Lubricant composition for refrigerating machines, and refrigerating machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerator oils used with HFO refrigerants, which have unsaturated bonds, suffer from low thermal stability and sludge formation due to oxygen presence, leading to clogging issues in expansion valves.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a cyclic organic compound like β-pinene into the lubricating oil composition, which reacts with oxygen and stabilizes the base oil, preventing sludge formation and enhancing thermal stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If HFO refrigerant with unsaturated bonds is used, then environmental performance is improved, but thermal stability of lubricating oil deteriorates and sludge formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cyclic organic compound as an intermediary substance that mediates between the HFO refrigerant and the lubricating oil. This compound reacts with oxygen to prevent oxidative degradation of the lubricating oil, thereby maintaining thermal stability while allowing the use of environmentally friendly HFO refrigerants with unsaturated bonds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the lubricating oil by adding specific cyclic organic compounds (0.1-10 mass% based on total lubricating oil). This parameter change enables the lubricating oil to resist oxidation and maintain stability when used with HFO refrigerants, resolving the contradiction between environmental performance and thermal stability
2Object-affected harmful factors
If HFO refrigerant is used, then global warming potential is reduced, but sludge formation increases leading to clogging in expansion valves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of oxygen presence (which causes sludge formation) into a beneficial reaction by introducing cyclic organic compounds that preferentially react with oxygen. The oxygen that would otherwise degrade the lubricating oil and form sludge is instead consumed by the cyclic organic compound, transforming a harmful factor into a protective mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The cyclic organic compound acts as a sacrificial intermediary that reacts with oxygen to prevent sludge formation. This mediator substance protects the lubricating oil from oxidative degradation, enabling the use of HFO refrigerants without the harmful side effect of sludge accumulation in expansion valves
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 lubricating oil composition exhibits improved thermal stability and effectively suppresses sludge formation when used with HFO refrigerants, maintaining lubrication performance without impairing compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
a cyclic organic compound like β-pinene into the lubricating oil composition, which reacts with oxygen and stabilizes the base oil
Data Source
AI summary
The lubricating oil composition for a refrigerator of the present invention is a lubricating oil composition for a refrigerator that is used in combination with a refrigerant containing at least one fluorine-containing organic compound selected from compounds represented by the following molecular formula (A): CpFrRs (A) wherein R represents Cl, Br, I, or H; p represents an integer of from 2 to 6; r represents an integer of from 1 to 12; and s represents an integer of from 0 to 11, provided that the molecule contains at least one carbon-carbon unsaturated bond, and the lubricating oil composition for a refrigerator contains a base oil and a cyclic organic compound having a cyclic hydrocarbon structure and having one or more non-conjugated double bond in a cyclic structure or a side chain thereof.