Use of Lubricants to Improve Compressor Efficiency

current world conditions require compressors to be both efficient and economical to manufacture. one means of improving efficiency in a rotary vane (or any) compressor is to use the lubricant as a heat transfer agent. A rotary vane refrigerator compressor was modified and instrumented for calorimeter testing so that the performance improvement could be identified. The changes and testing were controlled so that performance and unique physical parts changes were accomplished by the opening and closing of external valves only, thereby providing the most reliable data possible. To provide dependable lubrication rotary compressors normally have high-side-pressure housings resulting in a lubricant/refrigerant mixture controlled by pressure and temperature. This mixture was also observed. The results show the lubricant mixture can be used to provide performance improvement and simultaneously advantageously change the lubricant/refrigerant mixture. And, the relative cost is less than the equivalent required motor improvement costs requiring minor tooling changes only.