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Experimental performance of a mobile air conditioning unit with small thermal energy storage for idle stop/start vehicles

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Abstract

In this study, an attempt was made to extend the comfort of a passenger car cabin during the compressor off cycle using thermal energy storage (TES) in an HFO-1234yf mobile air conditioning (MAC) unit for idle stop/start vehicles. Fatty acid (OM08), as a phase change material (PCM), with 0.1–0.5 vol% of graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) was used in this study. It was found that the inclusion of GnPs increases the thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity of the liquid PCM nanocomposites by ~ 46% and ~ 53%, respectively, with 0.5 vol% of GnPs. During the pull-down cycle, the enhanced thermal conductivity outweighs the increased dynamic viscosity, resulting in a quicker decrease in PCM temperature. The test results revealed that the cabin temperature increases through the addition of TES, with a marginal decrease in the coefficient of performance. The addition of TES with the use of pure PCM increases the compressor power consumption of the MAC system by less than 1%. However, with the inclusion of graphene the power consumption increases with respect to the volume fraction. Without TES, the cabin comfort is extended by 78 s, 60 s, and 43 s for heating loads of 500, 1000, and 1500 W, respectively, and with the inclusion of TES, using pure PCM, the cabin comfort increased by up to 106 s, 87 s, and 63 s, respectively. The inclusion of 0.5 vol% GnPs extends the cabin comfort further by up to 189 s, 147 s, and 105 s for heating loads of 500, 1000, and 1500 W, respectively. Further, the CO2 equivalent emissions of the MAC system with TES using a pure PCM and a PCM nanocomposite are 10.54% and 5.64% lower than that of the system without TES, respectively.

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Abbreviations

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

GnP:

Graphene nanoplatelets

GWP:

Global warming potential

HFO:

Hydrofluoroolefin

HVAC:

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

IRD:

Integrated receiver dryer

MAC:

Mobile air conditioning

NEPCM:

Nano-enhanced phase change material

RPM:

Revolution per minute

RPS:

Regulated power supply

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

SLHX:

Suction line heat exchanger

TES:

Thermal energy storage

TEWI:

Total equivalent warming impact

TXV:

Thermostatic expansion valve

VFD:

Variable frequency drive

COP:

Coefficient of performance

cp:

Specific heat of the air (kJ kg−1 K−1)

DBT:

Dry bulb temperature (°C)

h :

Enthalpy (kJ kg−1)

h:

Mass flow rate (kg s−1)

N :

Lifetime of the system

L :

Average refrigerant leakage (%)

M :

Mass of the refrigerant or mass of the fuel used (kg or lit)

Q :

Heat transfer (kW)

RH:

Relative humidity (%)

T :

Temperature (°C)

W :

Work consumption (kW)

α :

Percentage of refrigerant recover (%)

β :

CO2 emission factor

comp:

Compressor

ref:

Refrigerant

rc:

Refrigerant charge

f:

Fuel used

ele:

Electrical power

evap:

Evaporator

in:

Inlet

ini:

Initial

fin:

Final

inf:

Infiltration

out:

Outlet

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Centre for Research at Anna University for providing an Anna Centenary Research Fellowship (No. CFR/ACRF/2015/4, dated January 15, 2015) and for allowing this doctoral level research to be conducted. The MAC system components for this research were provided by Mahindra Research Valley (MRV), Chennai, 603204.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Automobile Engineering, Kongu Engineering College, Perundurai, Erode, 638060, India

    Rajendran Prabakaran

  2. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Division, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, India

    Shaji Sidney & Dhasan Mohan Lal

  3. International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI - I2CNER), Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan

    Sivasankaran Harish

  4. School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 712-749, Republic of Korea

    Rajendran Prabakaran & Sung Chul Kim

  5. Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha nagar, Thakkolam Rd, Thandalam, Perambakkam, Tamil Nadu, 602105, India

    Shaji Sidney

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Contributions

DML and SH were involved in conceptualization; RP and SS were involved in methodology; RP, SS, SH, and SCK were involved in formal analysis; RP was involved in writing—original draft preparation; SS, SH, DML, and SCK were involved in writing—review and editing; and DML was involved in supervision.

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Correspondence to Dhasan Mohan Lal.

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Prabakaran, R., Sidney, S., Lal, D.M. et al. Experimental performance of a mobile air conditioning unit with small thermal energy storage for idle stop/start vehicles. J Therm Anal Calorim 147, 5117–5132 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-021-10863-7

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