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Feasibility of HFE fluid for low temperature retail secondary systems applications.

Number: pap. ID: 735

Author(s) : SHAPIRO D., ZHANG M.

Summary

A family of engineered fluids, hydrofluoroethers (HFEs), are available as solvents in precision cleaning applications and also as heat transfer fluids in semiconductor manufacturing processes. These fluids exist in liquid state over a wide temperature range, have relatively low viscosity at temperatures typically seen in low temperature refrigeration applications, are non-flammable, have low global warming potential (GWP) and have low toxicity. One of these HFE fluids, ethyl nonafluoroisobutyl ether/ethyl nonafluorobutyl ether was evaluated for its feasibility as a low temperature heat transfer fluid in retail secondary refrigeration systems. The project included investigation and engineering of a suitable low-temperature fin and tube heat exchanger, setup of a test system, completion of performance tests, and evaluation of items such as energy use and carbon footprint compared to R404A direct expansion. Liquid pumps suitable for this fluid were also investigated. The results show these secondary systems are technically feasible if the display case heat exchangers are suitably designed. A workable air-to-fluid heat exchanger design with roughly half the internal volume compared to the equivalent direct-expansion heat exchanger was developed and tested. Compared to direct expansion baseline, the primary evaporating temperature of the HFE system is approximately 6 K lower. Based on the test results, overall energy use is 14 to 19% higher than direct expansion, but likely can improve through further heat exchanger and system optimization. Secondary systems with this fluid have approximately 27% lower carbon footprint than the direct expansion baseline due to lower HFC charge and leak rate. Magnetically coupled centrifugal pumps are a good overall choice for pumping this fluid. Installation costs could likely be reduced if polyethylene distribution tubing were used instead of copper.

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Details

  • Original title: Feasibility of HFE fluid for low temperature retail secondary systems applications.
  • Record ID : 30002174
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Proceedings of the 23rd IIR International Congress of Refrigeration: Prague, Czech Republic, August 21-26, 2011. Overarching theme: Refrigeration for Sustainable Development.
  • Publication date: 2011/08/21

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