• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2004

Carbon dioxide ($CO_2$, R-744) has become a very popular issue in application to refrigeration and air conditioning systems as a natural refrigerant. An experimental study has been carried out to investigate miscibility and the vapor pressure of refrigerant R-744 in the presence of lubricant oil. This is of particular interest in the selection of the lubricant oil for the compressor of a refrigeration system or an air conditioning system using the refrigerant R-744. The experimental set-up consists of the equilibrium cell, measuring devices, the vacuum pump, the constant temperature bath and relevant connecting pipes made of stainless steel. Five lubricant oils, such as mineral oil (Naphthenic), AB (Alkyl Benzene) oil, PAO (Poly Alpha Olefin) oil, PAG (Poly Alkylene Glycol) oil and POE (Polyol Ester) oil are considered in the present study. Test runs were conducted with the oil concentration range from 5 to 50 wt％, and the temperature range from -10 to 1$0^{\circ}C$ with 2$^{\circ}C$ intervals. The miscibility results are visualized and correlated with the vapor pressure for the individual test components.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.1672-1677
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• 2003

Carbon dioxide($CO_2$, R-744) has become a very popular issue in application to refrigeration and air conditioning systems as a natural refrigerant. An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the vapor pressure and miscibility of refrigerant R-744 in the presence of lubricant oil. This is of particular interest in the selection of the lubricant oil for the compressor of a refrigeration system or an air conditioning system using the refrigerant R-744. This apparatus consists of the test section, measuring devices, the vacuum pump, the constant temperature bath and relevant connecting pipes made of stainless steel. Two lubricant oils, such as mineral oil(Naphthenic) and polyol ester(POE) oil, are considered in the present study. For this purpose, test runs were conducted with the oil concentration range from 5 to 50 wt%, and the temperature range from -10 to $10^{\circ}C$ with $2^{\circ}C$ intervals. The results are correlated with the vapor pressure. and showed with the miscibility as visualization for the individual text components.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 1999

The present study experimentally investigated the effect of refrigeration lubricant on the heat transfer performance in the straight sections and U-bend of a microfin tube evaporator by using R-22/mineral oil and R-407C/POE oil. The apparatus consisted of test section with U-bend, preheater, condenser, oil injection and sampling devices, magnetic pump, mass flow meter etc. The experimental parameters were oil concentration of 0 to 5 wt%, inlet quality of 0.1 to 0.5, mass flux of 219 and $400kg/m^2s$ and heat flux of 10 and $20kW/m^2$. The effects of parameters on the heat transfer coefficients were large in the order of inlet quality, mass flux and heat flux as oil concentration got increased. As oil concentration was increased, heat transfer coefficients were continuously decreased for R-22 and increased by 3% up to the concentration of 1% and then decreased for R-407C under the condition of large inlet quality, and small mass flux and heat flux. But, the heat transfer coefficients were increased up to the concentration of 3% and then decreased for both R-22 and R-407C refrigerants under the opposite conditions. The variation of enhancement factors for R-407C was under 50% of that for R-22 and the variation with respect to the positions in the test section was small. The pressure drops were increased for both R-22 and R-407C refrigerants as oil concentration was increased. The pressure drops for R-407C were smaller by the maximum of 18% than those for R-22.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.893-898
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• 2009

The quantity of discharged oil from a compressor is one of the most important issues for proper operation of refrigeration system. If the oil is increased in the 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. In addition, the lack of oil in the compressor may cause a critical of the system failure. In this study, one stage single rotary compressor is used 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. Characteristics of oil circulation ratio have been investigated for $CO_2$ rotary compressor in the range of operation frequency 45 Hz to 63 Hz and the suction temperature range of $0^{\circ}C$ to $15^{\circ}C$. The results obtained indicate that the oil circulation ratio is increased as the suction temperature or compressor operating frequency is increased.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.839-846
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• 2013

Because the performance of a reciprocating compressor in refrigeration and air-conditioning systems is influenced by the lubrication characteristics of sliding components, the lubrication characteristics between the crankshaft and journal bearing have to be researched for the design and the performance improvement of reciprocating compressors. Thus, the proper supply of lubricant for a lubrication between the crankshaft and journal bearing is essential, and an oil path for lubricant supply is installed in the shaft or bearing. However, in order to guarantee the lubrication performance of the journal bearing, it is necessary to design the position of the oil path. Therefore, it is studied to find the optimum position of the oil path by the analysis of the pressure distribution in the journal bearing. The results show that the position of the oil path is significantly influenced by the pressure distribution of the oil film in the journal bearing.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.141-155
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• 1993

Thermodynamic properties of R-32 are calculated and its refrigeration performance is evaluated for the purpose the feasibility study of replacing R-22 with R-32. (1) Refrigeration effect of R-32 is superior to that of R-22 because heat of evaporation of R 32 is about 50% higher than that of R-22. However, COP of R-32 system is 10-30% lower than that of R-22 system. It is mainly attributed to the vapor pressore of R-32 being about 62% higher than R-22. (2) Since the pressure ratio and the specific heat ratio of R-32 system is higher than those of R -22, compressor discharging temperature rises as high as to $130-150^{\circ}C$. It may cause mechanical failure of compressor due to the breakdown of lubricant. Compressor should be improved to lower the temperature if R-32 is to replace R-22. (3) Averaged two-phase heat transfer coefficient of R-32 is about 10-20% higher than that of R-22. It may assume better heat exchanger effectiveness but not guarantee the better COP of R-32 system than R-22. (4) The high vapor pressure is the first reason to drop R-32 out of the line of R-22 alternative refrigerant. So, refrigerant mixtures based on R-32 are recommended to adjust the vapor pressure first and keep superior volumetric capacity of R-32.

• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.6
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• pp.36-44
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• 1998

R-410a and R-407c which have the best potential among R-22 alternatives were tested as drop-in refrigerants against a set of R-22 baseline tests. The performance evaluations were carried out in a psychometric calorimeter test facility using the residential spilt type air conditioner under the ARI rating conditions. Except the lubricant and hand-operated expansion valve, the other parts of the air conditioner were the same with the commercial system. Performance characteristics were measured; compressor power, capacity, VCR, mass flow rate and COP. The tests showed that R-407c can be directly charged into the current refrigeration system because its vapor pressure and other thermochemical properties are similar to those of R-22. However, it is required to change the volume flow rate of compressor in order to achieve the volumetric capacity of R-22. This results from its relatively small VCR and capacity. Meanwhile, R-410a has vapor pressure values too high to be substituted for the current system and this resulted relatively low COP of R-410a compared to that of R-22.