A New Method for Calculating Viscosity and Solubility of Lubricant- Refrigerant Mixtures

A new model was developed to determine viscosity and solubility of lubricant-refrigerant mixture, using concepts from lattice model in liquid state, reaction rate theory for viscosity, and local composition theory. The computing results from our new model showed high degree of accuracy, and are comparable to the results from NRTL model and Flory-Huggins model. Various type of POE lubricants (viscosity ranges from 68~220cst) in R134a refrigerant have been fitted for the new model to describe the viscosity and pressure of binary systems. The tests were conducted in temperature ranging from 0? to 100?. Typical average absolute deviation (AAD%) of these calculation results in the model is between 1.0~3.5%

Refrigerant- Lubricant Mixture Properties Influencing Bubble Dynamic Parameters and Heat Transfer Coefficient in Nucleate Pool Boiling

We have been successfully developed a model regarding lubricant effect on individual processes of bubble nucleation, growth and departure period for nucleate pool boiling heat transfer. In this study, three type POE refrigeration lubricants with different refrigerant miscibility (POEA/POEB/POEC), two viscosity grades (ISO68 & 170), three kind of refrigerants (R-134a/R-1234ze/R-134yf), and three different saturated temperatures (10℃/0℃/10℃) are taken into calculation under different heat flux ranging from 10 KW/m2 to 80 KW/m2. Based on this model, a knowledge of chemical structures and physical properties of lubricant and refrigerant is sufficient to get bubble dynamic parameters and predict the boiling performance near metal surface. According to calculating results, several key factors play an important role in pool boiling heat transfer and show drastic influence on bubble parameters and HTC, such as refrigerant type, saturated temperature, heat flux and lubricant concentration. Regarding lubricant chemical structure effect on heat transfer performance, it will be direct related to OCR and following influence on HTC in real evaporator environment. But if keeping same lubricant concentration, different results will appear. Various lubricant structures may provide different volume size, adsorption energy on metal surface and interaction force between refrigerant and lubricant, but these factors sometimes offset each other and lead to only a slight difference in bubble size, contact angle, surface coverage concentration, and HTC. The calculation indicates that the presence of lubricant imposes a negative effect on HTC during waiting period of bubble formation and departure period, but a positive effect on HTC may prevail in bubble growth period. Such two effects compete during the boiling process and could lead increase or impair heat transfer performance at a low lubricant concentration

POE Lubricant Candidates For Low GWP Refrigerants

Several series of polyol ester (POE) refrigeration lubricants have been investigated for low GWP refrigerant R32 (R-410A replacement) and HFO-1234ze (R-134a replacement). The main problem of R32/HFO refrigeration lubricant development can be summarized as balancing between miscibility, solubility and lubricity. Generally speaking, refrigerant-lubricant mixture with highly miscible property in low temperature evaporator will lead to more soluble phenomenon in high temperature compressor. Therefore, when refrigerant is well miscible with refrigeration lubricant, dissolved refrigerant will reduce working viscosity of refrigerant-oil mixture in compressor, and thus results in lower lubricity, wear of sliding parts, and compressor durability shortage. In our studies, the key factor which result in aforementioned phenomenon was found, and can be controlled independently by using optimized chemical structure. For R32 compressor system, we have successfully developed a series of POE refrigeration lubricant, with viscosities ranging from 32cSt to 90cSt at 40°C, and with a wide range of miscibility (20% oil) from -40℃ to 2℃. From results of PVT experiments and lubricity tests (Falex P/V and four ball), it demonstrated to be possible to develop a POE oil with high miscibility, low solubility and high working viscosity. All results in R32 system were better than traditional refrigeration lubricant in R410A system. Meanwhile, we also were able to identify the relationship between surface tension of chemical structure and lubricity. For HFO-1234ze compressor system, incumbent refrigeration lubricants suitable for R134a are almost fully miscible in HFO-1234ze, which could lead to severe refrigerant dilution of lubricant viscosity and poor lubricity due to high solubility. Through studies of chemical structure of refrigeration lubricants, reliable experimental tests and rigorous thermodynamic calculation, we created a range of POE lubricants (ISO68 to ISO220) with miscibility (20% oil) from -33℃ to -13℃, all the while, maintaining solubility and working viscosity on par with the common POE refrigeration lubricants currently used in R-134a system

