Open AccessPerformance enhancement using appropriate mass charge of R600a in a developed domestic refrigerator
Author(s) -
Solomon O. Banjo,
Bukola Olalekan Bolaji,
Oluseyi O. Ajayi,
Babalola P. Olufemi,
Ibhadode Osagie,
Anthony O. Onokwai
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
iop conference series. earth and environmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.179
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1755-1307
pISSN - 1755-1315
DOI - 10.1088/1755-1315/331/1/012025
Subject(s) - refrigerant , refrigeration , coefficient of performance , evaporator , refrigerator car , global warming potential , montreal protocol , thermodynamics , cooling capacity , environmental science , air conditioning , chemistry , volume (thermodynamics) , waste management , nuclear engineering , ozone , heat exchanger , ozone layer , engineering , greenhouse gas , physics , organic chemistry , ecology , biology
This paper presents performance analysis of a domestic refrigeration system using R600a as refrigerant. Investigation was conducted experimentally to select an appropriate refrigerant mass charge for the system and to compute the cooling system performance characteristics under ambient temperature of 29°C. The choice of the hydrocarbon refrigerant (R600a) became so imperative due to notable influence of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) on global warming and ozone depletion. UNFCCC and Montreal Protocol regulation have banned the use of halogenated refrigerants in cooling and heating systems. The paper reveals that the power consumed by the system using mass charge of 15 g refrigerant was reduced by 9.3 and 10.9% compared with the 10 and 25 g refrigerant mass charges respectively. In addition, the results show that the coefficient of performance (COP) of the refrigeration system while working with 15 g is 24.7 and 20.2% higher than when the system worked with 10 and 25 g refrigerants mass charge respectively. More so, the system attained an evaporator air temperature of -12 °C in 2 hours, which makes 15 g charge refrigerant appropriate for the running of the developed system that has a volume capacity of 68 liters.