This paper describes the environmental impacts of a domestic refrigerator hermetic compressor in relation to in-use durability and environmental exchanges from a tribological viewpoint. In use experimental tribological information is presented from physical test procedures involving sliding tests to establish wear mechanisms and friction coefficients within critical components. Hydrocarbon refrigerant R600a is compared with hydroflourocarbon R134a using aluminium on steel samples within a novel pressurised micro-friction test rig. The refrigerants are tested for their influence upon the tribological performance of poly-ol-ester (POE) lubricant, in the case of R600a and R134a, and with mineral oil (MO) in the case of R600a under pressurised/depressurised simulated operating conditions.
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