April 28, 2003—As R-22 is phased out, system designers using flooded evaporators in low temperature systems likely will turn to R-507 as a viable alternative to ammonia due to concerns about fractionation of other possible HFC replacements, says the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
Compressor designers, refrigeration component manufacturers and system designers will need solubility and viscosity data for R-507 series in combination with polyolester or polyalkylene glycol lubricants.
Because no such published data currently exists, research to provide this information has been approved for funding by ASHRAE. ASHRAE approved funding totaling $575,383 for seven research projects in the areas of design tools, operation and maintenance tools, indoor air quality, comfort and health, refrigeration, environmentally safe materials and energy conservation at its 2003 Winter Meeting.
Among them is 1253-TRP, Measurement of Solubility, Viscosity and Density of R-125/143a (50/50) (R-507) Refrigerant Lubricant/Mixtures. The project is expected to take four months to complete at a cost of $33,995.
Many existing supermarket refrigeration systems have been retrofitted and new systems installed with R-507. Large industrial refrigeration installations also are being installed using R-507. Advantages of R-507 include drop in replacement for R-502 systems, negligible temperature glide in normal range usage and high efficiency increase on screw compressor systems with economizer cycles.
For more information, contact ASHRAE.
