Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of Performance of Low GWP Alternative to R134a in Centrifugal Chiller

  • Published:
Journal of Engineering Thermophysics Aims and scope

Abstract

Climate change concerns have made the engineering community care more about environmentally friendly working fluids. Currently, the fluid R134a, which has a high global warming potential, is widely used in chiller applications. In this study, several low GWP working fluids, R450A, R513A, R1224yd(Z), and R1234ze(E), are investigated numerically as alternatives to R134a for comparison of their performance under different operating conditions in a centrifugal chiller application. Both the system level performance and component level performance are presented. Increasing the condensing temperature or decreasing the evaporating temperature can lead to a higher compressor power, and thus a lower COP can be obtained. The effect of superheat is trivial for the system level performance. R1224yd(Z) has the lowest value of volumetric capacity, and R513A has a higher value as compared with the baseline. As for retrofit, R1224yd(Z) can only produce \(\sim 20\)% of the baseline cooling capacity. As for the compressor size, the R1224yd(Z) value is more than double as compared with the baseline R134a one, and R513A has a compressor size closest to that of the baseline R134a. R450A and R1234z(E) have a slightly higher value in terms of the compressor size. In general, R513A is the best candidate as an R134a alternative.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
Fig. 25

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Kashif, M., Awan, M., Nawaz, S., Amjad, M., Talib, B., Farooq, M., Nizami, A., and Rehan, M., Untapped Renewable Energy Potential of Crop Residues in Pakistan: Challenges and Future Directions, J. Environ. Manag., 2020, vol. 256, p. 109924.

  2. Li, G., Comprehensive Investigation of Transport Refrigeration Life Cycle Climate Performance, Sustainable Energy Technol. Assessm., 2017, vol. 21, pp. 33–49.

  3. Usman, M. and Hayat, N., Lubrication, Emissions, and Performance Analyses of LPG and Petrol in a Motorbike Engine: A Comparative Study,J. Chin. Inst. Eng., 2020, vol. 43, pp. 47–57.

  4. Usman, M. and Hayat, N., Use of CNG and Hi–Octane Gasoline in SI Engine: A Comparative Study of Performance, Emission, and Lubrication Oil Deterioration, Energy Sources, Part A, Recovery Util. Environ. Eff., 2019, 1–15. Available online:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15567036.2019.1683098 (accessed on March 30, 2020).

  5. Steffen, J., Bernath, P.F., and Boone, C.D., Trends in Halogen-Containing Molecules Measured by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) Satellite, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf., 2019, vol. 238, p. 106619.

  6. Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, Washington, DC, USA: US Government Printing Office, 1987, pp. 128–136.

  7. HVACR Expo New Developments in Lower GWP Refrigerants, UAE, 2018. Available online: https:// www.hvacrexpodubai.com/media/1681/ashrae.pdf (accessed on March 2020).

  8. Environmental Protection Agency, Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Change of Listing Status for Certain Substitutes under the Significant New Alternatives Policy Program, Rules and Regulations, Washington, DC, USA: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, 2015.

  9. Summary Guide to the HFC Phase Down, 2015. Available online: https://www.epa.ie (accessed on March 2020).

  10. EU Directive 517/2014. Available online: www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/regulation-eu-no- 517-2014 (accessed on March 2020).

  11. Atmaca, A.U., Erek, A., and Ekren, O., Investigation of New Generation Refrigerants under Two Different Ejector Mixing Theories,Energy Procedia, 2017, vol. 136, pp. 394–401.

  12. Bolaji, B.O., Experimental Study of R152a and R32 to Replace R134a in a Domestic Refrigerator, Energy, 2010, vol. 35, pp. 3793–3798.

  13. Zhao, Y., Study on the Performance of Automotive Air Conditioning Systems with R1234yf(D), Ph.D. Thesis, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, 2012.

  14. Garcia, J., Ali, T., Duarte, W.M., Khosravi, A., and Machado, L., Comparison of Transient Response of an Evaporator Model for Water Refrigeration System Working with R1234yf as a Drop-In Replacement for R134a, Int. J. Refrig., 2018, vol. 91, pp. 211–222.

  15. Navarro, E., Martı́nez-Galvan, I.O., Nohales, J., and Gonzalvez-Macia, J., Comparative Experimental Study of an Open Piston Compressor Working with R-1234yf, R-134a and R-290, Int. J. Refrig., 2013, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 768–775.

  16. Jignesh, K.V., Comparative Evaluation of an Automobile Air-Conditioning System Using R134a and Its Alternative Refrigerants,Energy Procedia, 2017, vol. 109, pp. 153–160.

  17. Murat, H., Kaplan, K., Celil Aral, M., Mukhamad, S., and Metin Ertunc, H., Support Vector Regression Modeling of the Performance of an R1234yf Automotive Air Conditioning System, Energy Procedia, 2018, vol. 153, pp. 309–314.

  18. Qamar, A., Farooq, M., Amjad, M., Bilal, H., and Sultan, M.M., Experimental Investigation of Heat Sink Configuration Effect on the COP of Thermoelectric Refrigeration System for Storage of Polio Vaccine, J. Faculty Eng. Technol., 2016, vol. 23, pp. 1–10.

  19. Gomaa, A., Performance Characteristics of Automotive Air Conditioning System with Refrigerant R134a and Its Alternatives,Int. J. Energy Power Engin., 2015, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 168–177.

  20. Zilio, C., Brown, J.S., Schiochete, G., and Cavallini, A., The Refrigerant R1234yf in Air Conditioning Systems,Energy, 2011, vol. 36, pp. 6110–6120.

