Conventional Refrigeration System Research Articles

Comparison of an absorption-compression hybrid refrigeration system and the conventional absorption refrigeration system: Exergy analysis

This paper presents an exergy analysis considering different operating conditions of an alternative configuration of an ammonia-water hybrid absorption refrigeration system, where part of condensation heat is recovered and supplied to generator (RCHG-ARS). In order to identify and quantify the irreversibilities in each component of the cycle and its variations, the exergy efficiency and the relative exergy loss of the system were evaluated. Moreover, the results obtained were compared with those obtained by the conventional ARS cycle. Furthermore, the effect of the internal heat exchanger effectiveness on the exergy efficiency and relative exergy loss was analyzed. The results indicate that the generation temperature and the exergy efficiency of the RCHG-ARS cycle decrease in 24 °C and 30%, respectively, it in comparison to ARS cycle at the conventional generation pressure (11.67 bar). However, to decrease the generator pressure at 5.94 bar, the evaporation temperature for the RCHG-ARS decreases in 19.3 °C and the exergy efficiency can be 0.20% higher than the obtained with the ARS cycle. It is also revealed that the exergy efficiency for the RCHG-ARS cycle become more significant at lower condensing and evaporating temperatures as well as lower generator pressures and higher internal heat exchanger effectiveness respect to ARS cycle. Moreover, the minimum values of relative exergy losses are obtained at higher generator temperatures or lower evaporating and condensing temperatures in the RCHG-ARS cycle. Finally, it can be concluded that the main components that increase the relative exergy destruction in the RCHG-ARS cycle are the generator, absorber and the compressors.

Performance enhancement of absorption refrigeration systems: An overview

The introduction of absorption refrigeration technology addressed several significant con-cerns in the domain of energy crisis, rising cost of fossil fuel, and ecological challenges aris-ing due to the excess use of traditional compression refrigeration systems. ARS (absorption refrigeration system) is gaining popularity as a result of benefits such as the use of low-grade heat sources and environmentally acceptable low-cost working fluid pairs. However, two sig-nificant hurdles to commercial success for this technology are the often too big size of the refrigeration system and the poor performance of the system. Numerous studies have been conducted in an attempt to discover methods for improving the COP (coefficient of perfor-mance) of ARS in order to get these systems more competitive in comparison to the conven-tional compression refrigeration systems. The goal of this article is to perform a review of the literature on different methods used to enhance the COP of ARSs based on cycle layout mod-ification and working pair selection as they are the promising solutions for the enhancement of the performance of ARSs. The futuristic aspect of this technology includes the introduction of new working pairs with no corrosion to the system components, including nanoparticles to increase heat transfer rate while reducing the cost of the system. Heat recovery methods should be introduced and the efficient design of various components especially the generator and absorber are to be addressed. This technology could be combined with other refrigeration technologies while utilizing the waste heat to further improve the efficiency of ARSs.

Investigative comparison of R134a, R290, R600a and R152a refrigerants in conventional vapor compression refrigeration system

This work represents the performance comparison of conventional vapour compression refrigeration system (VCRS) using various refrigerants such as R134a, R152a, R600a and R290. The theoretical model has been utilized for computing work input to the compressor, refrigerating effect and coefficient of performance (COP) for R134a, R290, R600a and R152a refrigerants. This investigation has been done for the evaporator temperature range of -30 °C to 10 °C and the condenser temperature range of 40 °C to 45 °C. In this performance analysis it is seen that R290 shows favourable properties and can serve as best refrigerant among all in the group. R290 shows almost equal COP to R600a in large operating temperature range and it has very high refrigerating capacity comparatively to R134a together with its low global warming potential and ozone depletion potential. R152a and R600a also show some satisfying properties.

