System and method for retrofitting a refrigeration system from hcfc to hfc refrigerant

Abstract

A system and method for retrofitting a refrigeration system containing an HCFC refrigerant and a compatible lubricant, with an HFC refrigerant, comprising providing a transport container containing a mixture of a miscible lubricant and the HFC refrigerant, removing the HCFC refrigerant from the refrigeration system while maintaining at least a portion of a lubricant immiscible with the HFC refrigerant, and charging the refrigeration system with the mixture. The polyol ester lubricant may be present in a range exceeding about 5-15% by weight, e.g., 8%.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of retrofitting a refrigeration system from an HCFC refrigerant and a mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant to a refrigerant consisting essentially of an HFC, comprising:
 removing the HCFC refrigerant while retaining the mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant in the refrigeration system; and   charging the refrigeration system with a mixture consisting essentially of the HFC and a polyol ester lubricant in an amount of between 5% and 20% by weight of the HFC, substantially independent of an amount of mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant remaining in the refrigeration system.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HFC and the polyol ester lubricant in an amount of between 5% and 20% by weight of the HFC are premixed at a site remote from the refrigeration system, prior to removal of the HCFC, further comprising transporting the premixed HFC and the polyol ester lubricant in an amount of between 5% and 20% by weight of the HFC in a DOT compliant transport container. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the premixed HFC and the polyol ester lubricant in an amount of between 5% and 20% by weight of the HFC in a DOT compliant transport container comprises 8% by weight polyol ester lubricant in HFC, in a DOT-39 transport container. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said removing and charging are performed substantially without measuring an amount or concentration of the mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HFC consists essentially of R-407C. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HFC comprises R-125. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HFC comprises R-134a. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HFC comprises R-32. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HFC comprises R-143a. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HCFC comprises R-22 and the HFC consists essentially of R-407C. 
     
     
         11 . A method for retrofitting a hermetically sealed refrigeration system from an HCFC refrigerant with a mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant, to an HFC refrigerant with a polyol ester lubricant-mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant mixture, comprising:
 evacuating the HCFC refrigerant from the hermetically sealed refrigeration system substatually without removing the mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant;   transporting a premixture of the HFC refrigerant and a polyol ester lubricant in a container suitable for vehicular transportation according to DOT regulation; and   charging the hermetically sealed refrigeration system having the unremoved mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant with the premixture of the HFC refrigerant and a polyol ester lubricant.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the HCFC comprises R-22, and the HFC consists essentially of R-407C. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the polyol ester is provided in an amount of 5% to 20% by weight of the HFC in the container. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the polyol ester is provided in an amount of 8% by weight of the HFC in the container, and the HFC in the container consists essentially of R-407C. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the hermetically sealed refrigeration system after charging with the premixture of the HFC refrigerant and a polyol ester lubricant has a concentration of mixed lubricant of 15-32% by weight of the HFC. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the container is DOT-39 compliant. 
     
     
         17 . A DOT compliant refrigerant transport container for retrofitting a refrigeration system from an HCFC refrigerant compatible with a mineral oil or alkyl benzene lubricant to an HFC refrigerant compatible with a polyol ester lubricant, comprising:
 the DOT compliant refrigerant transport container;   a refrigerant consisting essentially of at least two of R-32, R-125, R-134a, and R143a; and   a polyol ester lubricant in an amount of 5-15% by weight of the refrigerant.   
     
     
         18 . The DOT compliant refrigerant transport container according to  claim 17 , comprising a DOT-39 compliant container, 7.5-8.5% by weight polyol ester lubricant by weight of the HFC. 
     
     
         19 . The DOT compliant refrigerant transport container according to  claim 17 , wherein the refrigerant consists essentially of R-407C. 
     
     
         20 . The DOT compliant refrigerant transport container according to  claim 17 , wherein the DOT compliant refrigerant transport container is a DOT-39 compliant container having a capacity of 30 pounds, filled with about 2.4 pounds of polyol ester lubricant and about 27.6 pounds of the HFC refrigerant.