Mark Kristoffer V.

Hilarion

Speed of Sound of R1234yf

I. Introduction
5 R1234yf is a non-ozone depleting, low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant
that was initially developed to meet the EU Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) Directive starting
from 1 January 2011 and become the standard refrigerant for the majority of automotive
manufacturers globally.
Since the implementation of MAC Directive (2006/40/EG), R1234yf is seen as a viable
10 replacement for R-134a. R1234yf has a GWP of just 4, providing substantially lower direct
greenhouse gas emissions than R134a systems. It thus significantly reduces the carbon
footprint of refrigeration systems over the total lifetime.1

Table 1: Chemical Properties of R1234yf2

Chemical Properties R1234yf
Chemical name 2,3,3,3- tetrafluoropropene
Chemical formula CF₃CF = CH₂
Product group Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO)
ASHRAE safety classification A2L – non-toxic & mildly-flammable
Triple Point 220.0 K
Boiling Point @ 1atm 243.7 K
Critical Temperature 367.85 K
Critical Pressure 3.3822 MPa
Critical Density 475.55 kg/m³
Global Warming Potential 4
Molar Mass 114.04 kg/kmol

15 The C++ library for pure and pseudo-pure fluid equation of state, herein abbreviated
as EOS: CoolProp was used as reference in computing the speed of sound of R1234yf. It was
also used in extracting the required thermodynamic properties for computation such as
pressure (P), temperature (T), enthalpy (H), entropy (S), specific volume (v), density (ρ), etc.
3
T-s diagram was used as the reference diagram since the required thermodynamic
properties
20 at single phase (subcooled, superheat, and supercritical) and two phase (saturated liquid/gas)
are easily and obviously seen.

1
Li, Z., Liang, K., & Jiang, H. (2019). Experimental study of R1234yf as a drop-in replacement for R134a in an oil-
free refrigeration system. Applied Thermal Engineering, 153, 646–654.
2
Sundaresan, Rajamanickam & Tamilselvan, P. & Samuel, Anand. (2018). CHALLENGES OF EXPERIMENTING
R1234YF REFRIGERANT FOR AUTOMOBILE HVAC SYSTEM-A REVIEW.
3
M. Richter, M. O. McLinden, and E. W. Lemmon. Thermodynamic Properties of 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoroprop-1-ene
(R1234yf): Vapor Pressure and $p$-ρ-$T$ Measurements and an Equation of State. J. Chem. Eng. Data, 56:3254–

1
3264, 2011.

2
 Supercritical
Region
.
Critical Superheated
Subcooled/ Temperature Region
Pressure
Compresse
d Region

Saturate
d Region

Triple Point Temperature

Figure 1: T-s Diagram of R1234yf showing different isolines

Constant
Pressure Lines

Figure 2: T-s Diagram of R1234yf showing different pressure isolines

3
 II. Methodology
Speed of sound calculation
𝜕𝑃
Speed of sound, herein abbreviated as SOS, is defined as 𝑐2 = ( ) ; where P is
𝜕𝜌 𝑠
4
pressure and ρ is density.
𝜕𝑃
5 But 𝜕𝜌 = −𝑣 −2𝜕𝑣: therefore 𝑐 2 = −𝑣2 ( ) and by central difference:
𝜕𝑣 𝑠

𝜕𝑃
(𝜕𝑣 )𝑠 𝑃(𝑣+𝜕𝑣)−𝑃(𝑣−𝜕𝑣)
= ( 2∗𝜕𝑣 )𝑠
Setting dv as arbitrarily close to 0.
Said formula is used to find the speed of sound on two phase (subcooled,
superheated, and supercritical) region holding entropy constant.

v+dv

v
v-dv

Constant entropy line

10
Figure 3: Central Difference on subcooled/compressed liquid

4
Shapiro , Ascher H., Chapter 3: Velocity of Sound. The Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Compressible Fluid
Flow, Volume 1. ISBN: 978-0-471-06691-0
4
 V+dv
v
v-dv

Constant entropy line

Figure 4: Central Difference on superheated region

V+dv

V-dv

P(v+dv)
P
P(v-dv)

