Effect of R600a on tribological behavior of sintered steel under starved lubrication

This paper describes the impact of the isobutane refrigerant on the wear performance of tribopairs at hermetic compressor bearings. The tribological behavior of 100Cr6 steel pin is investigated under starved lubrication condition in air and R600a environments when running against sintered steel which was treated with and without steam. EDS and SEM are carried out on pin and plate samples after wear tests. The results indicate that wear durability is lower for the tests with R600a than those with air. The adverse effect of R600a on wear rate is linked to the change in the viscosity and foaming characteristics of the oil in the presence of R600a as well as the lack of oxides.