One-way heat exchange regenerative cooler: Principle, conceptual design and thermodynamic analysis

Abstract

Distinctive characteristics of thermodynamic cycle consisting of two isochoric and two adiabatic processes have not been clarified and no specialized coolers have been developed for such cycle. In this work, the distinctive characteristics of such cycle were analyzed and obtained. Based on proposed concept of one-way heat exchange in oscillating flow’s heat exchangers, conceptual design of such cycle cooler was introduced. Then, both analytical and second-order models without considering losses of heat transfer and flow were developed to obtain the practicalcoefficient of performance (COP) for such cycle cooler at room temperature conditions. Also, COP of Stirling cooler and vapor compression refrigeration systems were investigated and obtained for comparisons. Degrees of thermodynamic perfection defined as the ratio of practical COP over ideal COP were employed for compatible performance comparisons between different coolers at various conditions. The results showed that the values for such cycle cooler were 54.1%∼84.6% for cooling and 60.8%∼89.7% for heating respectively. The values for Stirling cooler were 14.7%∼73.9% for cooling and 16.7%∼79.3% for heating respectively. And the values for R32 systems were 69.1%∼89% for cooling and 63.5%∼89.5% for heating respectively, while the values for R1234yf systems were 73.1% ∼85.9% for cooling and 66.4%∼86.2% for heating respectively. As there was temperature glide heat exchange in such cycle cooler, the values based on lowest cold temperature or highest hot temperature could be up to 90.3%∼99.4% and 91.9%∼99.4% for cooling and heating respectively. Thus, degrees of thermodynamic perfection show that the irreversibility in such cycle cooler over Stirling cooler is largely reduced. And it also indicates that such cycle coolers have huge potential as an alternative for vapor compression refrigeration systems.