Refrigerants

Details Refrigerants Refrigerants

1989-05-19

1991-01-08

Lieberman, Paul

Compositions

Vaporization, or expansion, refrigeration or heat or energy...

62114, C09K 504

Patent

active

049833120

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a working fluid for a refrigerator, which is called a refrigerant.


PRIOR ART AND PROBLEMS THEREOF

Refrigerants heretofore known include chlorofluoroalkanes, fluoroalkanes, azeotropic compositions thereof and other materials having a similar composition. These are generally called flons or flon refrigerants. Among them, chiefly used at present are dichlorodifluoromethane (hereinafter referred to as "Flon-12"), chlorodifluoromethane (hereinafter called "Flon-22") and the like. In recent years, however, it has been pointed out that certain kinds of flons released into the atmosphere would destroy the stratospheric ozone layer, thereby inflicting a serious adverse influence on the ecosystem including humans on the earth. Although said proposition may have yet to be scientifically and completely established, there is a tendency toward the control, under an international agreement, of use and production of flons which are likely to destroy the ozone layer. The flons to be controlled include Flon-12. With the spread of refrigerators and air-conditioning systems, the control over the use and production of flons, which are in greater demand year after year, greatly affects our residential environment and the current social framework as a whole. In consequence, there is an urgent demand for development of novel refrigerants having a high refrigerating performance, particularly a high coefficient of performance, which can substitute for Flon-12. Tetrafluoroethane may be offered as flons free of ozone layer-destroying risks but has the defect of being low in coefficient of performance.
The term "coefficient of performance" used herein means the ratio of refrigerating capacity to compressing work. The refrigerating capacity is the quantity of heat removed per a unit time from the substances being cooled, and the compressing work is the work volume achieved per a unit time by power for operating the refrigerator. Accordingly the coefficient of performance corresponds to the refrigeration efficiency of the refrigerant.


MEANS FOR SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEMS

We conducted extensive research to develop novel refrigerants which have a high coefficient of performance and which, when released into the atmosphere, would exert little influence on the ozone layer. Our research revealed that a refrigerant comprising tetrafluoroethane and chlorodifluoromethane or chlorodifluoroethane can exhibit a higher coefficient of performance than tetrafluoroethane.
The present invention, therefore, provides a refrigerant comprising tetrafluoroethane and either chlorodifluoromethane or chlorodifluorethane.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show graphs illustrating the refrigerating performance of the refrigerants according to the present invention.


CONSTRUCTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred refrigerant compositions of the invention are those comprising 95 to 5% by weight of tetrafluoroethane and 5 to 95% by weight of either chlorodifluoromethane o chlorodifluoroethane. Refrigerants containing chlorodifluoromethane or chlorodifluoroethane in the foregoing ratio have an improved coefficient of performance compared with tetrafluoroethane singly used. A preferable mixing ratio is as follows. Of refrigerants composed of tetrafluoroethane and chlorodifluoromethane, preferred are those comprising 90 to 5% by weight of the former and 10 to 95% by weight of the latter, and particularly preferred are those comprising 80 to 20% by weight of the former and 20 to 80% by weight of the latter. Of refrigerants composed of tetrafluoroethane and chlorodifluoroethane, preferred are those comprising 80 to 5% by weight of the former and 20 to 95% by weight of the latter. In particular, refrigerants composed of 80 to 20% by weight of tetrafluoroethane and 20 to 80% by weight of chlorodifluoromethane and those composed of 80 to 5% by weight of tetrafluoroethane and 20 to 95% by weight of chlorodifluoroethane can display a higher coefficient of performance than Flon-12.
Examples of tetrafluoroethane for us

REFERENCES:
patent: 3607755 (1971-09-01), Murphy et al.
patent: 4428854 (1984-01-01), Enjo
patent: 4810403 (1989-03-01), Bivens et al.

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