Performance Assessment of Hydrocarbon Refrigerant in Air Conditioner

Saurabh Gupta1, Dr P. Srinivas2

1,2
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
GITAM School of Technology, Hyderabad (Telangana)
email [email protected]

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract — Now a days the hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)
and hydro fluorocarbons (HFC) are the mostly used refrigerants in In 2018, Shalaka S. Hastak and Jagdeep M. Kshirsagar [1]. This
air conditioning sector. These refrigerants have strong influence on Paper presents comparative performance analysis of R436a as
global warming and HCFCs impact on the ozone layer. To reduce an alternative of R134a refrigerant in a domestic refrigerator.
this effect the refrigerants such as ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide
His system was modified by replacing HFC compressor with
(CO2) and Hydrocarbons (HC), having minimal impact on the
environment, are being considered. So far, HCs have only been HC compressor and using optimized capillary. In the modified
safely used in domestic refrigeration. Ammonia has been used system, for 45g of R436a, the power consumption reduces by
mainly for industrial refrigeration whereas CO2 is still under 41.66% as compared to R134a in original system also it reduces
study. The refrigerants like R12 and R22 contain chlorine atoms by 15.66% than optimized charge in modified system. COP for
which are main reasons for the emission of Chlorofluorocarbon. optimized charge of R436a with modified system increases by
This is responsible for the ozone depletion. Therefore we are using 60.25% than R134a and 27.11% R600a.
the alternate refrigerants like R-134a and hydrocarbons. These
refrigerants have zero ozone depletion potential and negligible
global warming potential. We are doing the experimental analysis In 2017, NeerajAgrawal, ShriganeshPatil, Prasant Nand [2]
of R134a and HC refrigerants. This investigation This paper presents system performance of an existed 134a
thermodynamically analyzes a vapor compression refrigeration
system which compares R134a and HC refrigerants.
domestic refrigerator with zeotropic blend is measured as a
drop-in substitute. An inhouse experimentations test facility was
developed. The experiments are conducted under various charge
Keywords – Hydrocarbon Refrigerant, Low GWP & ODP, More condition to find optimum charge. Experiments were conducted
COP. at constant load condition. The optimum charge is measured as
I. INTRODUCTION 60 g with zeotropic blend and the lowest temperature is
recorded as -3.5°C.
We all know that day when temperature of the earth goes
on increasing; the ozone layer on the earth decreases and also In 2017, R. K. Dreepaul [3] The most frequently used
greenhouse effect decreases so in order to save our earth from refrigerants in the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC)
ultra violet rays coming from sun on earth we need to take sector in Mauritius are currently hydrochlorofluorocarbons
preventive action. Refrigerant is also the responsible for the (HCFC) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC). However, because of
decreasing of the ozone layer. So we are testing HCs their strong influence on global warming and the impact of
refrigerants in Air Conditioner this refrigerants having very HCFCs on the ozone layer, refrigerants such as ammonia
less greenhouse effect and zero ozone layer depletion. By (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2) and Hydrocarbons (HC), having
using this refrigerant the greenhouse effect is decreases or will minimal impact on the environment, are being considered in
not be responsible for the ozone layer depletion. This this paper.
refrigerant reduces the percentage of depletion. CFCs and
HCFCs are the potential contributor to the global warming. In 2017, Barathiraja.K, Allen Jeffrey.J, Attinkishore.R, Brito
There is an urgent need to phase out traditional refrigerants Raj.S, AshwathRaj.A, Jayakumar.S [4] In this paper, the
(CFCs and HCFCs). In this project we are going phase out the experimental analysis of R134a and various ratios of
R134a and R12 by HCs with proportion in air conditioner. So R290/R600a refrigerants have been analyzed. In the present
for that we have to first check the COP and other properties of work performance comparison between R-134a and hc blend
refrigerants in air conditioned room. has been carried out in domestic refrigerator. Generally, the
overall performance of the applied mixtures was much better
than that of R134a.

