• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2011

A portion of oil for lubrication of compressor flows together with refrigerant in the refrigeration system. If the oil discharge from a compressor is increased in the refrigeration system, not only pressure drop is increased in other components, such as evaporator and gas cooler, but also heat transfer coefficient in the heat exchangers is decreased. Oil discharge rate from a compressor may strongly depend on operating conditions of a compressor. In this study, one stage single rotary compressor is employed for measuring oil circulation ratio(OCR). Carbon dioxide and PAG oil are used as refrigerant and lubricant. Using a U-tube densimeter, mixture density is measured. Oil circulation ratio(OCR) can be estimated by measured mixture density. The results obtained indicate that the oil circulation ratio(OCR) is increased as the suction temperature or compressor operating frequency is increased. Oil circulation ratio(OCR) correlation of the compressor is also suggested.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.140-150
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• 1996

CFC-12, which has been used most widely in automobile air conditioners and household refrigerators is scheduled to be phased out soon because of its high ozone depletion potential. Now HFC-134a is suggested as an alternative refrigerant for CFC-12. In this Study, we intended to investigate how PAG oil influence evaporation heat transfer and flow pattern, using R-134a and PAG oil influences evaporation heat transfer and flow pattern, using R-134a and PAG oil in the horizontal miro-fin evaporation tube. Experiments were conducted under the flowing est conditions : mass velocity 86-250kg/$m^2$s, heat flux 5-30 ㎾/$m^2$, oil concentration 0-21 wt.% and saturation temperature 5$^{\circ}C$. Local evaporation heat transfer coefficients were found to be higher at the top, side and bottom of the tube in this order. Average heat transfer coefficients turned out to increase with oil concentration increment up to 3 wt.% oil concentration, whereas heat transfer coefficients gradually decreased over 3 wt.% oil concentration, because of oil-rich liquid film was formed on the heat transfer surface. Flow patterns were rapidly transitioned to annular regimes up to 3 wt.% oil concentration. In case of pure refrigerant, measured heat transfer coefficients in the experiments were similar to those of Kandlikar＇s correlation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1440-1446
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• 2012

This paper presents an experimental study of heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of supercritical carbon dioxide with PAG inside a horizontal microfin tube. Heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop gradients were measured at 10 MPa in pressure and 520 kg/$m^2s$ in mass flux with variation of PAG mass concentration from 0.06% to 2.26%. The tendencies of both heat transfer and frictional pressure drop characteristics show the same as those of pure $CO_2$ up to 0.3% in PAG mass concentration. In case of 2.26% in PAG mass concentration, measured heat transfer coefficients showed 50% lower than those of pure $CO_2$ near the pseudocritical temperature and measured frictional pressure drop gradients show 1.6 times higher in comparison with those of pure $CO_2$ at $60^{\circ}C$ in $CO_2$ bulk temperature.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.145-151
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• 1997

PAG(Polyalkylene Glycol) and esters are tested with HFC-134a as a refrigeration oil. This investigation enhances the testing method by taking the compressor's environment into account. A testing environment charged with refrigerant gas more closely simulates the conditions of a compressor. The friction coetTicient of the PAG/HFC-134a system is similar to that of the mineral oil/CFC-12 system at operating conditions. Ester oils are preferable at the start & stop condition in the lubricity aspect. PAG shows good lubricity in conditions of extreme contact pressure. Consequently, this test provides reliable results on compressor lubricity of refrigeration oils with HFC-134a. It suggests a methodological way for the proper selection of refrigeration oils that may improve the durability and performance of a compressor.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.213-219
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• 2007

An experimental apparatus was constructed to obtain vapor-liquid equilibrium data for $CO_2/oil$ mixtures using mass analysis method with sample cylinder. Lubricants employed were POE (poly-ol ester) and PAG (poly alkylene glycol). The phase equilibria of $CO_2/oil$ mixtures prevailed in an equilibrium cell were observed through a couple of sight glasses at the opposite ends. Data were obtained over the temperatures $-10^{\circ}C,\;-5^{\circ}C,\;0^{\circ}C,\;5^{\circ}C,\;10^{\circ}C,\;25^{\circ}C,\;40^{\circ}C,\;60^{\circ}C,\;and\;80^{\circ}C$ under pressures up to 14 MPa and then mole fractions were calculated, respectively In general, more solubility of $CO_2$ is observed in POE than in PAG. Miscibility gap is closed for $CO_2/POE$ mixture but not for $CO_2/PAG$.

• 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.

• 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.

• The Magazine of the Society of Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Engineers of Korea
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.61-65
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• 2009

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.617-625
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• 2002

In this study, effects of refrigerant and oil charges on the performance of a refrigeration system simulating an automobile air conditioner have been experimentally investigated using R134a and PAG oil. Measurements were taken in a breadboard type refrigeration test unit with a compressor used for a commercial automobile air-conditioner under a set of condition imposed upon normally to automobile air conditioners. Both the COP and capacity decreased rapidly as the oil charge increased because of the decrease in vapor pressure of the circulating refrigerant/oil mixture. The excess oil left in the evaporator also caused heat transfer degradation resulting in a decrease in capacity and in turn COP. It was found that there is an optimum refrigerant charge at which the COP becomes the maximum. Below this optimum charge, both the capacity and COP increased as the refrigerant charge increased and above the optimum charge, both of them remained almost constant. Hence, the COP seems to be the most important factor in determining the optimum refrigerant charge. When the system was undercharged, the refrigerant at the condenser exit lost subcooling and showed a sign of poor miscibility.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.380-385
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• 2005

An experimental apparatus was constructed to obtain vapor-liquid equilibrium data for $CO_2$/oil mixtures using mass analysis method with sample cylinder. Lubricants employed were POE(Polyol Ester) oil and PAG(Poly Alkylene Glycol) oil. The phase equilibria of $CO_2$/oil mixtures formed in high pressure equilibrium cell are observed through sight glasses at the opposite ends. Data were measured over the temperature range from -10 to $10^{\circ}C$ with $5^{\circ}C$ intervals under pressures up to 14 MPa. Mole fractions were calculated for $CO_2$/oil and $CO_2$/PAAG, respectively and were compared with each other.