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Future refrigerants with low global warming potential for residential air conditioning system: a thermodynamic analysis and MCDM tool optimization

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Abstract

Increasing CO2 emission due to the practicing of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant like R22 in split air conditioning (AC) units needs the best substitute to match with environment and safety protocols along with good energy efficiency. In this study, 14 alternative refrigerants have been chosen to replace R22 in a 1.5 TR capacity of split AC from the existing studies. The performance of each refrigerant has been analysed thermodynamically and compared their results with R22 by accounting for discharge temperature, power consumption, coefficient of performance (COP), total equivalent warming impact (TEWI) index, and life-time cost. Overall from this theoretical analysis, it was observed that the best refrigerant for each considered measure is not unique; for example, R290 was best in terms of refrigerant charge and discharge pressure, while R444B was chosen to be superior in terms of COP, TEWI, and life-time cost. Therefore, a multi-criteria decision-making methodology tool-based optimization has been carried out for selecting a single superior refrigerant for the future by considering thermal properties, COP, TEWI, and life-time cost. Results of the evaluation based on the distance from average solution envisage R290 and R1123 as superior and worst choices to replace R22.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

AC:

Air conditioning

AS:

Appraisal score

CE:

Electricity cost (USD)

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

COP:

Coefficient of performance

DP:

Pressure drop (bar)

DSC:

Degree of subcooling (°C)

DSH:

Degree of superheating (°C)

EC:

Emission cost (USD)

EDAS:

Evaluation based on distance from the average solution

GWP:

Global warming potential

HCFC:

Hydrochlorofluorocarbon

HFC:

Hydrofluorocarbons

HFO:

Hydrofluoroolefins

IC:

Investment cost (USD)

LH:

Latent heat (kJ kg−1)

LTC:

Life-time cost (USD)

MCDM:

Multi-criteria decision-making methodology

NDA:

Positive distance from average

ODP:

Ozone depletion potential

OT:

Operation time (USD)

PDA:

Positive distance from average

RC:

Refrigerant inventory (g)

TEWI:

Total equivalent warming index (kg of CO2 eq.)

VCR:

Vapour compression refrigeration

E:

Electricity consumption (kWh)

h:

Refrigerant enthalpy (kJ kg−1)

k:

Thermal conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

L:

Leakage rate (%)

m:

Mass flow rate (kg s−1)

n:

Life span (years)

p:

Pressure (bar)

Q:

Heat transfer (kW)

T:

Temperature (°C)

W:

Power consumed (kW)

S:

Entropy (kJ kg−1 K−1)

cp :

Specific heat at constant pressure (kJ kg−1 K−1)

μ:

Viscosity (μPa.s)

α:

Reusing factor (%)

β:

CO2 factor

η:

Efficiency (%)

ρ:

Density (kg m−3)

1, 2, …, 9:

State points

alt:

Alternative

comp:

Compressor

cr:

Critical

d:

Discharge

ele:

Electrical

evap:

Evaporator

g:

Glide

in:

Inlet

isen:

Isentropic

l:

Liquid

mech:

Mechanical

out:

Outlet

r:

Refrigerant

sat:

Saturation

v:

Vapour

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Funding

This research work was supported by the Korean Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) grant funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (No. 20011653).

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Author notes

  1. Rajendran Prabakaran, Vinothkumar Sivalingam, and Sung Chul Kim contributed equally in this research work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, South Korea

    Rajendran Prabakaran, Sung Chul Kim & Poongavanam Ganesh Kumar

  2. Key Laboratory of High-efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical Engineering Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China

    Vinothkumar Sivalingam

  3. CO2 Research and Green Technologies Centre, School of Mechanical Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India

    Govindasamy Praveen Kumar

Authors
  1. Rajendran Prabakaran
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  2. Vinothkumar Sivalingam
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  3. Sung Chul Kim
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  4. Poongavanam Ganesh Kumar
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  5. Govindasamy Praveen Kumar
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Contributions

R. P., V. S., and S. C. K contributed equally to the groundwork, idea, methodology, properties, formal investigation, writing—original draft preparation, review, and editing, and investigation; P. G. K. and G. P. K. and S. C. K. contributed in scrutiny, review, and editing of the manuscript; and S.C. K was responsible for the supervision of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rajendran Prabakaran.

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Prabakaran, R., Sivalingam, V., Kim, S.C. et al. Future refrigerants with low global warming potential for residential air conditioning system: a thermodynamic analysis and MCDM tool optimization. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 78414–78428 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21263-1

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