Method of Manufacturing an Oil Blend

Abstract

Compositions including an activated oil blend are provided. An oil blend can comprise one or more oils having a long chain fatty acid, preferably an oleic acid or linoleic acid. An oil blend of the inventive subject matter can be activated in an open or closed vessel comprising a catalyst. Some preferred catalysts include copper, a polyamide such as Nylon, and stainless steel. The activated oil blend can be combined with, among other things, a fluid having molecules of sufficient polarity to complex with a fatty acid molecule of the activated oil blend.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing an activated oil blend, comprising:
 placing a first precursor oil in a vessel;   placing a catalyst in the vessel; and   circulating the first precursor oil in the vessel to produce the activated oil blend.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of placing a second precursor oil in the vessel, and wherein the step of circulating the first precursor oil in the vessel comprises circulating the first precursor oil and second precursor oil in the vessel to produce the activated oil blend. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first precursor oil comprises at least one of an oleic acid and a linoleic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activated oil blend comprises an oleic acid to linoleic acid ratio of between 70:30 and 50:50. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is a closed vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of circulating the first precursor oil in the vessel to produce the activated oil blend comprises circulating the first precursor oil in the vessel under heat and pressure to produce the activated oil blend. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of placing a hydrocarbon in the vessel prior to circulating the first precursor oil in the vessel to produce the activated oil blend. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises a hydrohalocarbon. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises a heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises r-134a, chemically known as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the activated oil blend is at least partially complexed with at least some of the r-134a via Van der Waals interactions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first precursor oil comprises at least one of canola oil, walnut oil, sunflower oil, and almond oil. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a refrigerant composition by combining the activated oil blend of  claim 1  with a polar heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the polar heat transfer fluid comprises r-134a molecules, chemically known as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises copper. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises a polyamide. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises stainless steel.