Cycle performance studies on a new HFC-161/125/143a mixture as an alternative refrigerant to R404A

Abstract

In this paper, a new ternary non-azeotropic mixture of HFC-161/125/143a (0.15/0.45/0.40 in mass fraction), as a promising mixed refrigerant to R404A, is presented. The ozone depletion potential (ODP) of the new refrigerant is zero and its basic thermodynamic properties are similar to those of R404A, but its global warming potential (GWP) is much smaller than those of R507A and R404A. Meanwhile, theoretical calculations show that, under the working condition I (the average evaporation temperature: −23 °C, the average condensing temperature: 43 °C, the superheat temperature: 28 °C, the subcooling temperature: 5 °C), the volumetric refrigerating effect and specific refrigerating effect of the new mixture are 2.33% and 15.48% higher, respectively, than those of R404A. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the new mixture is 5.19% higher than that of R404A and the pressure ratio of the new mixture is 0.82% lower than that of R404A. Equally, under the working condition II (the average evaporation temperature: −40 °C, the average condensing temperature: 35 °C, the superheating temperature: 30 °C, the subcooling temperature: 5 °C), the volumetric refrigerating effect and specific refrigerating effect of the new mixture are 2.24% and 20.58% higher, respectively, than those of R404A. The COP of the new mixture is 4.60% higher than that of R404A and the pressure ratio of the new mixture is similar to that of R404A. The performances of the new mixture and R404A are compared in a vapor compressor refrigeration apparatus originally designed for R404A under several working conditions (condensing temperatures: 35–45 °C, evaporation temperatures: −40–−20 °C). Experimental results show that the new mixture can obtain a higher COP, by 6.3% to 12.1%, and a lower pressure ratio, by 1.8% to 6.6%, compared to R404A; although the discharge temperature of the new mixture is slightly higher than that of R404A. The advantages of the new mixture will be further verified in the actual system.