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How well does your lubricant withstand the harsh conditions of carbon dioxide (CO2) refrigeration systems?
March 01, 2021
Refrigeration oil selection is key to ensure long-term compressor protection and to maximize system operational efficiency in any refrigeration application. For CO2 applications, the extreme conditions require wax-free synthetic lubricants.
While several synthetic base oil solutions are available, polyol ester (POE) based products are frequently the chosen solution because they have the advantage of superior miscibility with CO2. The major concern with POE-based lubricants, though, is that they are highly hygroscopic: They absorb moisture from their surroundings.
Water in any amount can be detrimental to a closed loop CO2 system, causing issues such as:
- Operational efficiency losses
- Valve damage or operational failure due to ice formation
- Excessive water can lead to lubricant hydrolysis, breaking down the POE oil and forming highly corrosive carbonic acid
So, what’s the solution? In a perfect scenario, a system would be free of all contaminants including moisture, but this simply isn’t realistic. “While important to minimize the amount of moisture that starts in your POE lubricant, the moment you open the container, POE lubricants begin absorbing moisture from the surrounding atmosphere,” said Paige Holder, Summit’s market manager for refrigeration lubricants.
“Regardless of whether absorption of water occurs before, during or after installation, the lubricant must be designed to resist chemical reaction with water that it comes in contact with.”
That’s why Summit has designed the RPE-744 Series. It’s a fully synthetic POE lubricant formulated to withstand the harsh environment of CO2 application and resist chemical reaction and degradation in the presence of water and other contaminants.
The RPE-744 Series provides:
- Excellent overall wear protection
- Superior Chemical, Thermal and Hydrolytic Stability
- Corrosion protection of all common system metal materials of construction
- Long-lasting system efficiency
Contact us today to find out more about Summit RPE-744 Series or to ask our experts how our high-quality lubricants can help solve your refrigeration compressor problems.
