ENERGY, EXERGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL (3E) ASSESSMENTS OF VARIOUS REFRIGERANTS IN THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS WITH INTERNAL HEAT EXCHANGER

A comprehensive thermodynamic analysis of a refrigeration system with an internal heat exchanger was reported for four various refrigerants as an alternative to R134a. The preferred refrigerants in this paper have zero ozone-depleting potential and fairly low global warming potential value compared with reference R134a. These refrigerants are from both the HC group (R290 and R600a) and the HFO group (R1234yf and R1234ze(E)). Basically, the refrigeration system consists of a compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve, and internal heat exchanger as well. Energy-exergy analyses and environmental impact assessments depending on the compressor energy consumptions are evaluated in the current study. The system performance was theoretically carried out at two different evaporation temperatures of 0 and -8 degrees C. Based on the obtained results from this study, the highest performance was achieved in R600a from HC group refrigerants and R1234ze(E) from HFO group refrigerants. As compared with R134a, in the COP value of R600a an increase of 3.2% at the evaporation temperature of 0 degrees C and 3.4% for the evaporation temperature of -8 degrees C was achieved. On the other hand, the COP value for R1234yf was decreased by 2% at the evaporation temperature of 0 degrees C and by 2.57% at the evaporation temperature of -8 degrees C. Considering the CO2 emissions, R600a was located at the first order in terms of the lowest CO2 emissions and R1234ze(E) follows R600a. In conclusion, R600a presented the highest performance compared with R134a in a refrigeration system with an internal heat exchanger.WOS:0005578810000032-s2.0-8508798363