Subproject B1: Phase behavior of oil-refrigerant mixtures – Experimental investigation
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Markus Richter (PI)
Fabian Luther, M. Sc. (ECR)
Sebastian Klink, M. Sc. (ECR)
Project Description
Oil-injected rotary type positive displacement compressors (RPDC) like twin-screw machines are mainly used for the compression of refrigerants in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems. The efficiency of such machines is largely determined by the inevitable two-phase surge and gap flows in these types of compressors. Therefore, it is all the more remarkable that the calculation of these flows is still a challenge today. This is due to both the complexity of simulating the two-phase flow in the narrow gaps with moving boundaries as well as the lack of accurate models for the thermophysical properties of the highly asymmetric fluid mixtures of oil and refrigerant. Against this background, the proposed Research Unit provides a unique opportunity for coordinated, interdisciplinary efforts to address this knowledge gap, with seven project partners complementing each other’s capabilities. The three subprojects of group A deal with the development of new analysis and calculation methods for the two-phase gap flows while the four subprojects of group B cover the determination and modelling of the thermophysical properties of the oil-refrigerant mixtures. In subproject B1, the primary task is to carry out comprehensive and accurate measurements of thermodynamic properties of oil-refrigerant mixtures, focusing on density and vapor-liquid phase behavior. The mixing behavior of such mixtures poses challenges to the experimental setups originally developed for less asymmetric mixtures. Therefore, it is envisioned to improve and further develop existing experimental setups to study binary mixtures of increasing asymmetry with the final goal to study oil-refrigerant mixtures.
Publications
2024
Density and solubility measurements of asymmetric mixtures
Klink S., Luther F., Richter M., Poster at Thermodynamik-Kolloquium, Stuttgart, Germany, 2024
Accurate Thermophysical Property Measurement of Refrigerants and their Mixtures with Oil – Is this important for Practice?
Richter M., Oral Keynote presentation at International Conference on Screw Machines, Dortmund, Germany, 2024
Density Measurements of n-pentane and n-decane and Solubility Measurements of propane in n-pentane and n-decane
Klink S., Luther F., Richter M., Poster at 22nd Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, Boulder, USA, 2024