  21. Samaneh, D., Alibakhsh, K., Soudabeh, G., Omid, M., Shahin, N., and Somchai, W., A Comparative Study on the Performance of HFO-1234yf and HFC-134a as an Alternative in Automotive Air Conditioning Systems,Appl. Therm. Eng., 2017, vol. 110, pp. 1091–1100.

  22. Cho, H. and Park, C., Experimental Investigation of Performance and Exergy Analysis of Automotive Air Conditioning Systems Using Refrigerant R1234yf at Various Compressor Speeds, Appl. Therm. Eng., 2016, vol. 101, pp. 30–37.

  23. Devecioğlu, A.G. and Oruç, V., An Analysis on the Comparison of Low-GWP Refrigerants to Alternatively Use in Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems, Therm. Sci. Eng. Prog., 2017, vol. 1, pp. 1–5.

  24. Raveendran, P.S. and Sekhar, S.J., Energy and Exergy Analysis on Hydrofluoroolefin/Hydrofluorocarbon (HFO/HFC) Refrigerant Mixtures in Low and Medium Temperature Small-Scale Refrigeration Systems,Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part E, J. Process Mech. Eng., 2019; doi:10.1177/0954408919881306.

  25. Sánchez, D., Cabello, R., Llopis, R., Arauzo, I., Catalán-Gil, J., and Torrella, E., Energy Performance Evaluation of R1234yf, R1234ze (E), R600a, R290 and R152a as Low-GWP R134a Alternatives, Int. J. Refrig., 2017, vol. 74, pp. 269–282.

  26. Li, Z., Jiang, H., Chen, X., and Liang, K., Comparative Study on Energy Efficiency of Low GWP Refrigerants in Domestic Refrigerators with Capacity Modulation, Energy Build., 2019, vol. 192, pp. 93–100.

  27. Vali, S.S., Setty, T.P., and Babu, A., Analytical Computation of Thermodynamic Performance Parameters of Actual Vapour Compression Refrigeration System with R22, R32, R134a, R152a, R290 and R1270,MATEC Web Conf., 2018, vol. 144; article ID 04009.

  28. Golzari, S., Kasaeian, A., Daviran, S., Mahian, O., Wongwises, S., and Sahin, A.Z., Second Law Analysis of an Automotive Air Conditioning System Using HFO-1234yf, an Environmentally Friendly Refrigerant,Int. J. Refrig., 2017, vol. 73, pp. 134–143.

  29. Zhong, Q., Dong, X., Zhang, H., Wang, J., Guo, H., Shen, J., and Gong, M., Thermodynamic Properties of (R1234yf + R290): Isochoric pTx and Specific Heat Capacity cv Measurements and an Equation of State,J. Chem. Thermodyn., 2019, vol. 129, pp. 36–43.

  30. Aized, T. and Hamza, A., Thermodynamic Analysis of Various Refrigerants for Automotive Air Conditioning System, Arab. J. Sci. Eng., 2019, vol. 44, pp. 1697–1707.

  31. Joybari, M., Hatamipour, M.H., Rahimi, A., and Modarres, F., Exergy Analysis and Optimization of R600a as a Replacement of R134a in a Domestic Refrigerator System, Int. J. Refrig., 2013, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 1233–1242.

  32. Aprea, C., Grecob, A., and Maiorino, A., HFOs and Their Binary Mixtures with HFC134a Working as Drop-in Refrigerant in a Household Refrigerator: Energy Analysis and Environmental Impact Assessment,Appl. Therm. Eng., 2018, vol. 141, pp. 226–233.

  33. Aprea, C., Greco, A., and Maiorino, A., An Experimental Investigation of the Energetic Performances of HFO1234yf and Its Binary Mixtures with HFC134a in a Household Refrigerator, Int. J. Refrig., 2017, vol. 76, pp. 109–117.

  34. Lee, Y., Kang, D.G., and Jung, D., Performance of Virtually Non-Flammable Azeotropic HFO1234yf/ HFC134a Mixture for HFC134a Applications, Int. J. Refrig., 2013, vol. 36, pp. 1203–1207.

  35. Yataganbaba, A., Kilicarslan, A., and Kurtba, I., Exergy Analysis of R1234yf and R1234ze as HFC134A Replacements in a Two Evaporator Vapour Compression Refrigeration System, Int. J. Refrig., 2015, vol. 60, pp. 26–37.

  36. Todayenergy. Available online: http://www.todayenergy.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=117553.

  37. EN 378-1:2016, Refrigerating Systems and Heat Pumps-Safety and Environmental Requirements-Part 1: Basic Requirements, Definitions, Classification and Selection Criteria. Annex E Safety Classification and Information about Refrigerants Available online: https://infostore.saiglobal.com/en-au/ standards/en-378-1-2016-1892971/ (accessed on January 9, 2020).

  38. AGC Chemicals. Amolea 1224yd Product Summary 2016. Available online: https://www.agc-chemicals.com/jp/en/products/detail/index.html?pCode=JP-EN-G016 (accessed on April 2, 2019).

  39. Balje, E.O., Turbomachines, A Guide to Design, Selection and Theory, New York: Wiley, 1981.

  40. Engineering Equation Solver EES V.10-627; http://fchartsoftware.com/ees/index.php/ (accessed on April 2, 2019).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trane Technologies Engineering and Technology Center – Asia Pacific, Shanghai, China

    Y. Du

Authors
  1. Y. Du
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Du.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Du, Y. Investigation of Performance of Low GWP Alternative to R134a in Centrifugal Chiller. J. Engin. Thermophys. 30, 103–121 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1810232821010094

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1810232821010094

Search

Navigation