Figure 5: Central Difference on supercritical region

5

5
 Continuing in this fashion:
𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝑇
𝑐 2 = −𝑣 2 ( ) ∗ ( )
𝜕𝑣 𝑠 𝜕𝑇

𝜕𝑃
𝜕𝑇
𝑐2 = −𝑣2 ( )
𝜕𝑣
𝜕𝑇 𝑠
By Clausius–Clapeyron equation:
𝜕𝑃 𝑠𝑔 − 𝑠𝑓
5 =
𝜕𝑇 𝑣 − 𝑣𝑓
�

𝑣 = 𝑣𝑓 + 𝑥(𝑣𝑔 − 𝑣𝑓) = 𝑣𝑓 + 𝑥𝑣𝑔 − 𝑥𝑣𝑓

𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑣𝑓 𝑑𝑣𝑔 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑣𝑓 𝑑𝑥
= +𝑥( )+𝑣 ( )−𝑥( )−𝑣( )
𝑑𝑇 𝑔 𝑑𝑇 𝑓 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑣𝑓 𝑑𝑣𝑔 𝑑𝑥
= (1 − 𝑥) +𝑥( ) + (𝑣 − 𝑣 ) ( )
𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑔 𝑓 𝑑𝑇

10
𝑑𝑥
To find :
𝑑𝑇

𝑠 = 𝑠𝑓 + 𝑥(𝑠𝑔 − 𝑠𝑓) = 𝑠𝑓 + 𝑥𝑠𝑔 − 𝑥𝑠𝑓

𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑠𝑓 𝑑𝑠𝑔 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑠𝑓 𝑑𝑥
= +𝑥( ) + 𝑣𝑔 ( ) − 𝑥 ( ) − 𝑣𝑓 ( )
𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑠 𝑓 𝑔 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑠
= (1 − 𝑥) + 𝑥 ( ) + (𝑠 − 𝑠 ) ( ) = 0; since the process is isentropic = 0
𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑔 𝑓 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑠𝑓
𝑑𝑠𝑔
((1 − 𝑥) +𝑥( ))
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇
15 = (𝑠𝑓 − 𝑠𝑔)
𝑑𝑇

Using central difference:

𝑑𝑠𝑓
𝑠𝑓𝑇+𝑑𝑇 − 𝑠𝑇−𝑑𝑇
𝑓
𝑑𝑇 = 2 ∗ 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑠𝑔
𝑠𝑔𝑇+𝑑𝑇 − 𝑠𝑇−𝑑𝑇
𝑔
𝑑𝑇 = 2 ∗ 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑣𝑓
𝑣𝑓𝑇+𝑑𝑇 − 𝑣𝑇−𝑑𝑇
𝑓
20 = 2 ∗ 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑣𝑔
6
𝑣𝑇+𝑑𝑇 − 𝑣𝑇−𝑑𝑇 𝑔 𝑔
𝑑𝑇 = 2 ∗ 𝑑𝑇

7
 Quality (Q) was used to find the values of entropy and specific volume at constant pressure
and saturated temperature since said pressure and temperature are independent of both
entropy and specific volume.
Quality (Q) was set starting from 0 to 1 with increasing step of .1.
5 dT was set arbitrarily close to 0.

sfT+dT
vfT+dT sgT+dT
vgT+dT

sgT-dT
vgT-dT
sfT-dT
vfT-dT dx

Figure 6: Central Difference on saturated region

To find the speed of sound from one point to another, increasing step of temperature at
constant pressure is set arbitrarily close to 0 from the lowest possible temperature, which is
10 the triple point temperature (T tri), to the highest possible temperature, which is the maximum
temperature (Tmax) obtainable from CoolProp. However, upon investigation, CoolProp failed
to give the required values close to the triple point and the maximum temperature when
central difference method is performed. This error is due to fact that no available
thermodynamic properties or equation of state are known below the triple point and above
15 the maximum temperature as far as CoolProp is concerned. In view thereof, the staring
temperature shall start from Ttri + 1K (220.0K + 1K = 221.0 K) to Tmax – 1K (410K - 1K = 409K).
Pressure shall also be limited from the minimum pressure available on R1234yf (P min =
31.50756 kPa) to the maximum pressure available (P min = 30000 kPa) for the same
aforementioned reason.
20

8
 TMax

TCrit

T + dT
T
T - dT

Ttri

Figure 7: Computation of speed of sound at each points on constant pressure lines

(above and below critical pressures). SOS is not computer on red bars to avoid error in
CoolProp implementation.
5

