Development of high efficiency window air conditioner using propane under limited charge

Bo Shen; Brian Fricke

doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2019.114662

Development of high efficiency window air conditioner using propane under limited charge

Bo Shen, Brian Fricke

Building Equipment Research Group

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

The residential air conditioner market has a significant portion of window air conditioners (WAC). Due to the compact size and small refrigerant charge, WACs are most tolerant of flammable refrigerants. Hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants are natural substances and have significantly better environmental impacts and lower costs than conventional refrigerants like R-410A and R-22. The paper aimed to develop a WAC prototype using propane (R-290) and verify the performance metrics in the laboratory. The key of developing the WAC using a flammable refrigerant is to control the refrigerant charge under the limit of building safety regulation with the performance meeting the Energy Star standard. To minimize the charge, compact heat exchangers were utilized. To achieve the target efficiency, we collaborated with a leading rotary compressor manufacturer to develop a compressor prototype specifically optimized for R-290, able to achieve superior energy efficiency. In addition, we conducted model-based investigations to identify further charge reduction potential. With using microchannel heat exchangers to replace the fin-and-tube condenser and evaporator, the system charge can be decreased to 150 g.

Original language	English
Article number	114662
Journal	Applied Thermal Engineering
Volume	166
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2019.114662
State	Published - Feb 5 2020

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy 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 ). The authors acknowledge the support provided by DOE Building Technologies Office and the Technology Manager, Antonio Bouza.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy
Building Technologies Office

Keywords

Compact heat exchangers
Propane
Refrigerant charge reduction
Window air conditioner

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2019.114662

Cite this

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title = "Development of high efficiency window air conditioner using propane under limited charge",

abstract = "The residential air conditioner market has a significant portion of window air conditioners (WAC). Due to the compact size and small refrigerant charge, WACs are most tolerant of flammable refrigerants. Hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants are natural substances and have significantly better environmental impacts and lower costs than conventional refrigerants like R-410A and R-22. The paper aimed to develop a WAC prototype using propane (R-290) and verify the performance metrics in the laboratory. The key of developing the WAC using a flammable refrigerant is to control the refrigerant charge under the limit of building safety regulation with the performance meeting the Energy Star standard. To minimize the charge, compact heat exchangers were utilized. To achieve the target efficiency, we collaborated with a leading rotary compressor manufacturer to develop a compressor prototype specifically optimized for R-290, able to achieve superior energy efficiency. In addition, we conducted model-based investigations to identify further charge reduction potential. With using microchannel heat exchangers to replace the fin-and-tube condenser and evaporator, the system charge can be decreased to 150 g.",

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AB - The residential air conditioner market has a significant portion of window air conditioners (WAC). Due to the compact size and small refrigerant charge, WACs are most tolerant of flammable refrigerants. Hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants are natural substances and have significantly better environmental impacts and lower costs than conventional refrigerants like R-410A and R-22. The paper aimed to develop a WAC prototype using propane (R-290) and verify the performance metrics in the laboratory. The key of developing the WAC using a flammable refrigerant is to control the refrigerant charge under the limit of building safety regulation with the performance meeting the Energy Star standard. To minimize the charge, compact heat exchangers were utilized. To achieve the target efficiency, we collaborated with a leading rotary compressor manufacturer to develop a compressor prototype specifically optimized for R-290, able to achieve superior energy efficiency. In addition, we conducted model-based investigations to identify further charge reduction potential. With using microchannel heat exchangers to replace the fin-and-tube condenser and evaporator, the system charge can be decreased to 150 g.

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Development of high efficiency window air conditioner using propane under limited charge

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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