Abstract
The main aim of this present investigation is to evaluate performance and environmental impact analysis of various novel mixture refrigerants as R22 replacements theoretically. Refrigerants with lower global warming potential (GWP) can be adequate for bringing down emissions which are concerned for air conditioners. In this investigation, twenty-seven refrigerants were developed at several compositions. Important studies such as computation of CO2 emissions using total equivalent warming impact (TEWI), toxicity and flammability analysis of various considered refrigerants were also carried out in this investigation. Performance analysis of refrigerants was conducted under different operating conditions. Results showed that the energy efficiency ratios (EERs) of refrigerants such as R1270, RM30 (R152a/R1270/RE170 of 25/71/4 by mass percentage) and RM50 (R152a/R1270/RE170 of 10/85/5 by mass percentage) were closer to that of R22 and they are relatively lower than R22 by 0.95%, 1.34% and 1.80%, respectively. Toxicity investigation exhibited that all the refrigerants studied were classified into nontoxic category (A) whereas flammability investigation revealed that all the novel refrigerant mixtures (RM10 to RM50) were classified into flammable category (A3). CO2 emissions (TEWI) released from air conditioner working with R1270, RM30 and RM50 were 7.41%, 6.85% and 6.51%, respectively, lower than that of R22. In terms of several thermodynamic aspects, the performance of refrigerants such as R1270, RM30 and RM50 were superior to those of R22 and its various considered alternatives working under different operating conditions, although their EERs are fairly lower than R22 and hence, these refrigerants could be considered suitable environment-friendly alternatives to R22 used in air conditioners. The present study gives essential information and a road map towards the development of low GWP R22 alternative refrigerant blends from the viewpoint of toxicity, flammability, performance aspects, environmental and safety aspects, respectively.
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Abbreviations
- BP:
-
boiling point (°C)
- CHR:
-
condenser heat rejection (kJ/kg)
- E An :
-
energy consumption per year (kWh)
- GWP100 :
-
global warming potential for a time horizon of 100 years
- h :
-
enthalpy (kJ/kg)
- h 1 :
-
enthalpy at compressor inlet (kJ/kg)
- h 1i :
-
enthalpy at evaporator exit (kJ/kg)
- h 2 :
-
enthalpy at compressor outlet (kJ/kg)
- h 2h :
-
enthalpy at condenser inlet (kJ/kg)
- h 3g :
-
enthalpy at condenser outlet (kJ/kg)
- h 4 :
-
enthalpy at evaporator entry (kJ/kg)
- h f1 :
-
enthalpy of the refrigerant at bubble point of condensing process (kJ/kg)
- h f2 :
-
enthalpy of the subcooled refrigerant liquid entering the expansion process (kJ/kg)
- h g1 :
-
enthalpy of the refrigerant gas entering the compression process (kJ/kg)
- h g2 :
-
enthalpy of the refrigerant gas leaving the compression process (kJ/kg)
- HOC:
-
heat of combustion (kJ/mol)
- L :
-
leakage rate per year (%)
- LFL:
-
lower flammability limit (kg/m3)
- m :
-
mass of refrigerant charge (kg)
- \( \dot{m} \) :
-
mass flow rate of refrigerant (kg/s)
- MW:
-
molecular weight (kg/kmol)
- OEL:
-
occupational exposure limit (ppm)
- P :
-
pressure (MPa)
- P c :
-
critical pressure (MPa)
- P comp :
-
compressor power (kW)
- P e :
-
evaporating pressure (MPa)
- P g1 :
-
dew point pressure at compressor suction (MPa)
- P g2 :
-
dew point pressure at compressor discharge (MPa)
- P k :
-
condensing pressure (MPa)
- P r :
-
pressure ratio (dimensionless)
- PPTR:
-
power spent per ton of refrigeration (kW/TR)
- Q c :
-
capacity of the system (kW)
- RE:
-
refrigeration effect (kJ/kg)
- S Life :
-
service life of the device (years)
- t e" :
-
dew point temperature at evaporation process (°C)
- t e1 :
-
temperature at entry of evaporation process (°C)
- t e, m :
-
mean evaporating temperature (°C)
- t f1 :
-
temperature of the refrigerant at bubble point of condensing process (°C)
- t f2 :
-
temperature of subcooled refrigerant liquid entering the expansion process (°C)
- t k′ :
-
bubble point temperature at condensation process (°C)
- t k" :
-
dew point temperature at condensation process (°C)
- t k, m :
-
mean condensing temperature (°C)
- T :
-
temperature (°C)
- T bub :
-
bubble point temperature (°C)
- T c :
-
critical temperature (K)
- T d :
-
compressor discharge temperature (°C)
- T dew :
-
dew point temperature (°C)
- T e :
-
evaporating temperature (°C)
- T glide :
-
temperature glide (°C)
- T k :
-
condensing temperature (°C)
- TEWI:
-
total equivalent warming impact (kg CO2e)
- UFL:
-
upper flammability limit (kg/m3)
- VRC:
-
volumetric refrigeration capacity (kJ/m3)
- W ac :
-
actual compressor work (kJ/kg)
- W c :
-
isentropic compressor work (kJ/kg)
- α recovery :
-
recyling factor (dimensionless)
- ß :
-
indirect emission factor (kg CO2e/kWh)
- η c :
-
compression efficiency (%)
- ρ :
-
density (kg/m3)
- ρ 1i :
-
vapour density at compressor inlet (kg/m3)
- ∆T sub :
-
degree of subcooling (°C)
- ∆T sup :
-
degree of superheating (°C)
- AHRI:
-
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
- ASHRAE:
-
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
- BEE:
-
Bureau of Energy Efficiency
- BP:
-
boiling point
- CHR:
-
condenser heat rejection
- EER:
-
energy efficiency ratio
- EN:
-
European norm
- GWP:
-
global warming potential
- HCs:
-
hydrocarbons
- HCFCs:
-
hydrochlorofluorocarbons
- HFCs:
-
hydrofluorocarbons
- IEC:
-
International Electrotechnical Commission
- IIR:
-
International Institute of Refrigeration
- ISO:
-
International Organization for Standardization
- ODP:
-
ozone depletion potential
- RE:
-
refrigeration effect
- RF:
-
refrigerant flammability
- RM:
-
refrigerant mixture
- TEWI:
-
total equivalent warming impact
- TR:
-
ton of refrigeration
- VCR:
-
vapour compression refrigeration
- VRC:
-
volumetric refrigeration capacity
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Shaik, S.V., Shaik, S., Gorantla, K. et al. Investigation on thermodynamic performance analysis and environmental effects of various new refrigerants used in air conditioners. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 41415–41436 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09478-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09478-6