The Influence of Lubricant in HFC & HFO Blend Refrigeration system

Although HFO refrigerants are considered the low GWP solutions to the global warming problem, some properties of HFO refrigerants prohibited the direct drop in replacement application in the refrigeration system. As a result, to replace the high GWP HFC refrigerants, HFC & HFO refrigerants are blended to combine their properties to become a workable solution. Both HFC and HFO refrigerants have similar basic properties; however, one of the HFO refrigerants properties is good miscibility to incumbent refrigeration lubricants, especially HFO-1234ze. Generally speaking, refrigerant-oil mixture with highly miscible property in low temperature evaporator will lead to more soluble phenomenon in high temperature compressor. Therefore, when refrigerant is well miscible with refrigeration oil, the dissolved refrigerant will reduce working viscosity of refrigerant-oil mixture in compressor, which could results in lower lubricity, increase wear of sliding parts, and shorter compressor durability. In our studies, we discuss the influence of lubricant in HFC & HFO blend refrigeration system, such as R513A or R450A. Compared to the lubricant performance in HFO refrigerants, the same lubricant in the HFC & HFO blend refrigerants do not lead to severe refrigerants dilution of lubricant viscosity, which causes poor lubricity due to high solubility. According to our previous study, we know the better miscibility brings the better solubility in R1234ze system. We also developed lubricants with different miscibility properties in HFC & HFO blend refrigerants in order to investigate the miscibility, solubility and lubricity performance in the HFC & HFO refrigeration systems

On the Effect of Lubricant on Pool Boiling Heat Transfer Performance

   For typical vapor compression processes, lubricant oil is very essential for lubricating and sealing the sliding parts and the lubricant also takes part in cushioning cylinder valves. However lubricants may migrate to the evaporator to alter the heat transfer characteristics. This is can be made clear from the viscosity and surface tension of lubricant since the viscosity of lubricant oil is about two to three orders higher than that of refrigerant whereas the corresponding surface tension of lubricant is approximately one order higher. Typically, the presence of lubricant may deteriorate heat transfer performance, yet this phenomenon becomes more severe when the lubricant mass fraction is higher. However, some previous literatures had clearly showed that the presence of lubricant oil may favor the heat transfer performance at a low lubricant fraction and the heat transfer performance may peak at a specific oil concentration. In this study, the authors aim at clarifying this phenomenon subject to pool boiling condition. Various parameters affecting the heat transfer coefficient, such as viscosity, surface tension, critical solution temperature and other thermodynamic and transport properties will be examined.    During pool boiling process, the lubricant accumulates on the surface since the refrigerant is preferential to evaporate. Hence, excess lubricant enrichment on the surface results in a thin lubricant excess layer and a thermal boundary layer, which influence the heat transfer performance, either enhancement or degradation. The excess layer may bring about a liquid-solid surface energy reduction which increases site density and reduces the bubble departure diameter, causing enhancement and degradation in heat transfer performance, respectively. However, the effect of the bubble departure diameter normally surpasses the influence of site density. This may be the crucial reason that gives rise to an occurrence of the plateau of heat transfer coefficient and followed by an apparent decline of heat transfer coefficient with a further increase of lubricant concentration.    Moreover, with the preferential evaporation of the refrigerant, a surface tension gradient is formed, which induces the Marangoni effect through which refrigerant/lubricant mixtures is supplied toward the contact line. From the phase equilibrium diagram, the maximum of the Marangoni number may occur at the low lubricant concentration with a maximum temperature difference. Hence, the presence of Marangoni effect may also be the favor the heat transfer accordingly. Also, a small fraction of lubricant will increase a larger viscosity that provide a thicker thermal boundary layer which may activate more site density, and enhances the heat transfer performance. Furthermore, miscibility may also play a crucial factor that affects the pool boiling heat transfer performance. The fluid with a smaller difference between the bulk fluid temperature and critical solution temperature may yield a better heat transfer performance by drawing superheated liquid onto the bubble sides.

