Lubricant additives and compositions

Abstract

Embodiments are described herein to provide a functional composition that can be added to the lubricant of the HVAC system to help prevent/reduce the lubricant breakdown. The functional composition can also help prevent/reduce material deposition on, for example, an orifice of an expansion or heat transfer surface(s) or heat transfer surface(s). The functional composition can be added as an additive to a lubricant of a HVAC system to form a lubricant composition. The lubricant composition can be added to a HVAC system to help prevent/reduce the material deposition. In some embodiments, the functional composition can be added to a HVAC system during operation of the HVAC system to help remove/reduce existing material deposition.

What claimed is: 
     
         1 . A functional composition of a lubricant in a HVAC system, comprising one or a combination of:
 a compound that interferes with lubricant breakdown,   a compound that interferes with formation of metal carboxylates on a load bearing surface;   a compound that coats the load bearing surfaces so as to reduce deposition of metal-carboxylates on the loading surface;   a compound that reduces a catalytic effect of the metal carboxylates;   a compound that changes a polarity and/or acidity of the lubricant so as to remove the deposited lubricant breakdown;   a compound that coats an expansion device or heat transfer surface of the HVAC system so as to prevent deposition of the lubricant breakdown; and   a compound that changes the polarity of the lubricant so as to increase a solubility of metal carboxylates.   
     
     
         2 . The functional composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant is selected from a group comprising polyolester polyvinyl ether, alkylbenzene, polyalphaolefins, alkylated naphthenics, mineral oil, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The functional composition of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system includes a HFC refrigerant. 
     
     
         4 . A method of treating a lubricant composition of a HVAC system, comprising:
 adding a functional composition from about 5 to 10% by weight of the lubricant,   wherein the functional composition includes: a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester; and   a base oil lubricant selected from a group comprising an alkylbenzene, an alkylated naphthenic, a polyalkylene glycol, a polyvinylether, a polyalphaolefin, mineral oil, a polyol ester, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid ester of the functional composition is a product of the esterification of a hydroxycarboxylic acid with an alcohol. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the alcohol is selected from a group comprising methanol, ethanol, caproic alcohol, caprylic alcohol, 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, capric alcohol, lauryl alcohol, isotridecyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, palmitoleyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol, petroselinyl alcohol, linolyl alcohol, linolenyl alcohol, elaeostearyl alcohol, arachidyl alcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, erucyl alcohol, brassidyl alcohol, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the functional composition includes from about 1% to about 60% by weight of the hydroxycarboxylic acid ester. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the functional composition includes from about 5% to about 40% by weight of the hydroxycarboxylic acid ester. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the functional composition includes from about 10% to about 20% by weight of the hydroxycarboxylic acid ester. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid is selected from a group comprising
 a hydroxy dicarboxylic acid, a hydroxy bicarboxylic acid, a hydroxyl polycarboxylic acid or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid is selected from a group comprising:
 a hydroxycarboxylic acit ricinoleic acid (RA), hydroxystearic acid, hydroxylauric acid, hydroxydecanoic acid, hydroxyarachidic acid, hydroxypalmitic acid, hydroxyerucic acid, hydroxylinoleic acid, hydroxyarachidonic, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and a combination thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid includes a ring structure, wherein the ring structure is selected from a group comprising aromatic, homocyclic, hetercyclic or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid is selected from a group comprising salicylic acid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid ester is formed by a hydroxycarboxylic acid and a fatty acid. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fatty acid is selected form pentanoic acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, tridecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, nonadecanoic acid, icosanoic acid, oleic acid,  2 -ethylhexanoic acid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising a second hydroxycarboxylic acid ester. 
     
     
         17 . A method of servicing a HVAC system, comprising:
 adding a functional composition from about 5 to 10% by weight of a lubricant of the HVAC system, wherein the functional composition includes: an ester of a hydroxycarboxylic acid; and a base oil lubricant selected from a group comprising an alkylbenzene, an alkylated naphthenic, a polyalkylene glycol, a polyvinylether, a polyalphaolefin, mineral oil, a polyol ester, and a combination thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the HVAC system includes a HFC refrigerant. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the HVAC system includes a HFC refrigerant.