Lubricants for air conditioning systems

Abstract

Lubricants for air conditioning systems in hybrid vehicles can be high dielectric lubricants.

1 . A method of dehydrating a lubricant in an air conditioning system of an electric compressor comprising introducing a water scavenger into the system of the electric compressor. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric compressor is in a hybrid vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant is polyalkylene glycol or polyolester. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing an additive into the system. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the additive is a leak detection dye and the lubricant is polyalkylene glycol. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the additive has high dielectric strength. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water scavenger is added to the lubricant prior to introduction of the compressor lubricant to the system of the hybrid vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water scavenger is an organometallic compound or an organometalloid compound. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing an indicator compound that indicates the presence of water in the system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the indicator compound is a compound that fluoresces in the presence of water. 
     
     
         14 . A method of minimizing or eliminating the risk of an electrical shock to a subject in contact with a system in a hybrid vehicle comprising introducing a high dielectric lubricant into the air-conditioning system of the hybrid vehicle wherein the lubricant is a polyalkylene glycol and has a water content of below 500 ppm, the lubricant has a volume resistivity between 6×10 11  to 12×10 11  ohm cm, the lubricant has a dielectric strength between 35-40 kV, the lubricant has a dielectric strength between 35-40 kV and a volume resistivity of at least 1×10 12  ohm cm, the lubricant has a dielectric strength between 35-40 kV and block weight loss of more than 30 mg in a modified Falex test in R-134a atmosphere using aluminum pins and blocks per ASTM D3233 at 200 lb for 60 second. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol has a water content of below 300 ppm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol has a water content of below 50 ppm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol has a total acid number of <0.1 mgKOH/g. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein introducing the high dielectric lubricant into the air-conditioning system of the hybrid vehicle includes using an injection device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the high dielectric lubricant includes a leak detection dye. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the lubricant has a volume resistivity between 10×10 11  to 12×10 11  ohm cm. 
     
     
         23 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of claim  30 , wherein the lubricant is polyalkylene glycol. 
     
     
         32 . The method of claim  30 , wherein the lubricant is polyolester. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the additive includes a water scavenger, a leak detection dye, a leak stop additive, or a performance-enhancing product. 
     
     
         35 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the water scavenger is an organometallic compound or an organometalloid compound. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising introducing an indicator compound that indicates the presence of water in the system. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the indicator compound is a compound that fluoresces in the presence of water. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising introducing an indicator compound that indicates that the lubricant is a high dielectric lubricant. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the indicator compound is a compound that can be differentiated visually. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the indicator compound is a compound that can be differentiated though an odor. 
     
     
         44 - 48 . (canceled)