ExxonMobil has developed Mobil SHC Gargoyle 80 POE, a new synthetic lubricant designed for refrigeration compressors using carbon dioxide as the refrigerant, which are found in applications ranging from food preparation, freezing operations, cold storage and marine refrigeration.

Formulated using polyol ester (POE) technology, Mobil SHC Gargoyle 80 POE has three key qualities: excellent low-temperature fluidity, in-service viscosity control, and its potential contribution towards system efficiency improvements.

It supplements ExxonMobil’s existing range of synthetic lubricants for refrigeration compressors and systems, the Mobil Gargoyle Arctic SHC 200 Series and Mobil EAL Arctic™ Series.

The lubricant was developed due to the growing use of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant, which ExxonMobil predicts will be one of the main industrial refrigerants by 2020.

“Our new synthetic lubricant for refrigeration compressors will meet this growing need while also adding a range of equipment-protecting qualities and, according to trials, potentially contributing toward enhanced energy efficiency,” said Andrea Jacobsen, ExxonMobil’s industrial marketing manager for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

“ExxonMobil predicts that carbon dioxide based R744 will be one of the main industrial refrigerants by 2020 and will also feature regularly in light commercial refrigeration operations,” said Jacobsen.