Paper No 250 – Performance evaluation by simulation of refrigerated display cabinets using HFO refrigerant – 13th IEA Heat Pump Conference, Jeju, Korea
For protecting the global environment, low GWP refrigerants are to be incorporated in air conditioning systems and refrigerating devices, such as refrigerated display cabinets (RDCs) commonly used in convenience stores and supermarkets. R290 (propane), as a natural refrigerant, has been receiving attention as a potential working fluid alternative but poses safety issues due to its flammable characteristic. As the demand for safe refrigeration systems with easy maintenance is increasing, this study evaluated the utilization of HFO-1234yf for RDCs, and its performance was compared to R290 and other commonly used refrigerants. Simulations were conducted based on actual ambient temperature data from a convenience store. Results showed that the COP of HFO1234yf was slightly lower than those of R290 and R134a, but higher than those of R410A, R32, and R744. The annual power consumption and the annual performance factor of HFO-1234yf were very similar to those of R290. Hence, it is expected that RDCs using HFO-1234yf will perform as efficiently as those using R290.