Energetic and Exergetic Analysis of Refrigeration Systems with Low Global Warming Potential

The present study focuses on an energetic and exergetic analysis of several systems with different refrigerant fluids. It is intended to assess the most efficient technology for the conservation of oranges using positive temperatures with a refrigerating power of 250 kW. The differences that each refrigerant has in a refrigeration system and the impact that the destruction of exergy has on the various components that make up the systems were highlighted.

The installation with R-744 presents the highest percentage of exergy destroyed in the expansion device with 37% and the highest exergy destroyed (43%) in the condenser was presented for the system with R-717. For a refrigerating power of 250 kW at least, which is the most efficient technology for the conservation of oranges, it was inferred that the system with R-717 has the highest coefficient of performance (COP) of all the analyzed systems with 3.38 in conjunction with the highest exergy efficiency (31.1%).

Keywords:Refrigeration system; Refrigerant fluid; ODP; GWP; Energy; Exergy