The Effect of Refrigeration Lubricant Properties on Nucleate Pool Boiling Heat Transfer Performance

Refrigeration lubricant plays a key role in lubricating and sealing during vapor compression processes. However, it may migrate to the evaporator to influence the heat transfer characteristics, either enhancement or degradation. The aim of this study is to fundamentally understand the effect of lubricant properties and bubble parameters on heat transfer performance. To clarify parameters affecting the heat transfer coefficient, several experiments were conducted on a horizontal flat surface, and pool-boiling phenomenon was recording by high-speed camera. Comparisons of heat transfer measurements for different refrigerant/lubricant mixtures were made, including two different refrigerants (R-134a & R-1234ze) and eight POE lubricants with different miscibility, ISO68 to ISO170 viscosity range. This study shows that improvements over pure refrigerant heat transfer can be obtained for refrigerant /lubricant mixtures with small lubricant mass fraction, high lubricant viscosity, and a low critical solution temperature (CST). The presence of lubricant will decrease the departure bubble diameter and may deteriorate heat transfer performance when the lubricant mass fraction is higher than 3%. A mechanistic explanation was provided for the observed refrigerant/lubricant boiling phenomenon, and we were successfully in creating a new model to quantify the effect of lubricant properties on the heat transfer performance. This model was developed based on cavity boiling theory, interfacial energy calculation between metal-liquid surface, and liquid-bubble interface. According to the model, the presence of lubricant layer on metal surface and surrounding the bubble will significantly alter waiting time of boiling, bubble departure time, activity site density of boiling incipience and superheat on heating surface

The relationship of muscular endurance and coordination and dexterity with behavioral and neuroelectric indices of attention in preschool children

This study investigated the associations of non-aerobic fitness (NAF) and motor competence (MC) with attention in 4–6 year-old preschoolers. The allocation of attentional resources and speed of stimulus categorization were examined using the amplitude and latency of P3 of event-related potentials respectively, while cortical activation related to general attention and task-specific discriminative processes were examined using event-related desynchronization (ERD) at lower (8–10 Hz) and upper (10–12 Hz) alpha frequencies, respectively. Seventy-six preschoolers completed NAF (muscular power, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance) and MC (coordination and dexterity, ball skills, agility and balance) test batteries. Electroencephalogram was recorded while participants performed an auditory oddball task. After controlling for age and MC, muscular endurance was positively related to P3 amplitude. MC and its coordination and dexterity sub-component were positively related to task performance, with higher levels of coordination and dexterity showing an additional association with greater upper alpha ERD between 700 and 1000 ms following stimulus onset after controlling for age and NAF. These findings suggest relationships of NAF and MC with early childhood neurocognitive function. Specifically, muscular endurance is related to the neuroinhibition in facilitating effective allocation of attentional resources to stimulus evaluation while coordination and dexterity are related to cortical activation underlying strategic attentional preparation for subsequent stimulus evaluation

Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Methanol Extract from Pogostemon cablin

Pogostemon cablin (PC) is a herbal medicine traditionally applied to treat not only common cold, nausea and diarrhea but also headache and fever. The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of standardized PC methanol extract (PCMeOH) in vivo. Investigations were performed in mice with two analgesic models. One was acetic acid-induced writhing response and the other formalin-induced paw licking. The anti-inflammatory effect was tested by λ-carrageenan (Carr)-induced mice paw edema. These analgesic experimental results indicated that PCMeOH (1.0 g/kg) decreased the acetic acid-induced writhing responses and PCMeOH (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) decreased the licking time in the second phase of the formalin test. Moreover, Carr-induced paw edema inflammation was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner when PCMeOH (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) was administered 3 and 4 h after the Carr injection. Mechanistic studies showed that PCMeOH decreased the levels of malondialdehyde in the edema paw by increasing the activities of anti-oxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, in the liver and decreasing the cyclooxygenase 2 and tumor necrosis factor-α activities in the edema paw. This study has demonstrated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of PCMeOH, thus verifying its popular use in traditional medicine