PartagerGL2012 highlights: low-charge propane air-conditioning system using small section copper tubes
Propane air conditioner with smaller copper tubes and a smaller (and thus safer) refrigerant charge.
Propane (R290) is a potential drop-in refrigerant for existing R22 systems with zero ODP and hardly any GWP, but with potential fire risks. A team from the Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University developed a propane air conditioner with smaller copper tubes and a smaller (and thus safer) refrigerant charge.
A knowledge-based method and a heat-exchanger simulator were used to optimize the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger.
The best refrigerant charge for this system appeared to be 285 g and small tubes (e.g. 5 mm) appeared suitable in this system with a 2439-W capacity and and EER of 3.08.
Experimental results were presented* during the 10th Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Refrigerants held in June 2012 in Delft, the Netherlands.
* Developing Low Charge R290 Room Air Conditioner By Using Smaller Diameter Copper Tubes, Guoliang Ding et al.
(paper downloadable in Fridoc database)
A knowledge-based method and a heat-exchanger simulator were used to optimize the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger.
The best refrigerant charge for this system appeared to be 285 g and small tubes (e.g. 5 mm) appeared suitable in this system with a 2439-W capacity and and EER of 3.08.
Experimental results were presented* during the 10th Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Refrigerants held in June 2012 in Delft, the Netherlands.
* Developing Low Charge R290 Room Air Conditioner By Using Smaller Diameter Copper Tubes, Guoliang Ding et al.
(paper downloadable in Fridoc database)