Exergy and performance analyses of impact subcooling for vapor compression refrigeration system utilizing eco-friendly refrigerants

Abstract

In the present paper, performance and exergy analysis for a vapor compression refrigeration system (VCRS) operating with eco-friendly refrigerants such as R1234ze and R1234fyare tested under different operation conditions to change the recently worked refrigerants R-134a. An analysis through performance and exergy is performed to guide the thermodynamic improvement for the VCRS. Additionally, a comprehensive study is conducted to examine the effects of subcooling temperature on performance and exergy destruction in all components of the VCRS. The exergy destruction of the compressors, condenser, evaporator and expansion device were calculated to obtain the exergy efficiencies. For simulation and analysis the VCRS, Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software program was utilized to obtain the thermodynamics refrigerant properties in which the system operates with the highest eco-friendly, energy and exergy performance is developed the VCRS to determine the most suitable alternative refrigerant to replace the R134a. The results indicate that the refrigerant R1234yf showed the greatest COP enhancement 16.7% due to subcooling, followed by R1234ze 14% and R134a 12.8% under the same operating conditions.