IP Library Granted Patent US 12,241,663
Granted Patent B2
US 12,241,663 · App. 17/968,416 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Air conditioning process

Inventor: Wissam Rached (Chaponost, FR)
Assignee: Arkema France
F25B25/005C09K5/044F25B29/003C09K2205/122C09K2205/126F25B2400/121
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,241,663
App. No.
17/968,416
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A process for conditioning air, by means of a main circuit, the main circuit being a vapor compression circuit, wherein a first refrigerant circulates, and a secondary circuit with no compressor, wherein a non-flammable second refrigerant including a hydrofluoroolefin and/or a hydrochlorofluoroolefin circulates, the main circuit and the secondary circuit being coupled to one another; the process including a heat exchange between the surroundings and the first refrigerant, a heat exchange between the first and second refrigerants, and a heat exchange between the second refrigerant and the air to be conditioned. Also, an air conditioning plant for implementing the process.

Claims (25)

1. A process for air conditioning, by means of a main circuit, the main circuit being a vapor compression circuit, in which circulates a first refrigerant fluid, and of a secondary circuit not comprising a compressor, in which circulates a nonflammable second refrigerant fluid comprising a hydrofluoroolefin and/or a hydrochlorofluoroolefin, the main circuit and the secondary circuit being coupled together;

the process comprising heat exchange between an environment and the first refrigerant fluid, heat exchange between the first and the second refrigerant fluid, and heat exchange between the second refrigerant fluid and air to be conditioned,

wherein the first refrigerant comprises at least one of pentafluoroethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1-difluoroethane, fluoroethane, 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane, 1,1,1-trifluoropropane, trifluoroiodomethane, 1,1,2-trifluoroethylene, and mixtures thereof.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the second refrigerant fluid comprises a hydrofluoroolefin.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the second refrigerant fluid comprises a hydrochlorofluoroolefin.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the second refrigerant fluid comprises 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene in cis and/or trans form, 1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene in cis and/or trans form, 1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene in cis and/or trans form, or a mixture thereof.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the second refrigerant fluid has a boiling point of less than 50° C.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the second refrigerant fluid has a boiling point of less than 40° C.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1 , which is a process for cooling and/or for heating air.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 , which is a stationary air-conditioning process.

9. An air-conditioning facility comprising:

a main circuit, the main circuit being a vapor compression circuit, in which circulates a first refrigerant fluid, this main circuit including a heat exchanger for heat exchange between the first refrigerant fluid and an environment; and

a secondary circuit not comprising a compressor, in which circulates a nonflammable second refrigerant fluid comprising a hydrofluoroolefin and/or a hydrochlorofluoroolefin, this secondary circuit including a heat exchanger for heat exchange between the second refrigerant fluid and air to be conditioned,

the main circuit and the secondary circuit being coupled together via at least one heat exchanger,

wherein the first refrigerant comprises at least one of pentafluoroethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1-difluoroethane, fluoroethane, 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane, 1,1,1-trifluoropropane, trifluoroiodomethane, 1,1,2-trifluoroethylene, and mixtures thereof.

10. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , in which the second refrigerant fluid comprises a hydrofluoroolefin.

11. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , in which the second refrigerant fluid comprises a hydrochlorofluoroolefin.

12. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , in which the second refrigerant fluid comprises 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene in cis and/or trans form, 1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene in cis and/or trans form, 1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene in cis and/or trans form, or a mixture thereof.

13. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , in which the second refrigerant fluid has a boiling point of less than 50° C.

14. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , in which the second refrigerant fluid has a boiling point of less than 40° C.

15. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , in which the secondary circuit comprises at least one pump.

16. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , which is configured for cooling and/or heating air.

17. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , which is configured for stationary air-conditioning.

18. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , which is configured for conditioning the air of premises, in which the main circuit is positioned outside the premises, and the secondary circuit is positioned at least partly in the premises.

19. The facility as claimed in claim 9 , comprising a heat exchanger in which the first refrigerant fluid and the second refrigerant fluid exchange heat to provide cooling of the air, and another heat exchanger in which the first refrigerant fluid and the second refrigerant fluid exchange heat to provide heating of the air.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jul 4, 2025
From: ARKEMA FRANCE
To: ARKEMA FRANCE
Reel/Frame 071814/0739 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 1857886 · Sep 3, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17272497
Related Publication 20230038644A1 · Feb 9, 2023
References Cited (38)
US 6260376B1 · Khelifa et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6474081B1 · Feuerecker · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 11486612B2 · Brillhart · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11512877B2 · Rached · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20090293525A1 · Monforte · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100252232A1 · Reich et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20120085114A1 · Graaf et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120180513A1 · Yamashita · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120304686A1 · Kontomaris · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130133361A1 · Yamashita et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140069135A1 · Mortreux · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140196483A1 · Okazaki · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140374060A1 · Labaste Mauhe et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160318373A1 · Kang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170191705A1 · Sethi et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170267066A1 · Hong et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20200393155A1 · Takata et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210318037A1 · Rached · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 103080668A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 104114961A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 105682955A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
EP 1876398A1 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
EP 2341297A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
EP 3048387A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
EP 3279576A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
EP 3312527A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
EP 3318808A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011127864A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017190946A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017099814A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017143018A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018005670A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Office Action (Notice of Reasons for Refusal) issued on Aug. 1, 2023, by the Japanese Patent Office in corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-510769, and an English Translation of the Office Action. (6 pages… [cited by applicant]
Alam, Jahangir et al., “Measurement of Viscosity of cis-1,1,1,4,4,4-Hexafluoro-2-butene (R-1336mzz(z)) by Tandem Capillary Tubes Method,” Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, (May 10, 2018), vol. 63, No. 5, pp. 170… [cited by applicant]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued on Dec. 12, 2019, by the European Patent Office as the International Searching Authority for International Application No. PCT/FR2019/051964. [cited by applicant]
Office Action (Communication pursuant to A94(3) EPC) issued Sep. 30, 2022, by the European Patent Office in corresponding European Patent Application No. 19 779 531.3-1016. (6 pages). [cited by applicant]
The First Office Action issued in CN Patent Application No. 201980054849.8, Mar. 15, 2022, China National Intellectual Property Administration, 13 pages (English-language translation only). [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) issued on Dec. 12, 2019, by the European Patent Office as the International Searching Authority for International Application No. PCT/FR2019/051964. [cited by applicant]