Theoretical analysis of three CO2/C3H8 (R744-R290) cascade refrigeration systems with precooling processes in low-temperature circuits

In a cascade refrigeration system (CRS), the superheat of the vapour discharged from a low-temperature compressor is large for refrigerants with significant adiabatic exponents, and part of the cooling heat in the fluid can be removed using precooling technology. In this study, three CO2/C3H8 cascade refrigeration systems with precooling processes, namely a CRS with an air precooler (CRSA), CRS with a mechanical precooler (CRSM) and CRS with both an air precooler and a mechanical precooler (CRSAM), are proposed. The performances of the proposed systems are compared studied that of a conventional cascade refrigeration system (CCRS) in terms of energy and exergy. The results indicate that a design that arrange precoolers and precooling refrigerant circuits in low-temperature circuits is beneficial, directly reducing the work input of C3H8 compressors and improving refrigeration performance. When the condensing temperature rises from 12 °C to 48 °C, the coefficient of performance (COP) of the CRSA, CRSM and CRSAM enhances by 2.73% to 5.19%, 1.82% to 4.90% and 3.71% to 7.86% compared with the CCRS, and the exergy efficiency averagely improves by 4.01%, 3.41%, and 8.48%, respectively. In addition, the applicable conditions of the different systems are discussed, and the component cost is evaluated in terms of component capacity. The research results may provide guidelines for the practical application of CO2/C3H8 CRS with precooling processes.

Performance of Solar Hybrid Cooling Operated by Solar Compound Parabolic Collectors under Weather Conditions in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The scientific aim of this work is to encourage energy conservation. This article offers a fresh perspective on renewable energy in the air conditioning sector, the country’s economic growth, and environment-friendly techniques to overcome global warming challenges. In this research, a solar vapor absorption refrigeration (SVAR) system was combined with a conventional vapor compression refrigeration (VCR) system to analyze their combined performance, employing a compound parabolic collector (CPC). The goal was to assess the performance of a solar hybrid cooling system using this non-tracking solar collector. CPC was validated for heat output with 2.9% uncertainty by utilizing an engineering equation solver (EES). Other system components were also validated with EES and then extended to a larger-capacity solar hybrid cooling system. The results of this research indicate that CPC is effective in providing the required heat to SVAR throughout the year without any tracking, and the integration of SVAR in series with the VCR condenser produces 83% higher COP than the system that integrates VCR with the condenser of the SVAR system for Riyadh. The configuration results in high values of exergy COP and an efficiency of 88% and 84%, respectively, increases the cooling capacity of the VCR by 68%, and decreases the carbon emission by 166.4%.

Biomass power plants

Biomass power plants

Sustainability framework of intelligent social houses with a synergy of double-façade architecture and active air conditioning systems

Social houses are built around the world to fulfill the basic needs of the growing population, especially middle-income families. Owing to the low budget available for such houses around the globe, necessary energy codes are often compromised. This research, through a methodological sustainability framework, presents the case study of Mexico with the objective to address this worldwide issue. More than 100,000 social houses were built in Mexico just in the year 2021 without strictly following any definitive building energy codes. Eventually, this is a ticking bomb, if left unaddressed, that can bring serious energy and environmental consequences connected with various social issues. Thus, as a research gap, the conventional 4E (energy, exergy, economic, and environmental) analysis cannot fully address such a complex energy-environmental-economic-social nexus. This work proposes an integrated sustainability framework of the practicability of the bioclimatic architecture of such a social house including energy, economic, environmental, and social assessment (novel addition to the analysis). The novel methodology is implemented on a novel technological advancement where double-façade architecture (i.e., solar chimney) is installed through a synergy and intelligent operation with an active air conditioning system including a desiccant enhanced air cooler and novel dew-point evaporative cooler. The article makes use of conventional physics-based modeling of thermal machines combined with an artificial neural network digital twin-based data-driven non-sorting genetic optimization of solar chimneys for various climatic conditions of Mexico. The optimal points are evaluated using annual climatic data to maintain the thermal comfort conditions and the results have suggested an increase of ∼48% through intelligent integration of double-façade architecture with the Maisotsenko cycle air cooler. Life-cycle economic assessment has suggested the Levelized cost of air conditioning be between 0.0096 and 0.0390 USD/kWh and can save up to ∼273 MXN per month with a real payback period of ∼8 years. Environment assessment has reported mitigation of up to ∼5668.59 kgCO2/year as compared to conventional vapor compression refrigeration systems. The social assessment is conducted on a pilot scale to directly ask the people of Mexico about their perception of the installation of the solar chimney while giving the fact that the initial price of the social houses can increase between 2.5 and 4%. It is reported that ∼62% of the sample is willing to install it even with a high price tag with a motive to initiate the climate change mitigation phenomena. The importance of the work has concluded that the government needs to take drastic and tough decisions to further regulate the energy efficiency in the social houses and limit the constructors to offer sustainable building construction.

