Synthetic lubrication in CO₂ compression using reciprocating compressors

What factors and products should be considered for synthetic lubricants in CO₂ reciprocating compressor systems?

When you’re selecting an oil, it is very important to verify that the pour point of the oil is lower than the evaporator temperature. Otherwise oil will congeal on the evaporator surfaces.

Mobil™ offers two different product families that can be considered:

• Mobil Gargoyle Arctic SHC™ 200 Series is a family of polyalphaolefin-based (PAO) synthetic lubricants that can be used in screw and reciprocating CO₂ compressors to compress CO₂.
• Mobil Glygoyle™ Series is a family of polyalkylene glycol-based (PAG) synthetic lubricants that can be used for CO₂ compression.

It’s important to highlight that:

• Mobil Glygoyle™ Series oils are not compatible with mineral oils and most other synthetic lubricants.
• PAG-based lubricants have compatibility limitations with respect to compatibility with certain seal and coating materials, contain varieties of light metal alloys and other lubricants. Before applying any PAG lubricant, contact the original equipment manufacturer for specific advice on the application.