In 2017, Anusha Peyyala and N V V S Sudhe[5] The aim of

this paper is to present the experimental analysis of Coefficient
of performance [COP] values using R134a [HFC] & [HC] as
Refrigerants in Domestic refrigerator using conventional and
nonconventional energy sources. Based on the results, usage of
HC in domestic refrigerators will reduce the ODP and also
GWP problems which fulfills the nominal requirements of
human beings without any effects.
Fig 1. Global Warming Phenomena
 III. WORKING SETUP OF TEST RIG

The mixture of HC and R134a refrigerant, is fed into the

compressor by using special procedure with the help of
charging equipment’s in one of the window air conditioner.
There are two conditioned rooms, the window air conditioner
is placed in each room. In first room air is conditioned by
using one AC, so that constant surrounding air condition is
maintained. In second room window AC is placed which cools
the room air and heat is released to first room. The mixture of
HC and R134a refrigerant, is fed into the compressor of the
second AC. Fig.2 Window AC
This setup is like a cascade system. The refrigerant in second
AC takes the heat from second room through the evaporator (ii) MAKING OF CONDITIONED ROOM :
and releases this heat to first room air through condenser of
second AC. Then this heat is absorbed from first room air by To maintain air at constant environment condition we have to
evaporator of first AC and released to the atmosphere through make two compartments of the room as shown in picture so
the condenser of the first AC. that one AC maintains the surrounding condition of air and
second AC is used for testing cooling refrigerant blend that we
have charged. Material used for room is plywood.

Fig 2. Working of air conditioner

Fig. Conditioned room

(iii) INSTALLATION OF AC:
IV.METHODOLOGY
One window AC of 1.5TR in which we have charged
A window AC testing with HC and R134a methodology has refrigerant is installed in one room on support. And other
been outlined. Steps of procedure include: regular window AC 1.5TR is installed in second room

 Selection of refrigerant (iv) CHARGING OF REFRIGERANTS:

 Analyze the properties of refrigerants
 Making of conditioned room Charging is done by special procedure to charge the
 Installation of window AC refrigerants like hydrocarbons,
 Charging of R134a and R600a blend Procedure:
 Test the cooling parameters
Blending of two different refrigerant having different
 Results
operating pressure to a proportionate mixture at common
operating pressure in high pressure blender tank... this mixture
is then charged into the compressor of one AC. But before that
I) SELECTION OF REFRIGERANTS
air present in the section line is removed by suction pump.
Alternatives refrigerants that have been identified to replace
HFC’s. Alternatives that would eventually take the place of
halogenated refrigerants would be required to have zero ODP
and low GWP. Low toxicity, low price, good chemical
stability and good thermal properties would be a definite
advantage. Naturally occurring substances like NH3, HCs and
CO2 could be substitutes to HFCs and HCFCs. Table 1 gives
the values of ODP and GWP of frequently used refrigerants.
(V) TESTING THE COOLING PARAMETERS:

PROCEDURE:

 Start both the AC.

 Make stable condition of air.
 Record the WBT, DBT in both rooms.
 Calculate humidity in test room.
 Calculate refrigeration effect and work
required.
 And repeat this procedure for different
proportion of mixture. And conclude.

CONCLUSION

The current phase of our project described in this

paper is to test the AC refrigerant cooling parameters
by using such refrigerant like HCs ,R134a which has
low GWP and ODP but considerable amount of COP
which doesn’t impact on environment . Thus we are
phasing out the refrigerants like R22, R12 which are
danger for environment.

REFERENCES

1.Hammad MA, Alsaad MA, The use of hydrocarbon

mixtures as refrigerants in domestic refrigerators,
Applied Thermal Engineering, Nov 1999, 19(11)
pp1807-13.
2.Wongwises S, Kamboon A, Orachon B., Experimental
investigation of hydrocarbon mixture to replace
HFC134a in an automotive air conditioning systems,
Energy Conversion and Management, July 2006, 47(11-
12), pp 1644-59

Devotta Sukumar, Gupta Saurabh, “Indian Scenario of

RAC Service sector consumption of CFC and non-CFC
refrigerants”, proceedings of Conference on Meeting
Challenges in Change over to Ecological Refrigeration,
IIT New Delhi (2002)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Arora C P , Text book on “Refrigeration and Air
conditioning”, Third Edition, The McGraw-Hill
publication (2012)