Thermodynamic investigation of a centrifugal reverse Brayton cycle for refrigeration in air conditioning filed

The reverse Brayton cycle (RBC) is known to exhibit a lower coefficient of performance (COP) when compared to conventional vapor-compression refrigeration systems. To tackle this issue, this study proposes a centrifugal reverse Brayton cycle (CRBC) that features a rotating heat exchanger, which utilizes the conversion mechanism between equal potential energy and pressure energy to enhance system performance. The findings indicate that the COP of the CRBC is roughly inversely proportional to the working fluid density, making CO2 a more suitable option for CRBC systems than conventional working fluids. We propose three different cycles for the CRBC system: the diamond cycle, trapezoid cycle, and rectangle cycle. From both technical and operational perspectives, the trapezoid cycle appears to be the preferred choice for CRBC. When the isentropic efficiency of the CRBC system exceeds 95%, its coefficient of performance (COP) ranges from 5.31 to 5.7, whereas the COP of transcritical carbon dioxide refrigeration cycle (tCO2), air RBC, and CO2 RBC are around 4.3, 1.9, and 0.79, respectively. This suggests that the performance of the CRBC system surpasses that of RBC by a significant margin, while achieving comparable performance to conventional vapor compression refrigeration systems. Moreover, the dimensionless power reflecting the installation capacity requirements for CRBC, tCO2, air RBC and CO2 RBC are around 0.2, 0.35, 5.3 and 1.9, respectively. This indicates that the compressor/expander capacity demand for system CRBC approaches the thermodynamic minimum.

Vehicle refrigeration modification using an ejector: Optimization and exergoeconomic analysis

BackgroundAdvances in technology in recent years have increased energy consumption which has led to global warming. In line with the Paris agreement, the optimal use of energy is a way to overcome the issue. Air conditioning and refrigeration systems are among the sectors that account for a large share of energy consumption. This has elicited the implementation of optimization of refrigeration systems. MethodIn this research, the aim is to utilize the radiator waste heat of an engine with a volume of 2000 cc in an ejector refrigeration cycle as an alternative to conventional refrigeration cycles in vehicles. For this purpose, the ejector refrigeration cycle is modeled with energy, exergy, and eco-exergy equations and the ejector is modeled with dynamic gas equation. After modeling, effective parameters, namely, condenser outlet temperature, inlet temperature and pressure to the secondary nozzle, and inlet temperature to the primary nozzle are optimized using TOPSIS multi-objective optimization method. The selected objectives were reducing system capital investment cost, and increasing, COP, and the ejector performance (ω) criterion. ResultsIt was found that the ejector refrigeration cycle reduces the electric power and capital investment cost by 0.743 kW and 0.0028 $/h, respectively, and also increases the COP by 0.917 compared to the conventional refrigeration systems in the vehicle.

Design and Optimization of a Standing-Wave Thermoacoustic Refrigerator Using DELTAEC


 
 
 
 Thermoacoustic refrigeration is one of the best alternatives to conventional refrigeration systems due to the use of inert gases such as helium or air. On the contrary, conventional refrigeration systems use refrigerants (CFC) that are harmful to the environment and humans due to global warming and ozone layer depletion issues. It is possible to classify thermoacoustic technology as a clean, renewable technology with a bright future due to its many advantages. Thermoacoustic refrigerators' main function is to utilize sound waves to create a cooling effect. In the present study, the focus is on the design of a standing-wave thermoacoustic refrigerator driven by an ordinary loudspeaker using the simulation program DELTAEC. Additionally, investigating the influence of significant stack and resonator parameters (inertance and compliance) on cooling power and performance coefficient (COP). Hence, the designed thermoacoustic refrigerator performed well in respect of cooling power and coefficient of performance. It has achieved a cooling power of 312 W with a temperature difference of 25 K between the ambient and cold heat exchangers at a COP of 1.9275.
 
