Performance evaluation of transcritical CO2 refrigeration system for simultaneous heating and cooling applications

• Published in: Sadhana (Bangalore) 2023-10, Vol.48 (4), Article 212
• Main Authors: Guruchethan, A M, Sharma, Vishaldeep, Maiya, M P, Hafner, Armin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Engineering
• ISSN: 0973-7677; 0973-7677
• DOI: 10.1007/s12046-023-02269-y

The transcritical CO 2 refrigeration system used for simultaneous heating and cooling applications is proven to be energy efficient. The dairy industry is one such application. The dairy industry requires heating for pasteurization, high temperature (HT) treatment of pipelines, and clean-in-place (CIP). It requires cooling for milk chilling and storing it at 4°C for long shelf life. Currently, NH 3 refrigeration systems are used for cooling, and coal/oil/natural gas-fired boilers are used for heating. Therefore, in this study, the performance evaluation of transcritical CO 2 systems for simultaneous heating and cooling demands in the dairy industry is carried out for ambient temperatures ranging from 25 to 46°C. A simple transcritical CO 2 system with and without an internal heat exchanger (IHX) and a booster system are evaluated and compared in terms of performance and energy savings. Results indicate that the booster system performs better than the other two systems. Energy savings of up to 29% can be achieved by utilizing the transcritical CO 2 system in the dairy industry instead of currently used systems.