A NUMERICAL STUDY OF REFRIGERANT LEAKAGE FROM A PROPANE-BASED REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants, e.g. Propane (R290) (GWP = 3) and R1234yf (GWP = 4), are becoming a popular choice among refrigeration and HVAC systems, such as vending machines and air conditioning. However, most of Low GWP refrigerants are flammable (ASHRAE class A2 or A3), so safety is a very important consideration when designing and deploying low GWP refrigerants-based equipment in buildings. In the event of a refrigerant leak, the flammability of low GWP refrigerants depends on the local concentration of the refrigerant within the vicinity of the leak. In addition, the low GWP refrigerants concentration is affected by the indoor air environment, such as air flow rate and temperature. In the present study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to model the flow and temperature of air surrounding a propane-based refrigeration system, as well as the concentration of leaked low GWP refrigerants surrounding the refrigeration system. The model results reveal the concentration distribution of low GWP refrigerants within the building, and as a result, the flammable regions within the building can be identified. Moreover, different ventilation layouts will be tested using the model to improve the design of ventilation. The numerical model can assist in the design of ventilation systems to minimize flammable regions within buildings due to leakage of flammable refrigerants.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of ASME 2023 Heat Transfer Summer Conference, HT 2023
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ISBN (Electronic)9780791887165
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023
EventASME 2023 Heat Transfer Summer Conference, HT 2023 - Washington, United States
Duration: Jul 10 2023Jul 12 2023

Publication series

NameProceedings of ASME 2023 Heat Transfer Summer Conference, HT 2023

Conference

ConferenceASME 2023 Heat Transfer Summer Conference, HT 2023
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityWashington
Period07/10/2307/12/23

Funding

This work was sponsored by the U. S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office. The authors would like to acknowledge Mr. Antonio Bouza, the Technology Manager with the Department of Energy (DOE) Building Technologies Office (BTO) for his support. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).

Keywords

  • CFD
  • Flammability
  • Low GWP Refrigerant
  • Ventilation

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