Performance assessment of a refrigeration system with an integrated condenser under different environmental conditions

Abstract

This paper presents a workable vapour compression system (VCS) for evaluating the performance of a refrigeration system with an integrated condenser that uses a long-term alternative refrigerant to halocarbon as a heat transfer medium (R600a). India's refrigeration system uses halocarbon refrigerants due to their excellent thermophysical and thermodynamic properties. Greenhouse gas emissions from halocarbon refrigerants and fossil fuel combustion contribute to global warming that engenders climate change and the deterioration of the ecosystem. The halocarbon refrigerant was discontinued based on high global warming potential. The system was investigated under various ambient temperatures of 16, 20, 24, and 28 °C (oC). The performance of the VCS was analyzed using the parameters of coefficient performance, compressor work, and pull-down time (PDT). The experimental result shows that the vapour compression system obtained its best PDT, enhanced coefficient of performance, and energy reduction when the ambient temperature was 20 °C.

Keywords

• Coefficient of performance
• Thermal system
• Heat exchanger
• Environmental control
• Vapour compression system