Thermal and exergy analysis of optimal performance and refrigerant for an air conditioner split unit under different Iraq climatic conditions

Abstract

In this study, thermal and exergy performance analyses for an air conditioner split unit (ACSU) operating with R-161 were analysed under different Iraq climatic conditions to change the recently worked refrigerants R-134a and R-22. Thermal and exergy analyses were performed under indoor and outdoor environmental temperatures that varied from 30 °C to 55 °C and 17 °C to 27 °C, respectively. An analysis through thermal and exergy was performed to guide the thermodynamic improvement for the ACSU. A comprehensive parametric study was also conducted to investigate the effects of indoor and outdoor temperatures on performance and exergy destruction in each component of the ACSU. The exergy destruction and flow of the compressors, condenser, evaporator and expansion device were calculated to obtain the exergy efficiencies of the ACSU. The Engineering Equation Solver software program was used to develop the ACSU and obtain the thermodynamic refrigerant properties. The improvement of the total exergy efficiencies of the ACSU working with R-161 was found to be 8.6% more than that of the ACSU working with R-22 or R-134a. Results indicated that the average enhancement of coefficient of performance with R161 was 7.3% more than that when R-134a or R-22 was used under the same operating conditions.