Limited options for low-global-warming-potential refrigerants

作者：Mark O. McLinden, J. Steven Brown, Riccardo Brignoli, Andrei F. Kazakov, Piotr A. Domanski · 发表于：Nature Communications · 年份：2017 · DOI：10.1038/ncomms14476 · 被引用次数：536 · 研究领域：Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technologies、Phase Equilibria and Thermodynamics、Chemical Thermodynamics and Molecular Structure

Hydrofluorocarbons, currently used as refrigerants in air-conditioning systems, are potent greenhouse gases, and their contribution to climate change is projected to increase. Future use of the hydrofluorocarbons will be phased down and, thus replacement fluids must be found. Here we show that only a few pure fluids possess the combination of chemical, environmental, thermodynamic, and safety properties necessary for a refrigerant and that these fluids are at least slightly flammable. We search for replacements by applying screening criteria to a comprehensive chemical database. For the fluids passing the thermodynamic and environmental screens (critical temperature and global warming potential), we simulate performance in small air-conditioning systems, including optimization of the heat exchangers. We show that the efficiency-versus-capacity trade-off that exists in an ideal analysis disappears when a more realistic system is considered. The maximum efficiency occurs at a relatively high volumetric refrigeration capacity, but there are few fluids in this range.