 
 

New configurations of absorption heat transformer and refrigeration combined system for low-temperature cooling driven by low-grade heat

A significant proportion of industrial waste heat and renewable energy is low-grade with temperatures below 100 °C, which can hardly drive the conventional absorption refrigeration systems for producing cooling below 0 °C. To solve this problem, an absorption heat transformer, whose absorber is combined with the generator of the absorption refrigeration system, is introduced to increase the temperature of the low-grade heat source to drive the absorption refrigeration system. Temperature matching between the two sub-systems and between the heat source and the combined system determines the performance of the combined system. Hence, new configurations and continuous-temperature-changing processes are proposed and numerically studied. Results show that the system performance improves significantly when continuous-temperature-changing processes are introduced, and the utilization temperature span of heat source and the refrigeration capacity increase by 80 % and 108 %, respectively. Moreover, the continuous-temperature-changing absorption-generation process is investigated by dividing into 8 sections, and it is found that the process achieves optimal performance, when the absorption side only has adiabatic and absorption sections, and the generation side only has adiabatic and generation sections. Results indicate that the proposed system shows great potential to harvest low-grade heat at 80 °C, and produce refrigeration capacity below −15 °C.

Thermodynamic optimisation of a booster-ejector vapour compression refrigeration system using solar energy and R152a/Cu nano-refrigerant

Conventional vapour compression refrigeration systems require high electrical energy for low temperature applications. For the first time in the literature to reduce this required energy, comprehensive thermodynamic analysis and optimization of booster-assisted ejector expansion vapour compression refrigeration system with R152a/Cu nano-refrigerant are presented for low-temperature applications. Solar panels are used to cover the total compressor work, using the climate data of Izmir, Turkey. According to the thermodynamic optimization findings, the use of nanoparticles in the refrigeration system led to several improvements when compared to the R152a refrigeration system. These enhancements include a reduction of 6.52-11.71% in the main compressor discharge temperature, a decrease of 18.46-34.48% in the total exergy destruction rate, an increase of 3.08-4.04% in the entrainment ratio, a reduction of 0.089-3.25% in the ejector area ratio, a decrease of 8.34-14.27% in the panel area, and an increase of 8.09-14.05% in both the coefficient of performance and exergy efficiency. Another thing worth mentioning is that coefficient of performance and exergy efficiency improved by 2.06% and 1.96%, respectively, while total exergy destruction reduced by 4.83% compared to our previous study. The results obtained from the thermodynamic optimisation provide a useful reference for the design of an experimental system, as they provide evidence of model validity and can guide the implementation of the system.

Study on the ejector-expansion refrigeration system for low-temperature freezer application: Experimental and exergetic assessments

In this study, the authors propose applying the ejector-expansion refrigeration system (ERS) to develop a -50 °C low-temperature freezer. The main performance of the ERS based prototype freezers were investigated by experimental and exegetic methods. The influences of nozzle throat diameter and compressor displacement on ejector performance were discussed in detail. The higher efficiency and transiting exergy efficiency of ejector could be obtained with a larger nozzle throat diameter and compressor displacement. When the nozzle throat diameter rises from 0.4 to 0.7, ejector efficiency and transiting exergy efficiency increase from 16.1% to 20.1% and 26.1% to 30.2%, respectively. Moreover, these results demonstrated that the ERS-based freezer could operate stably with appropriate nozzle throat diameter and compressor displacement. Compared with the conventional single-stage vapor compression refrigeration system (CVRS), the compression ratio of ERS was reduced by 15.8%. In addition, the system performance decreased with the increase of capillary tube length. When capillary tube length varied from 40 mm∼ 80 mm, the COP of the freezer decreased from 0.59 to 0.52, and the overall exergy efficiency of freezer decreased from 22.1% to 17.1%. This research confirms that the ERS could provide a novel way for developing a -50 °C low-temperature freezer.

