R-290 SCROLL COMPRESSOR TECHNOLOGY

摘要

The natural refrigerant R-290, with zero ODP, a GWP of 3 and good thermo-physical properties, has already been validated as one of the best substitutes for R-22 in future. So far R-290 has been used mainly in small refrigeration appliances with a very low charge. Considering the progress in international safety regulations, technology advancements in leakage detection, improvements of technical skills as well as increased protection, the application range of R-290 is believed to become wider year after year. In this paper, the latest developments of scroll compressor technology with R-290 is introduced. Performance comparisons between R-407C, R-410A and R-290 are done based on tests of a fixed speed compressor for heat pump (HP) applications and a variable speed compressor for air conditioning (AC) applications. It is shown that R-290 has significant advantages for use in HP applications over currently used refrigerants. In addition, the oil selection for R-290 scroll compressor is reviewed with proper refrigerant/lubricant couple selection finalizing the study.