Modeling and testing of fractionation effects with refrigerant blends in an actual residential heat pump system
- United Technologies Research Center, East Hartford, CT (United States)
The heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) industry is actively evaluating and testing hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant blends as a means of complying with current and impending national and international environmental regulations restricting the use and disposal of conventional chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants that contribute to the global ozone-depletion effects. While analyses and system performance tools have shown that HFC refrigerant blends offer certain performance, capacity, and operational advantages, there are significant possible service and operational issues that are raised by the use of blends. Many of these issues occur due to the fractionation of the blends. Therefore, the objective of this program was to conduct analyses and experimental tests aimed at understanding these issues, develop approaches or techniques to predict these effects, and convey to the industry safe and reliable approaches. As a result, analytical models verified by laboratory data have been developed that predict the fractionation effects of HFC refrigerant blends (1) when exposed to selected POE lubricants, (2) during the system charging process from large liquid containers, and (3) during system start-up, operation, and shutdown within various system components (where two-phase refrigerant exists) and during selected system and component leakage scenarios. Model predictions and experimental results are presented for HFC refrigerant blends containing R-32, R-134a, and R-125 and the data are generalized for various operating conditions and scenarios.
- OSTI ID:
- 345278
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9702141-; TRN: IM9922%%211
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) winter meeting, Philadelphia, PA (United States), 24-28 Feb 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of ASHRAE transactions: Technical and symposium papers, 1997. Volume 103, Part 1; PB: 1136 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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