Refrigerator Oil Composition for Phase Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compression-type refrigerators face challenges in maintaining compatibility and storage stability of refrigerator oil across a wide temperature range, as existing oils often experience phase separation and instability under varying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator oil composition containing a polyvinyl ether-based compound with a structural unit having a methoxy group and another polyvinyl ether-based compound with a specific structural unit, ensuring excellent compatibility and storage stability by maintaining a specific mass ratio and structural unit content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional refrigerator oil is used in compression-type refrigerators with fluorinated hydrocarbon refrigerants, then the system can operate, but phase separation occurs between the refrigerant and lubricating oil across the wide temperature range from low temperatures in the condenser to high temperatures in the compressor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the refrigerator oil by specifying precise compositional ratios: polyvinyl ether-based compound (5-50 mass%), polyol ester (45-95 mass%), and polyoxyalkylene glycol (0.1-5 mass%). This parameter optimization ensures the oil maintains compatibility with fluorinated hydrocarbon refrigerants across the wide temperature range from -40°C to 100°C, preventing phase separation while maintaining lubrication effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite refrigerator oil formulation by combining three different base oil types (polyvinyl ether-based compound, polyol ester, and polyoxyalkylene glycol) in specific ratios. This composite approach leverages the complementary properties of each component: polyvinyl ether provides low-temperature stability, polyol ester provides high-temperature stability, and polyoxyalkylene glycol enhances overall compatibility with fluorinated hydrocarbon refrigerants, thereby preventing phase separation across the full operating temperature range.
2Reliability
If refrigerator oil is designed for high temperature stability in the compressor, then it performs well under high temperature conditions, but storage stability under low temperature conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters to achieve balanced performance: polyvinyl ether-based compound at 5-50 mass% provides low-temperature storage stability by preventing crystallization and maintaining fluidity, while polyol ester at 45-95 mass% ensures high-temperature stability in the compressor. This parameter balance allows the oil to maintain reliability across both extreme low-temperature storage conditions and high-temperature operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic refrigerator oil formulation that adapts to different temperature conditions. The polyvinyl ether-based compound component becomes more active at low temperatures, providing crystallization inhibition and maintaining fluidity during storage. At high operating temperatures, the polyol ester component dominates, providing thermal stability and oxidation resistance. This dynamic behavior ensures reliable performance across the full temperature spectrum from storage to operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a refrigerator oil containing a specified amount of a polyvinyl ether-based compound (A) containing a structural unit (a1) having a methoxy group in a side chain thereof and a specified amount of a polyvinyl ether-based compound (B) containing a structural unit (b2) of a specified structure; a refrigerator oil composition containing the refrigerator oil; and a production method the refrigerator oil.