CascadeMan
Mechanical
- Jan 14, 2012
- 1
I recently learned about the refrigerant additive "Ice Cold". It sounds great, but the informaiton supplied did not seam reasonable. Heat reansfer within a finned tube coil goes through several boundries or materials that have resistance to heat flow.
The only area where the catalyst has an effect is on the inside surface boundry of the tubing. Oil that slides along the inside surface of the tube definitely adds resistance to heat flow and if this oil becomes "caked" and builds up the effectwill be more resistance to heat flow.
I have not seen extensive fouling of the interior surface of tubing, but maybe it is possible. Allowing that it is possible, then I can see that a catalist that cleans the wall will increase heat transfer and return the system to its original performance.
The claim that the catalist will lower evaporator temperature and pressure seems wrong. The coul must supply the heat required to evaporate the mass flow of the compressor. A balancde must exist.
If the coil tube is fouled then the coil can not supply the heat required so the compressor will cause coil evaporating temperature to drop until a new equalibrium is reached. I was told that the catalist will cause coil temperature to drop, butn this seems to be in error, If coil capacity is increased then evap temp will increase, not drop.
The only area where the catalyst has an effect is on the inside surface boundry of the tubing. Oil that slides along the inside surface of the tube definitely adds resistance to heat flow and if this oil becomes "caked" and builds up the effectwill be more resistance to heat flow.
I have not seen extensive fouling of the interior surface of tubing, but maybe it is possible. Allowing that it is possible, then I can see that a catalist that cleans the wall will increase heat transfer and return the system to its original performance.
The claim that the catalist will lower evaporator temperature and pressure seems wrong. The coul must supply the heat required to evaporate the mass flow of the compressor. A balancde must exist.
If the coil tube is fouled then the coil can not supply the heat required so the compressor will cause coil evaporating temperature to drop until a new equalibrium is reached. I was told that the catalist will cause coil temperature to drop, butn this seems to be in error, If coil capacity is increased then evap temp will increase, not drop.