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US 8,568,608 B2Granted
Vapor compression cycle utilizing ionic liquid as compressor lubricant
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsMark Brandon Shiflett, Akimichi Yokozeki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to the use of ionic liquids as lubricants in vapor compression systems for cooling or heating. This invention also relates to an apparatus for adjusting temperature that operates a vapor compression cycle.
Claims18
An apparatus for temperature adjustment comprising
- (a) a compressor that increases the pressure of the vapor of at least one refrigerant, wherein the compressor comprises moving parts that are lubricated by at least one ionic liquid;
- (b) a condenser that receives refrigerant vapor that is passed out of the compressor, and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid;
- (c) a pressure reduction device that receives liquid refrigerant that is passed out of the condenser, and reduces the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of refrigerant in liquid and vapor form;
- (d) an evaporator that receives the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that is passed out of the pressure reduction device, and evaporates the remaining liquid in the mixture to form refrigerant vapor;
- and
- (e) a conduit that returns to the compressor refrigerant vapor that is passed out of the evaporator;
- wherein an ionic liquid is selected from one or more members of the group consisting of
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [bmim][PF6],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [bmim][BF4],
- 1,2-dimethyl-3propylimidazolium tris(trifluoromethylsuflonyl)methide [dmpim][TMeM],
- 3-methyl-1-propylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [pmpy][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(pentafluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BEI],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2,3,3,3,-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [bmim][HFPS],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy) ethanesulfonate [bmim][TPES],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(trifluoromethoxy) ethanesulfonate [bmim][TTES],
- tetradecyl(trihexyl) phosphonium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy) ethanesulfonate [6,6,6,14-P][TPES], and
- tributyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [4,4,4,14-P][HFPS].
15 more elements
An apparatus for temperature adjustment comprising
- (a) a mechanical compressor that increases the pressure of the vapor of at least one refrigerant;
- (b) a condenser that receives refrigerant vapor that is passed out of the compressor, and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid;
- (c) a pressure reduction device that receives liquid refrigerant that is passed out of the condenser, and reduces the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of refrigerant in liquid and vapor form;
- (d) an evaporator that receives the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that is passed out of the pressure reduction device, and evaporates the remaining liquid in the mixture to form refrigerant vapor;
- and
- (e) a conduit that returns to the compressor refrigerant vapor that is passed out of the evaporator;
- wherein a refrigerant is admixed with at least one ionic liquid;
- and
- wherein an ionic liquid is selected from one or more members of the group consisting of
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [bmim][PF6],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [bmim][BF4],
- 1,2-dimethyl-3propylimidazolium tris(trifluoromethylsuflonyl)methide [dmpim][TMeM],
- 3-methyl-1-propylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [pmpy][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(pentafluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BEI],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2,3,3,3,-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [bmim][HFPS],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy)ethanesulfonate [bmim][TPES],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(trifluoromethoxy)ethanesulfonate [bmim][TTES],
- tetradecyl(trihexyl) phosphonium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy) ethanesulfonate [6,6,6,14-P][TPES], and
- tributyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [4,4,4,14-P][HFPS].
17 more elements
A process for adjusting the temperature of an object, medium or a space comprising
- (a) providing a mechanical device having moving parts to increase the pressure of the vapor of at least one refrigerant, and providing at least one ionic liquid to lubricate the moving parts of the device;
- (b) condensing the refrigerant vapor under pressure to a liquid;
- (c) reducing the pressure of the liquid refrigerant to form a mixture of refrigerant in liquid and vapor form;
- (d) evaporating the liquid refrigerant to form refrigerant vapor;
- and
- (e) repeating step (a) to increase the pressure of the refrigerant vapor formed in steps (c) and (d);
- wherein an ionic liquid is selected from one or more members of the group consisting of
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [bmim][PF6],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [bmim][BF4],
- 1,2-dimethyl-3-propylimidazolium tris(trifluoromethylsuflonyl)methide [dmpim][TMeM],
- 3-methyl-1-propylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [pmpy][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(pentafluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BEI],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [bmim][HFPS],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy)ethanesulfonate [bmim][TPES],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(trifluoromethoxy)ethanesulfonate [bmim][TTES],
- tetradecyl(trihexyl) phosphonium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy) ethanesulfonate [6,6,6,14-P][TPES], and
- tributyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [4,4,4,14-P][HFPS].
15 more elements
A process for adjusting the temperature of an object, medium or a space comprising
- (a) providing a mechanical device having moving parts to increase the pressure of the vapor of at least one refrigerant;
- (b) condensing the refrigerant vapor under pressure to a liquid;
- (c) reducing the pressure of the liquid refrigerant to form a mixture of refrigerant in liquid and vapor form;
- (d) evaporating the liquid refrigerant to form refrigerant vapor;
- (e) separating from the refrigerant vapor any ionic liquid present therein;
- and
- (f) repeating step (a) to increase the pressure of the refrigerant vapor formed in steps (c) and (d);
- wherein an ionic liquid is selected from one or more members of the group consisting of
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [bmim][PF6],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [bmim][BF4],
- 1,2-dimethyl-3-propylimidazolium tris(trifluoromethylsuflonyl)methide [dmpim][TMeM],
- 3-methyl-1-propylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [pmpy][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BMeI],
- 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(pentafluoroethylsulfonyl)imide [emim][BEI],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [bmim][HFPS].
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy)ethanesulfonate [bmim][TPES],
- 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(trifluoromethoxy)ethanesulfonate [bmim][TTES],
- tetradecyl(trihexyl) phosphonium 1,1,2-trifluoro-2-(perfluoroethoxy)ethanesulfonate [6,6,6,14-P][TPES], and
- tributyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropanesulfonate [4,4,4,14-P][HFPS].
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.