Experimental evaluation of R32, R452B and R454B as alternative refrigerants for R410A in a refrigeration system

Abstract

This work presents an experimental analysis of alternative fluids for R410A aiming at reducing the environmental impact. Owing to the impact of R410A on the environment, its use has been extensively studied to find a replacement. Some countries have already set goals for the reduction and elimination of this fluid. Experimental analysis through comparison is a method used to determine the best alternatives. An experimental setup was developed and instrumented to evaluate the efficiency of a refrigeration system with evaporation temperatures between -5 and 5 °C. It consists of a compressor designed for the R410A, with a capacity of 17.5 kW, brazed plate heat exchangers, electronic expansion valve and adequate instrumentation for measuring the main operating parameters. Besides the fluid results, the TEWI methodology used allows comparing the environmental impact of each fluid, considering the direct and indirect effect. The findings revealed that, for the conditions tested, alternative fluids have a lower performance than R410A in terms of energy efficiency, however, they have a lower environmental impact due to their lower GWP. It is noteworthy the result of R454B, which had the lowest overall environmental impact.