Chemistry | OCR | Inline measurement of OCR in R290 for precise real-time results
Environmentally friendly refrigerants, including R290 (propane), are on the rise worldwide. In R290 refrigeration circuits, the amount of circulating oil is of particular importance. To measure inline the oil concentration very precisely and in real time, Anton Paar has already the solution - the highly accurate and reliable L-Sonic 6100.
OCR measurement in R290
The global trend in the refrigeration industry is moving purposefully towards eco-friendly refrigerants with a low global warming potential (GWP) and the gradual replacement of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC).
Also, in view of the F-Gases regulation, the refrigerant R290 or propane fits exactly into this trend. R290 is a natural refrigerant with excellent thermody-namic and refrigeration properties. With its low GWP of 3, this refrigerant is already used very successfully as one of the new eco-friendly alternatives in circula-tion cycles of heat pumps and mobile AC units.
A key factor for the efficiency of refrigeration circuits, including R290, is the oil concentration of the refriger-ants used, also known as the oil circulation ratio (OCR).
Oil must be added to the cooling circuit to lubricate the compressor. Without oil, the compressor would wear out and break down within a very short time. However, adding oil to the refrigeration cycle has also a nega-tive impact on the overall efficiency of the system. Therefore, as little oil as possible but as much as nec-essary must be added to the refrigerant to ensure proper compressor lifetime and best cooling effi-ciency.
The aim is to find the optimized oil/ refrigeration com-position for best performance.
With the L-Sonic 6100 sensor Anton Paar provides a well proven inline solution for precise OCR measure-ments which allows this decisive parameter to be monitored directly and continuously in real-time. With the L- Sonic 6100 costly and complex measurements with pressure pycnometers are a thing of the past.
The Anton Paar solution thus plays a major role in re-ducing laboratory costs and saving time in setting the optimum oil content in the cooling circuit under real time conditions.
For flammable refrigerants, such as propane (R290) Anton Paar offers L-Sonic 6100 Ex-d, a reliable off-the-shelf sensor with optimized delivery time and Ex- certificates for all major distribution countries.
Get the document
To receive this document please enter your email below.