Ice Cold Refrigerant Additive
Ice Cold Refrigerant Additive
(OP)
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.





RE: Ice Cold Refrigerant Additive
In practice the thermostatic expansion valve will work to maintain the super heat, but even though the temperatures may shift the inner temperature will be less than the outside temperature.
When talking about coil temperature are you considering the inner temperature or the outer temperature? (The difference may be slight.)
Bill
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"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter
RE: Ice Cold Refrigerant Additive
They refer to "ASHRAE" twelve times on their "how it works" page, so it must have some validity. There's a reference to the Intertek lab too.
It's really amazing that putting a simple chemical into one's refrigerant circuit can save 23% or more on one's air conditioning energy use. Truly amazing.
I saw a post elsewhere that says it increases lubricity by 74%. Amazing. Give it a read! Very interesting. Maybe we should bring discuss in the pub...
Good on ya,
Goober Dave
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