preserving the benefits of zeotropic formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adjusts composition parameters to achieve near-azeotropic behavior in terms of solubility and thermodynamic properties while maintaining zeotropic phase equilibrium characteristics. This parameter tuning enables compatibility with mineral oil lubricants and efficient system operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If binary blends are used to simplify composition, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but ability to match R123 properties decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves property matching accuracy with binary blends by precisely optimizing composition parameters. Specific ranges for each component (e.g., R1224yd(Z) at 5-45%, R1336mzz(E) at 30-60%) are determined to match R123 properties, demonstrating that simplified binary formulations can achieve precision comparable to more complex blends.
Data Source
AI summary
Refrigerant compositions are described. In particular, refrigerant compositions are described that include a two component blend, where one of the components is a refrigerant blend that, when first combined, is considered an azeotropic blend, azeotrope, near azeotropic, or the like. This component is one component of the two components of the resulting refrigerant composition, which is combined with a second component being another refrigerant.