Abstract
• Existing CO 2 HPWHs in industrial and residential sectors are reviewed. • Performance restricted by the pinch point effect is analyzed. • Limitations in CO 2 compressors and lubrication are revealed for the first time. • Current enhancements to overcome the limitations are summarized. In the context of the Montreal Protocol, CO 2 is considered as an appropriate natural refrigerant with an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of zero and a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of one. A CO 2 heat pump water heater (HPWH) can provide hot water with a relatively high COP and consume significantly less energy than all electric or gas water heaters. This study reviews and analyses the existing CO 2 HPWHs both in industrial and residential sectors, where the low-temperature and high-temperature systems are classified by the heat delivery temperature of below and above 80 °C, respectively. The significance and features of existing CO 2 HPWHs are also summarised in this study. Moreover, the performance limitations of current CO 2 HPWHs are discussed considering the temperature gliding matching, and the technical constraints in both CO 2 compressors and heat exchangers. Due to the drastic variation of CO 2 heat capacity with temperature and pressure, the heat exchange process between sCO 2 and water is affected by the pinch point. The temperature gliding matching can be enhanced by optimising the parameters in both the CO 2 and water sides, using zeotropic refrigerant mixtures, or adding new devices or cycles to the existing CO 2 system. Another way to improve the system performance is increasing the discharge pressure or discharge temperature, while current CO 2 reciprocating compressors have an upper-temperature limit of 140 °C and upper-pressure limit of 140 bar, as well as some constraints in the heat exchangers. Due to the decomposition risk of lubricant in the compressor, two types of oil-free compressors (turbo and scroll) have been described. But it is found that the turbo-compressor is hard to provide a competitive efficiency when the pressure is high, and there is a significant leakage flow in a scroll compressor.
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