While preparing a refrigeration systems class lesson I came
across the following page on Refrigeration Research Inc page (http://www.refresearch.com/Social-Media/ArtMID/432/ArticleID/5/The-Grunow-Refrigerator
) on a refrigerator manufactured in the 1930’s that utilized a refrigerant
identified as Carrene. This happened to be totally unrelated to the topic I was
working on, but found it interesting.
I have never heard of a
refrigerant named Carrene in the application used in the article. While I am
aware of the name Carrene 7, first coming across a little round red metal tag
affixed to an 06D or E cylinder head of a Carrier compressor in the late 1970’s.
The tag only contained the chemical element compound for R-500, and the word
Carrene 7. I was unaware until now the name referenced other refrigerant formulations.
Researching this further I found that in
another article this refrigerant is identified as Dichloromethane, R-114 (http://musingsonentropy.com/2013/04/04/1930s-household-refrigerators/
). However, when I look up R-114 it is presently listed as Dichlorotetrafluoroethane.
My quest to learn more about the Carrene
refrigerant lead me to an American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME),
Refrigeration Research Museum page (https://www.asme.org/about-asme/who-we-are/engineering-history/landmarks/207-refrigeration-research-museum
), and other refrigeration system processes that I was aware of, but never
really read about. But in the last paragraph
in this article states that the Grunow-type SD refrigerator was the only refrigerator
to use the Carrene refrigerant. I also can’t find the origin of the word
Carrene.
So as the industry transitions into the
next generation of refrigerants and equipment, I think it’s relevant to look
back at the history and some other industry advancement milestones and have the
following questions: Does anyone have any information on the Grunow SD
refrigerant, Carrene and the origin of the word? Thank you in advance for your
assistance.
Article was posted to LinkedIn Group Council of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Educators (CARE) on March 31, 2015
