Experimental investigation on the low-GWP HFC/HFO blends R454A and R454C in a R404A refrigeration system

• Published in: International journal of refrigeration 2021-08, Vol.128, p.242-251
• Main Authors: Oruç, Vedat, Devecioğlu, Atilla G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensers; Cooling; Evaporation; Faible PRP; Heat transfer; HFC/HFO mixture; Hydrofluorocarbons; Low-GWP; Mass flow rate; Mixtures; Mélange HFC/HFO; Power consumption; R404A; R454A; R454C; Refrigerants; Refrigeration; refrigeration systems; Systémes frigorifiques
• ISSN: 0140-7007; 1879-2081
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2021.04.007

•R404A is compared experimentally with R454A and R454C in a refrigeration system.•The tested alternative refrigerants are HFC/HFO blends with low-GWP.•COP of R454A and R454C were greater than R404A by about 14% and 10%, respectively. This study experimentally compares the high-GWP R404A with two low-GWP HFC/HFO blends, R454A (35% R32 + 65% R1234yf) and R454C (21.5% R32+ 78.5% R1234yf). Three evaporation temperatures (−5, 0 and +5 °C) and three condenser temperatures (30, 40, 50 °C) were studied. For all covered cases of condenser temperatures, the measured compressor power consumption was reduced by about 6% and 15% for R454A and R454C, respectively compared to R404A. The cooling capacity of R454A was higher than R404A by 11%, approximately, although the mass flow rate values have been reduced using the studied alternative refrigerants. As a result, the COP values of R454A and R454C were greater than R404A by about 14% and 10%, respectively. Although the discharge temperatures of the alternative blends were determined to be higher than that obtained for R404A, they are suitable for the tested operating conditions. The proposed alternative refrigerants could be used directly in available R404A systems without any constructional modification requirement if safety concerns can be solved. Moreover, it is possible to have higher cooling capacity and COP values as well as reduced environmental impacts.