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Performance evaluation of trans-critical carbon dioxide refrigeration system integrated with porous internal heat exchange

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Abstract

One of the most significant thermodynamic cycles in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry is the trans-critical carbon dioxide cycle. The fundamental trans-critical carbon dioxide refrigeration cycle performs poorly, which inspired researchers to develop innovative technologies to increase its energy efficiency. One of the most appealing ways to improve cycle performance is to employ a porous internal heat exchanger. For this, a porous internal heat exchanger, compressor, gas cooler, expansion valve, evaporator and experimental test rig are constructed. For the internal heat exchanger’s porous material, sea sand with porosities of 35%, 42% and 51% is used. It is also taken into account when the internal heat exchanger’s tube is empty (porosity = 100%). Investigations were conducted on the cycle refrigeration capacity, coefficient of performance, pressure drop, internal heat exchanger effectiveness, relative refrigeration capacity index and compressor power consumption per kW of refrigeration in relation to changes in the gas cooler discharge temperature, gas cooler working pressure, evaporation temperature, internal heat exchanger porosity and degree of subcooling. When the gas cooler discharge temperature was lowered from 53 to 34 °C and the porosity was reduced from 100 to 35%, the cycle refrigeration capacity and coefficient of performance were raised by 49.7% and 93%, respectively. An increase in refrigeration capacity of 46% and increase in coefficient of performance of 87.5% were the consequence of raising the degree of subcooling from 2 to 12 °C and lowering porosity from 100 to 35%. By reducing the internal heat exchanger’s porosity from 100 to 35%, the compressor’s power consumption per kW of refrigeration is reduced by around 29.6%.

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Abbreviations

C:

Celsius

COP:

Coefficient of performance

\({e}_{\mathrm{PIHX}}\) :

Effectiveness of porous internal heat exchanger (%)

GCDT:

Gas cooler discharge temperature in (°C)

GCP:

Gas cooler pressure (kPa)

GWP:

Global warming potential

H:

Enthalpy (kJ kg−1)

IHX:

Internal heat exchanger

\(\dot{m}{ }_{{\mathrm{CO}}_{2}}\) :

Mass flow rate of carbon dioxide (kg s−1)

ODP:

Ozone depletion potential

P:

Pressure

PC:

Power consumption in (kW)

Pe:

Evaporation pressure

PCPkWR:

Power consumption per kW of refrigeration (kW kW−1)

PIHX:

Porous internal heat exchanger

\({\dot{Q}}_{\mathrm{H}}\) :

Heat rejection rate (kW)

\({\dot{Q}}_{\mathrm{R}}\) :

Refrigeration capacity (kW)

\({\dot{Q}}_{\mathrm{Rn}}\) :

Refrigeration capacity (kW) with no internal heat exchanger

R:

Refrigerant

RRCI:

Relative refrigeration capacity index (%)

TC:

Thermocouple reading

Te:

Evaporation temperature in (°C)

TXV:

Thermal expansion valve

W:

Watt

\(\dot{{W}_{\mathrm{C}}}\) :

Compressor power (kW)

ε :

Porosity (%)

ΔP :

Pressure drop (kPa)

ΔT (sub):

Degree of subcooling in (°C)

e:

Evaporation

os:

Out side

n:

No internal heat exchanger

sub:

Subcooling

°:

Degree

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Acknowledgements

Great thanks to Engineering Geniuses Company for their great technical support during all stages of this experimental work. (www.egeniuses.net)- Jordan/Amman.

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  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, 13115, Jordan

    Mohammad Tarawneh

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Tarawneh, M. Performance evaluation of trans-critical carbon dioxide refrigeration system integrated with porous internal heat exchange. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 5777–5786 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12058-8

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