• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.136-141
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• 2008

Due to environmental concerns $CO_2$ has been reintroduced as a potential candidate to replace HFCs in refrigeration systems since 1990s. In a refrigeration cycle, oil is utilized in lubricating a compressor. However, although oil separators are installed after a compressor oil is prone to leak to the whole system. The mixing of $CO_2$ and oil, even a small amount of oil, the heat transfer performance in heat exchanger deteriorated and the pressure drop inside tube increases. Therefore, it is needed to precisely estimate the mixture thermodynamic properties of $CO_2$-lubricant oil to correctly design a $CO_2$ refrigeration system. The commonly used method in estimating the mixture properties is the mole based weighting model. However, the accuracy of the method can not be assured. In the present study, $CO_2$-lubricant oil mixture properties including viscosity and density were estimated by using the mixture models, based on the equation of state (EOS).

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.718-725
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• 2007

In the general vapor-compression refrigeration system, refrigeration lubricant circulates in refrigeration system with refrigerant. Knowledge of the amount of circulating lubricant is very important to exactly calculate capacity of the refrigeration system. An experimental study was conducted to estimate the oil concentration of a flowing $CO_2/Oil$ mixtures. POE and PAG oil are considered as test lubricants in this study. Performance tests were conducted under simulated liquid conditions for $CO_2/POE$ oil mixture in oil concentration of 0 to 10 weight-percent and $CO_2/PAG$ oil mixture in oil concentration of 0 to 6 weight-percent in the temperature ranges of $-5^{\circ}C\;to\;15^{\circ}C$. The results obtained indicate specific gravity of $CO_2/Oil$ mixture is increased as oil concentration is increased and as temperature of mixture is decreased. Oil concentration correlation of $CO_2/POE$ oil mixture and $CO_2/PAG$ oil mixture is suggested, based on the measurement of specific gravity and temperature. This correlation enable to predict the oil concentration without extraction of the mixture and can be applied for $CO_2/POE$ mixtures and $CO_2/PAG$ mixtures.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.821-826
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• 2009

Due to environmental concerns $CO_2$ has been reintroduced as a potential candidate to replace HFCs in refrigeration systems. Oils are always required in a vapor-compression cycle, and thus actual working fluid in the system is $CO_2$-oil mixtures even though the oil concentrations are low at the heat exchangers and the expansion device. The cooling heat transfer coefficients for $CO_2$-oil mixtures under supercritical condition are required to designing of the gas cooler in the $CO_2$ refrigeration system properly. In the present study, the gas cooling heat transfer coefficients for $CO_2$-PEC9 was estimated by using the Gnileinski correlation, and the Kim and Ghajar model through the previous prediction models for the thermo-physical properties of $CO_2$-oil mixture. The Gnileinski correlation was used when the oil wt.% in the mixture is less than 1.0, and for the higher oil concentration the Kim and Ghajar model was applied. The estimated results agree with the experimental results conducted by the Dang et al.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.652-657
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• 2007

This paper is an interim report on the investigation of thermodynamic properties of $CO_2$/oil mixture refrigerant. First, liquid density of POE (poly-ol ester) and PAG (poly alkylene glycol) were measured and expressed as a function of temperature. Then, a solubility equation was developed which enables us to calculate the weight fraction of $CO_2$ for the mixture in a liquid state. An experimental apparatus with a cell was constructed to measure P-$\upsilon$-T-$\chi$ data for $CO_2$/oil mixture. The volume of the cell was determined using a certain formula considering change in volume as a function of temperature and pressure. Then, experimental data were obtained over the temperatures $40^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, $60^{\circ}C$, $70^{\circ}C$ and $80^{\circ}C$ with various mole fractions. Finally, assuming a primitive model of ideal gas, the volume of $CO_2$/oil mixture was predicted with a relatively larger error of 5.05% for $CO_2$/PAG and 8.81% for $CO_2$/POE. The volume of $CO_2$/oil mixtures would be better predicted using an appropriate equation of state, of which results will be reported soon.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.271-276
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• 2008

The oil trap in oil separator is one of the most important characteristics for normal operation of compressor. In this study, oil separation characteristics has been investigated for $CO_2$/PAG mixture using a gravity type of oil separator. The experimental study has been carried out in the range of oil concentration 0 to 5 weight-percent and the mixture temperature range of $0^{\circ}C$ to $15^{\circ}C$. The results obtained indicate that oil separation ratio in oil separator is increased with an increase in the oil concentration and mixture temperature.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.131-136
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• 2008

