Summary
R290 (propane) is a famous hydrocarbon substance, but the flammable and explosive characteristics require safety precautions for its use. In fact, R290 is also a refrigerant with low global warming potential (GWP) and excellent thermodynamic properties. However, the application of R290 in split type household air conditioners (STHAC) is hindered by unpredictable gas leakages into the room. This paper evaluates the fire hazard of R290 as a refrigerant in STHAC and provides a new method of installing a solenoid valve near the capillary to reduce the fire risk by decreasing the R290 leaking rate. The approach uses a numerical model to analyze the major parameters effect on the concentration distribution of R290 in the room after leakage from the STHAC indoor unit, as well as a series of experimental tests for verification. The influence of different charge quantities, leakage hole diameters and air flows on the R290 concentration distribution in the room were compared and discussed. The new method was also validated by experiments. The results showed that the fire hazard only occurs during the fast-leaking period and that the most likely flammable region is underneath the location of the leak. In addition, the flammable hazards can be assessed by the huge noise generated by the R290 leakage.
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Details
- Original title: Assessment of leakage and risk reduction of R290 in a split type household air conditioner.
- Record ID : 30023784
- Languages: English
- Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 89
- Publication date: 2018/05
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2018.03.012
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Indexing
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Themes:
Other air-conditioning equipment;
Hydrocarbons - Keywords: Air conditioner; R290; Valve (compressor); Propane; Modelling; Flammability; Leakage; Concentration
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Research on the flammability hazards of an air ...
- Author(s) : ZHANG W., YANG Z., LI J., et al.
- Date : 2013/08
- Languages : English
- Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 36 - n. 5
- Formats : PDF
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Detailed dynamic refrigerant migration characte...
- Author(s) : LIANG J., LI T.
- Date : 2018/04
- Languages : English
- Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 88
- Formats : PDF
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Safe design of R290 ducted air-conditioning equ...
- Author(s) : COLBOURNE D., ARANGO A., DICKSON E., et al.
- Date : 2018/06/18
- Languages : English
- Source: 13th IIR Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Refrigerants (GL2018). Proceedings. Valencia, Spain, June 18-20th 2018.
- Formats : PDF
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R290 leakage mass flow rate from a refrigeratin...
- Author(s) : COLBOURNE D., LIU Z. X.
- Date : 2012/06/25
- Languages : English
- Source: 10th IIR-Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Working Fluids (GL2012). Proceedings. Delft, The Netherlands, June 25-27, 2012.
- Formats : PDF
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Risk assessments for a room air conditioner wit...
- Author(s) : YAO K.
- Date : 2000/12/07
- Languages : Japanese
- Source: The International Symposium on HCFC Alternative Refrigerants and Environmental Technology 2000: Latest technology for Energy Conservation, Refrigerants and Recycling on Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment for the 21st century. Proceedings.
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