An Application of Wave Rotor Technology for Performance Enhancement of R718 Refrigeration Cycles

Abstract

** § A number of technical challenges have often hindered the economical application of refrigeration cycles using water (R718) as refrigerant. The novel concept of condensing wave rotor provides a solution for performance improvement of R718 refrigeration cycles. The wave rotor implementation can increase efficiency and reduce size and cost of R718 units. The condensing wave rotor employs pressurized water to pressurize, desuperheat, and condense the refrigerant vapor - all in one dynamic process. In this study, the underlying phenomena of flash evaporation, shock wave compression, desuperheating, and condensation inside the wave rotor channels are described in a wave and phase-change diagram. A computer program based on a thermodynamic model is generated to evaluate the performance of R718 baseline and wave-rotor enhanced cycles. The detailed thermodynamic approach for the baseline and the modified cycle is described. A generated performance map summarizes the findings.