Simulation of the performance of continuous solar-powered adsorption refrigeration system for optimal use in Zaria, Nigeria

Cooling without electricity is the reason for solar adorption refrigeration systems. The epileptic power supply, especially in developing countries, makes solar refrigeration a very attractive option. This is coupled with the abundance of solar energy, making it a favourable alternative power source amongst other power mixes. This article introduces a solar adsorption refrigerator that continually generates cooling using solar energy as a standalone. Thus, this study aims to simulate and analyse the feasibility of refrigeration from a system that uses a blend of zeolite-based adsorbents and water (H2O) as adsorbate pairs via four solar concentrating collectors, two for adsorption and two for desorption using TRNSYS 16.0 simulation software. Unlike the conventional refrigeration system, the compressor was replaced with a solar concentrating collector while other components, such as the condenser, evaporator, and throttling valves, remained. The findings demonstrate that the technology delivered continuous cooling, and due to the comparatively intense beam radiation during the middle of the day, the cooling rate increased.

Design methodology of standing-wave thermoacoustic refrigerator: theoretical analysis

Thermoacoustic refrigeration systems are one of the best alternative solutions for conventional refrigeration systems that are harmful to the environment and humans due to global warming and ozone layer depletion issues. Thermoacoustic technology can be considered a renewable and clean technology with a promising future for its many advantages. A thermoacoustic refrigerator converts acoustic energy to thermal energy (creating a cooling effect). In the present research, the focus is on the design of a standing-wave thermoacoustic refrigerator driven by an ordinary loudspeaker using the numerical simulation program DELTAEC with the concern of building the apparatus at a low cost. In addition, investigating the influence of some crucial parameters on cooling power and thermal/overall performance. Hence, the designed thermoacoustic refrigerator performed well in respect of cooling power and coefficient of performance. It has achieved a cooling power of 134.34 W with a temperature difference between the ambient and cold heat exchangers of 25 K at a COP of 1.956 and the overall efficiency (electrical power converted into cooling power) amounted to 113.43%. The achieved cooling power and COP could be significant when compared to others’ results.

Thermal Performance Evaluation of a Novel Ejector-Injection Cascade Refrigeration System

In this article, a novel cascade refrigeration system is proposed for moderately low temperature applications. An ejector expansion vapor compression cycle (EEVCC) and a vapor injection cycle with the flash tank (VICFT) are coupled together through a cascade heat exchanger to develop the novel ejector injection cascade refrigeration system. The goal of this study is to investigate the potential improvement scope of a conventional cascade refrigeration system by integrating EEVCC and VICFT. A detailed energy and exergy balance analysis are conducted on the novel proposed system by considering the following three design parameters: (1) evaporator temperature; (2) pressure drop at the ejector; and (3) lower circuit condensation temperature. The results reveal that the performance of the proposed system is sensitive to pressure drop at the ejector and lower circuit condensation temperature for each evaporator temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the optimal values of these factors in order to conduct an accurate performance analysis. Furthermore, a comparative study between the proposed system and the conventional system is conducted based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The results show that at −60 ℃ of evaporator temperature, the proposed system has 8.571 % COP improvement and 7.241 % exergy efficiency improvement over conventional cascade refrigeration system. This study also explores the suitable pair of refrigerants for this proposed system to minimize environmental impact. Among seven pairs of refrigerants investigated, R170 and R601 at LTC and HTC respectively shows the best performance. The proposed system was found to be more sensitive to change of LTC refrigerant than HTC.

Improving the Efficiency of a Conventional Vapor-Compression Refrigeration System used for Geothermal and Evaporative Cooling Techniques: Case Study in Iraq