The oil separation in an oil separator is one of the most important characteristics for proper compressor operation. In this study, a gravity type of oil separator is used. Oil separation characteristics has been investigated for $CO_2$/PAG mixture in the range of oil concentration 0 to 5 weight-percent and the mixture temperature range of $5^{\circ}C$ to $15^{\circ}C$ and $70^{\circ}C$ to $90^{\circ}C$. The results obtained indicate that the oil separation is increased with an increase in the oil concentration. It is also found that the oil separation in liquid state is increased with an increase in the mixture temperature while the oil separation in gas state is decreased.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.733-738
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• 2008

Due to environmental concerns $CO_2$ has been reintroduced as a potential candidate to replace HFCs in refrigeration systems. Oils are always required in a vapor-compression cycle, and thus it is necessary to precisely estimate the thermodynamic mixture properties of $CO_2$-lubricant oil. In the present study, the density and the viscosity of the mixture was calculated by the Redlich and Kwong type EoS and the modified Peng and Robinson type viscosity EoS, respectively. The viscosity model was based on the similarity between P-v-T and T-$\mu$-P relationships. The predicted results were compared with the experimental data of Pens ado et al. whose test conditions were 100$\sim$650 bar of pressure and 303 K$\sim$353 K of temperature with the $CO_2$-POEs mixtures under 92.2 wt.% and 83.3 wt.% of $CO_2$ concentration. The mean deviations of the mixture density were 7.93% and 8.32% for 92.2 wt.% and 83.3 wt.% of $CO_2$ concentration, respectively. Concerning the viscosity, the mean deviations were 4% and 10% for 92.2 wt.% and 83.3 wt.% of $CO_2$ concentration under the Pensado et al.'s test conditions.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.646-651
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• 2007

This study has been conducted to select the suitable refrigeration oil for a $CO_2$ refrigeration system. The oil return is one of the most important characteristics for refrigeration oils. PAG and POE oils are considered as a test fluids in this study. An evaporator model is employed to simulate the evaporator of a $CO_2$ refrigeration system. Oil return characteristics has been investigated for $CO_2$/PAG and $CO_2$/POE mixtures in the range of oil concentration 0 to 5 weight-percent and the mixture temperature range of $0^{\circ}C$ to $15^{\circ}C$. The results obtained indicate that oil return is decreased with an increase in the oil concentration and mixture temperature for both POE and PAG oils. It is also found that POE oil is seen to be superior than PAG oil in terms of oil return in an evaporator of a $CO_2$ refrigeration system.

• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.88-93
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• 2009

Lubricant oil is needed in air conditioning and refrigeration system because the compressor requires oil to prevent surface to surface contact between its moving parts, to remove heat, to provide sealing, to keep out contaminants, to prevent corrosion, and to dispose of debris created by wear. Thus, the oil separation in an oil separator is one of the most important characteristics for proper compressor operation. In this study, a gravity type of oil separator is used. Oil separation characteristics have been investigated for $CO_2$/PAG mixture in the range of oil concentration 0 to 5 weight-percent and the mixture temperature range of $0^{\circ}C$ to $15^{\circ}C$ at 50 bar and $70^{\circ}C$ to $90^{\circ}C$ at 80 bar. The results obtained indicate that the oil separation is increased with an increase in the oil concentration. It is also found that the oil separation in liquid state is increased with an increase in the mixture temperature while the oil separation in gas state is decreased.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2010

Co-combustion of syngas in an existing boiler can be one of the options for replacing conventional fossil fuel with alternative fuels such as waste and biomass. This study is aimed to investigate effects of syngas cocombustion on combustion characteristics and boiler efficiency. An experimental study was performed for a pilot-scale furnace with 4 oil burners. Tests were conducted with mixture-gas as a co-combustion fuel and heavy oil as a main fuel. The mixture-gas was composed of 15% CO, 7% $H_2$, 3% $CH_4$ and 75% $N_2$ for simulating syngas from air-blown gasification. And LHV of the mixture-gas was 890 kcal/$Nm^3$. Temperature distribution in the furnace and flue gas composition were measured for various heat replacement ratio by the mixture gas. Heat loss through the wall was also carried out through heat & mass balance calculation, in order to obtain informations related to boiler efficiency. Experimental results show that similar temperature distribution and flue gas composition can be obtained for the range of 0~20% heat replacement by syngas. NOx concentration is slightly decreased for higher heat replacement by the syngas because fuel NOx is decreased in the case. Meanwhile, heat loss is a bit decreased for higher heat replacement by the syngas, which implies that boiler efficiency can be a bit decreased when syngas co-combustion is applied to a boiler.