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Title: Limited options for low-global-warming-potential refrigerants

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14476· OSTI ID:1358223
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [3]
  1. National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States)
  2. The Catholic Univ. of America, Washington, DC (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
  3. National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States). Energy and Environment Division
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Hydrofluorocarbons, currently used as refrigerants in air-conditioning systems, are potent greenhouse gases, and their contribution to climate change is projected to increase. Future use of the hydrofluorocarbons will be phased down and, thus replacement fluids must be found. Here we show that only a few pure fluids possess the combination of chemical, environmental, thermodynamic, and safety properties necessary for a refrigerant and that these fluids are at least slightly flammable.We search for replacements by applying screening criteria to a comprehensive chemical database. For the fluids passing the thermodynamic and environmental screens (critical temperature and global warming potential), we simulate performance in small air-conditioning systems, including optimization of the heat exchangers. We show that the efficiency-versus-capacity trade-off that exists in an ideal analysis disappears when a more realistic system is considered. Furthermore, the maximum efficiency occurs at a relatively high volumetric refrigeration capacity, but there are few fluids in this range.

Research Organization:
National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0002057
OSTI ID:
1358223
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 8; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 248 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cycle performance evaluation of various R134a/hydrocarbon blend refrigerants applied in vapor-compression heat pumps journal January 2019
Evaluating Magnetocaloric Effect in Magnetocaloric Materials: A Novel Approach Based on Indirect Measurements Using Artificial Neural Networks journal May 2019
When robotics met fluidics journal January 2020
Thermoeconomic analysis of optimization potential for CO 2 vapor compression cycle: From transcritical to supercritical operation for waste heat recovery from the steam condenser journal October 2018
Computational screening of magnetocaloric alloys journal February 2020
Ultra-high performance wearable thermoelectric coolers with less materials journal April 2019
Energy Applications of Magnetocaloric Materials journal March 2020
Investigation of the Environmentally-Friendly Refrigerant R152a for Air Conditioning Purposes journal December 2018
Computational screening of magnetocaloric alloys text January 2019
Methods based on a semi-empirical model for simulating scroll compressors with HFC and HFO refrigerants journal July 2022

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