Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Refrigeration in industrial, automotive, and household applications is always based on the rapid expansion of a refrigeration medium (typically chloride or fluoride containing hydrocarbon).
During the expansion step, the refrigeration fluid evaporates which causes a significant drop in temperature. During this step, it is necessary to avoid ice formation in the expansion valve which would cause a blockage of the entire refrigeration system. Ice formation can be most effectively avoided by removing all residual moisture from the refrigerant.
Molecular sieves or zeolites are especially suitable for removing even small traces of water vapor and are therefore ideal for such highly moisture sensitive applications.
Today's refrigeration system work either with a loose filling of molecular sieve adsorbent beads in a copper filter, or with solid cores in which molecular sieve beads are formed into a solid block using an inorganic binder. Grace Davison offers a full range of specialized products for such applications.