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MATEC Web of Conferences 197, 08013 (2018) https://doi.org/10.

1051/matecconf/201819708013
AASEC 2018

Investigation on the improvement of car air conditioning system


performance using an ejector
Enang Suma Arifianto1, Ega Taqwali Berman1,*, and Mutaufiq Mutaufiq1
1Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Departement of Mechanical Engineering Education, Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract. The purpose of this research is to know the improvement of car air conditioner system
performance using an ejector. The study was conducted on a car engine with power 100 PS (74 kW)
@ 5000 rpm. The test procedure is carried out under two conditions: the normal refrigeration cycle mode
and the refrigeration cycle mode with the ejector. The working fluid used in the refrigeration cycle is
R-134a. Performance data was measured on engine revolutions ranging from 1500 - 3000 rpm. Finally, the
results showed that ejector usage on AC system generates an increase in the refrigeration effect and
coefficient of performance (COP) of 25% and 22%, respectively. This has implications to better cooling
capacity and compressor work that is lighter.

1 Introduction process by TXV occurs in isenthalpic (enthalpy


constant). The isenthalpic process results in a reduced
Nowadays every modern vehicle is equipped with air cooling capacity resulting in an energy loss [7, 8]. To
conditioning system (AC). The existence of air reduce this energy loss, the isentropic process is required
conditioning has become a primary human need in in the expansion process. An ejector can be used to
supporting its daily activities. AC can create comfortable produce an isentropic condition during the throttling
conditions inside the cabin during the summer and can process [9].
prevent the formation of fog in the front window during Experiments using ejectors have been conducted by
the rainy season [1]. researchers to improve the performance of vapor
In general, the type of air conditioner used in a compression refrigeration cycles. The research team has
vehicle is a vapor compression cycle with HFC 134a as performed computational analysis on R-134a cooling
its refrigerant. the vapor compression cycle is widely machine using ejector [10]. The result shows that the
used in vehicles because it has significant efficiency, low increase of refrigeration cycle performance is 10,1% -
refrigerant volume and the weight of circulated 22,34% compared to conventional refrigeration cycle
refrigerant is small [2]. The main components of the (without ejector). In another study, experiments and
vapor compression cycle are compressors, two heat numerical analyzes have been performed to observe the
exchangers, and expansion valves (TXV). Traditionally, performance of a split AC vapor compression
the AC system is driven by the engine through a belt and refrigeration cycle that installed ejector devices [11].
the ratio of engine speed and compressor is fixed value. Experimental results show that the modified refrigeration
Therefore, the on/off compressor arrangement and the cycle using ejector increases COP by 4.17% - 13.78% at
magnetic clutch on/off can be performed by the AC ambient temperature of 30 C - 40 C.
temperature switch [3]. With the global energy crisis, the The purpose of this research is to improve the
high energy consumption generated by vehicles should performance of car air conditioning system by using
be reduced immediately. Specifically, car air ejector as expander. The results are expected to reduce
conditioning consumes 12% - 17% energy of total car the engine load and fuel consumption of the car when the
energy and a way to save energy has become an AC system works.
important issue in designing AC system [4, 5].
One way that can be done to reduce the car engine
load is by increasing the performance of the vapor 2 Materials and experimental method
compression cycle as shown by the increasing value of
Figure 1 shows the ejector installation layout on the car
the refrigeration effect. The greater the value of the
air conditioning system used in the experiment. Car air
refrigeration effect then the amount of heat that can be
conditioning system consists of main components and
absorbed by the refrigerant from the cabin space is
secondary components. The main components consist of
greater [6].
compressors (sanden SD-507), air-cooled condensers,
Some researchers propose the use of ejector as an
thermostatic expansion valves (TXV), and finned
expander on AC systems. Theoretically, the expansion
evaporators. The secondary component consists of

*
Corresponding author: egatb@upi.edu
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
MATEC Web of Conferences 197, 08013 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819708013
AASEC 2018

separator, filter dryer, sight glass, five hand valve units, of data recording every three minutes starting from 21st
and ejector to reduce energy loss during expansion minute.
process. All components are installed on an experimental
device with engine specifications of 100 PS (74 kW) @
3.1 Refrigeration effect
5000 rpm. Installation connection between components
using copper pipe and flexible pipe size 1/4 ", 3/8", 1/2 ", Figure 2 shows the value of the refrigeration effect of the
and 5/8" The refrigerant used as working fluid is R 134a. AC system under normal conditions testing. The test is
done on three variations of rpm that is 1500 rpm, 2000
rpm, and 3000 rpm.

Fig. 1. Layout of the car air conditioning system with ejector.


