Performance analysis of the refrigeration system for improving energy efficiency

Abstract

Refrigeration system holds an important role in many industrial processes. The global industrial refrigeration system market is expected to grow from USD 19.3 billion in 2019 to USD 25.7 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 4.7%. The traditional systems (cascade/multistage) as well as hybrid system with non-zeotrope refrigerant blends are widely used for processes where more than one temperature level is required. The optimal utilization of energy saving technologies in industrial processes is a key issue for the rational use of energy resources in the process industry. Among the various existing energy saving means, the refrigeration system is a technology area that introduces several degrees of freedom. The goal is to identify the optimal refrigerant/refrigerant mixtures, the optimal temperature levels, and the best cycle's configuration to satisfy the refrigeration requirements of a technological process. It is common that hydrocarbons have great thermodynamic properties, making them efficient refrigerants. The problem is that hydrocarbons are highly flammable, it has restricted their wider adoption for some applications in the refrigeration industry, mostly for applications demanding large refrigerant charges. Targeting to reduce safety as well as regulatory problems getting up from the use of hydrocarbons, the performance of hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide mixtures as refrigerants in a standard vapor-compression cycle has studied. To take into account all energy losses in the compressor, a technique was used that allows one to assess the energy perfection of a hermetically sealed compressor during experimental studies. The given method contains indicators that estimate certain types of energy losses of a hermetic compressor using the electrical efficiency of the compressor.