A conventional vapor compression refrigeration cycle is among the most effective technology in refrigeration systems. In the present experimental study, thermal performance and the effect of the condenser temperature have been analyzed. With the decrease in the condenser temperature, the overall performance of the refrigeration cycle is increased. However, the cooling power and efficiency of conventional vapor pressure air conditioning units can experience a significant reduction when operating in extreme weather (hot and dry). This drop is mainly affected by the increase in the temperature (and pressure) of the condenser with an increase in the ambient air temperature. Unfortunately, Iraq experiences the most extreme summer seasons especially in the months of June and July when the temperature reaches or exceeds 50° C. So, ground cooling has been used in areas with a hot environment for split system air conditioners. Evaporative cooling was also performed to lower the coolant temperature of the AC unit used inside the condenser area. Experimental results showed that when using a geothermal heat exchanger, the temperature of the condenser is reduced from 116 to 110 ° C and the coefficient of performance (COP) is improved by 41%. In addition to this when the system uses evaporative cooling the temperature of the condenser is reduced from 110 ° C to 88° C. Moreover, a 65% improvement was made in the COP of the conventional vapor compression refrigeration cycle. Furthermore, with a decrease in the evaporator temperature from 6 to 3.5 °C there was an increase in refrigeration capacity by an average of 52%.

Thermodynamic Analysis of an NH3/CO2 Cascade Refrigeration System with Subcooling in the Low-Temperature Circuit Utilizing the Expansion Work

NH3/CO2 cascade refrigeration system is recognized one of the most promising technologies in low-temperature application. In this paper, a NH3/CO2 cascade refrigeration system with subcooling in low-temperature circuit driven by recovery expansion work has been proposed. The aim of this study is to investigate the proposed cascade refrigeration system compared with conventional cascade refrigeration system. Mathematical models based on energy conservation and exergy balance are established. The selection of different refrigerants in auxiliary subcooling system is discussed. The effects of operating parameters such as the condensation temperature of the low-temperature circuit, evaporation temperature, and expander efficiency on system performance are evaluated. The results show that the coefficient of performance and exergy efficiency of the proposed system are about 7.56% and 7.98% higher than that of conventional cascade refrigeration system. The discharge temperature of NH3 compressor can be significantly reduced by 18.33%. The isentropic efficiency of the expander has a large impact on the system performance.

Numerical simulation of CO2 two-stage compression refrigeration system with external intercooler

The CO2 two-stage compression refrigeration system is a feasible alternative to conventional refrigeration systems for logistics cold storage cooling that provides high efficiency and environmental protection. In a previous study, we proposed a two-stage compression refrigeration cycle with an external intercooler and performed a thermodynamic analysis. Based on that, a more comprehensive simulation analysis is performed herein using the validated models. The performance, optimal discharge pressure, and intermediate pressure are investigated using a high-pressure compressor with both fixed and variable speeds. The results show that the cooling-water temperature has a significant positive linear correlation with the optimal discharge pressure, whereas the evaporator-inlet air temperature has little effect at a fixed high- pressure compressor speed. When the high-pressure speed is adjusted to achieve the optimal intermediate pressure and discharge pressure simultaneously, the coefficient of performance increases by 4.5% compared with that of the fixed-speed system, while the cooling capacity decreases by 8.4%. The correlation of optimal discharge pressure and optimal intermediate pressure is given.

Performance assessment of novel solar still regenerated liquid desiccant-based evaporative air-conditioning system for an office in India

A liquid desiccant-based evaporative air-conditioning system (LDeACS) is one of the excellent alternatives to conventional vapour compression refrigeration system. The liquid desiccant (LD) requires less thermal energy at low temperatures for regeneration, therefore, the use of renewable (solar) energy is a promising source for the regeneration of LD. The prime motive of the research is to assess the applicability of novel solar still (SS) regenerated LDeACS for an office located at tropical savanna humid climate using numerical simulation. The novel solar still provides the combined function of a regenerator and LD heater. The simulation was carried out to evaluate the performance of sub-components of proposed LDeACS by varying the various input operating conditions (inlet mass flow rate of LD; inlet temperature of LD; temperature of absorber plate of SS) of SS. For the simulation, the mathematical model of sub-components of the proposed LDeACS is interlinked using commercial equation solver software. Simulated results indicated that the proposed LDeACS is capable to provide the required human comfort conditions. The parametric analysis of the system revealed that variations in performance parameters of sub-components of LDeACS are more sensitive to the inlet mass flow rate of LD at SS. An increment in the inlet temperature of LD at SS indicates an adverse effect on the performance indices of LDeACS. An increase in absorber plate temperature of SS enhances performance of SS, contrary to expectations, it degrades the performance of the dehumidifier.