Error in calculation
Speed of sound is obtainable on CoolProp only on single phase regions. CoolProp
does not have an available EOS for SOS on saturated region with excluding quality from 0 to
1 (Q = (0, 1)); therefore, there is no reliable values of SOS on saturated to compare with.
The SOS
10 obtained in CoolProp at single phase regions (C CP) will be compared to the calculated SOS for
each temperature at constant pressure (C). Error is defined as:
𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 − 𝑜𝑏𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
𝑒=| | 𝑥100%
𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
𝐶
𝑒 = |1 − | 𝑥100%
�𝐶𝑃

15 Graph Plotting
Results on speed of sound was plotted on 2D graph of C-v and C-s and 3D graph of C-
v- T and C-s-T while the error is tabulated. Pressures were chosen as: Low pressures (40 –
100 kPa), near critical pressure (1.5 – 3 MPa), below and above critical pressure (2 – 5 MPa),
and beyond critical pressure (5 – 10 MPa).
20
9
 III. Results
Different Pressures are presented for R1234yf. It shows that while temperature
increases at constant pressure, the speed of sound decreases gradually. As it approaches to
saturated liquid temperature, the speed of sound plummets then slowly regaining.
5 Speed of Sound – Specific volume at low pressure:

Figure 8: C-v Graph of speed of sound at low pressures.

Figure 9: Zoomed in view of C-v Graph at Subcooled/compressed liquid temperature of low

10 pressures.

10
 Figure 10: Zoomed in view of C-v Graph at saturated to superheated temperature of low
pressures.

5
Figure 11: C-v-T Graph at low pressure.

11
 Figures 8-11 are graph at low pressures (40 - 100 kPa). In figure 9, the decrease rate of
speed of sound is greater at 100 kPa than 40 kPa while approaching saturated liquid
temperature. In figure 10, the increase rate of speed of sound is greater at 100 kPa than 40
kPa from saturated liquid temperature to superheated temperature.
5 Speed of sound – Entropy at low pressures:

Figure 12: C-s (SOS-entropy) Graph at low pressure.

Figure 13: Zoomed in view of C-s Graph from subcooled/compressed liquid temperature to
10 saturated liquid temperature of low pressures.

12
 Figure 14: Zoomed in view of C-s Graph from saturated liquid temperature to superheated
liquid temperature of low pressures.

5
Figure 15: C-s-T Graph at low pressure.

13
 Same result can be seen at C-s graph as stated in page 10, lines 1-2. However, on figure 14,
the constant temperature lines appears to be intersecting at a point C = 115 m/s and s = 1.4
kJ/kg.
Speed of sound – Specific volume near critical pressure:

5
Figure 14: C-v Graph near critical pressure.

Figure 15: Zoomed in view of C-v Graph at subcooled/compressed liquid temperature near
critical pressure.

14
 Figure 16: Zoomed in view of C-v Graph at saturated to superheated temperature near
critical pressure.

5 Figure 15: C-s-T Graph near critical pressure.

15
 Speed of sound – Entropy near critical pressure:

Figure 17: C-s (SOS-entropy) Graph near critical pressure:.

5
Figure 18: Zoomed in view of C-s Graph from subcooled/compressed liquid temperature-
saturated liquid temperature-Superheat temperature near critical pressure.

10

16
 Figure 19: C-s-T Graph near critical pressure:.

Speed of sound – Specific volume below and above critical pressure.

5
Figure 20: C-v Graph below and above critical pressure.

17
 Figure 21: Zoomed in view of C-v Graph at subcooled/compressed liquid temperature below
5 and above critical pressure

Figure 22: Zoomed in view of C-v Graph at saturated temperature – superheated

temperature below and above critical pressure.

18
 Figure 23: C-v-T Graph below and above critical pressure.
Speed of sound – Entropy below and above critical pressure:

5 Figure 24: Zoomed in view of C-s Graph at saturated temperature –

superheated temperature below and above critical pressure.

19
 Figure 25: Zoomed in view of C-s Graph at saturated temperature – superheated
temperature below and above critical pressure.

5 Figure 26: C-s-T Graph below and above critical pressure.

20
 Speed of sound – Specific volume at high pressures:

Figure 27: C-v Graph at high pressures.

5 Figure 28: Zoomed in view of C-v Graph at saturated temperature – superheated

temperature at high pressures.

21
 Figure 29: C-v-T Graph at high pressures.

Speed of sound – Entropy at high pressure:

5
Figure 30: C-s Graph at high pressures.

22
Figure 31: C-s-T Graph at high pressures.

23