Prediction of the surface tension for refrigerants and refrigerant-oil solutions (ROS)

•We model the surface tension of the refrigerants and refrigerant-oil solutions (ROS).•The relationship between the surface tension and vapor pressure of ROS was studied.•The proposed model can be used not only for the pure refrigerants but also for ROS.

This paper presents an approach for prediction of the surface tension of refrigerants and refrigerant-oil solutions (ROS). A new universal relationship between the surface tension and saturated vapor pressure has been developed. Proposed model was validated for saturated hydrocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), dimethyl ether (R-E170), mineral and polyolester compressor oils and its solutions. We propose to relate the experimentally obtained data on surface properties for the ROS to the effective concentration of the refrigerant in the surface layer of the solution.