Fig. 2. Value of refrigeration effect based on time interval on
The testing procedure begins with setting up the
normal condition testing.
measuring instrument. Thermometer (Lutron TM-903A,
Taiwan) and pressure gauge (Value, China) are installed In general, the resulting refrigeration effect at the end
in the car air conditioning piping system to measure the of the data retrieval at 3000 rpm is higher than at the
temperature and pressure of the refrigerant. The other two rpm. At the beginning of the test, the effect of
thermometer is installed in the inlet/outlet of the main refrigeration obtained was 148.13 kJ/kg. Then the value
component of AC and the pressure gauge is installed in fluctuates up to 148.17 kJ/kg in the final minutes. On the
the inlet/outlet of the compressor and ejector. other hand, in the early minutes the refrigeration effect at
Furthermore the car air conditioning system is operated 1500 rpm and 2000 rpm is greater, respectively 149.82
on two conditions. The first condition operates normally kJ/kg and 148.20 kJ/kg. Furthermore, the value of the
(without ejector). The second, air conditioning systems refrigeration effect of both rpm has decreased
operate by using ejector. To operate normal air significantly in the final minutes of data collection that is
conditioning systems hand valve (HV) 3, HV 4, and HV 146.64 kJ/kg and 144.47 kJ kg. Different results were
5 are closed. Then to operate the car air conditioner obtained under other test conditions of the AC system.
using ejector, HV 1 and HV 2 are closed. Figure 3 shows the refrigeration effect of the AC
Before the AC system is operated, flushing is done system on the test using ejector.
first to clean the dirt present in the piping due to pipe
connection by brazing process. Next do a leak test by
entering the nitrogen into the pipeline with a pressure of
40 Psi to 100 Psi. Next the AC system is vacuumed for
25 minutes. Then refill 134A into AC system until
suction pressure about 20-30 Psi. After that, the AC
system is left for 20 minutes to reach steady condition.
Finally, temperature and pressure data are recorded.
Temperature and pressure data are taken at engine
speeds between 1500 rpm to 3000 rpm. Furthermore,
temperature and pressure data is used to determine the
performance improvement of car air conditioners that
have been installed ejector.

Fig. 3. Value of refrigeration effect based on time interval on


3 Results and discussion testing using ejector.

The results were obtained from the performance testing Overall, the largest refrigeration effect was achieved
of the air conditioning system in two operating in the 2000 rpm test with a value of 181.18 kJ/kg. The
conditions: normal and with ejector. Tests were carried value is slightly higher than the 3000 rpm test condition
out at an ambient temperature of 28 C and a time interval with a value of 181.11 kJ/kg. At the beginning of the

2
MATEC Web of Conferences 197, 08013 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819708013
AASEC 2018

test, the value of the refrigeration effect at 2000 rpm is


higher than the other two rpm values of 180.40 kJ/kg.
While the value of refrigeration effect at 1500 rpm and
3000 rpm respectively of 179.68 kJ/kg and 179.64 kJ/kg.
Furthermore, the value of the refrigeration effect at 2000
rpm and 3000 rpm increased significantly. While the
value of the effects of refrigeration at 1500 rpm
decreased dramatically.
Based on the results of two test conditions (normal
and ejector use) on three rpm variations, there was an
increase of refrigeration effect value of 21% - 25% in
AC system using ejector. This indicates that ejector
installation on AC system can improve the refrigeration
effect of normal AC system. The greater the value of the
refrigeration effect then the amount of heat that can be
absorbed by the refrigerant from the cabin space is Fig. 5. COP value based on time interval on testing using
greater [6]. ejector.

Based on the test results of two test conditions


3.2 Coefficient of performance (COP) (normal and ejector use) on three rpm variations, there is
an increase of COP in the AC system using ejector by
Figure 4 shows the COP value of the AC system under 10% - 22%. This result is relevance with previous
normal conditions testing. The test is done on three researchers who performed computational analysis [10].
variations of rpm that is 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, and 3000 The great value of COP indicates that the system worked
rpm. In general, COP achieved at 1500 rpm is higher properly. The value of COP is influenced by the amount
than in two other rpm conditions. At the beginning of the of heat which can be absorbed by the refrigerant flowing
test, the COP achieved was 7.37. Then the value in the evaporator (refrigeration effect), and the
increased to 8.35 in the 24th minute. After that, the value compression work performed by the compressor. If the
falls gradually to 7.81 at the end of the test. Although the value of the refrigeration effect is big and the value of
COP value at 1500 rpm decreased throughout the test, compression work are small, the COP obtained will be
the value was still higher than the 2000 rpm and 3000 large. The bigger the value of the refrigeration effect and
rpm conditions, respectively of 7.13 and 7.36. the smaller the value of the compression work, the value
of COP obtained will be better.

4 Conclusions
Research on the improvement of car air conditioning
system performance using ejector has been done. To
show improvement of AC system performance, the test
is done on two different conditions (normal and use
ejector). The results showed that ejector usage on AC
system generates an increase in the refrigeration effect
and coefficient of performance (COP) of 25% and 22%,
respectively. This has implications to better cooling
capacity and compressor work that is lighter.
Fig. 4. COP value based on time interval on normal condition
testing. Acknowledgements: This work was financially supported by a
Grant-in-Aid from the Directorate General of Research,
The test results using ejector are shown in Figure 5. Technology, and Higher Education of Indonesia, fund no:
Overall, the COP value at 1500 rpm is higher than the 30/EKPT/2017 (Skim Program Unggulan Perguruan Tinggi).
2000 rpm and 3000 rpm conditions. At the beginning of
the test, the COP was 10.37. Although the value is
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3
MATEC Web of Conferences 197, 08013 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819708013
AASEC 2018

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