R1234ze(E) flow boiling inside a 3.4 mm ID microfin tube

R1234ze(E) has a GWP<1 and a normal boiling temperature approximately 7.3 °C lower than that of R134a; it represents an interesting candidate for its replacement as working fluid in refrigerating machines. The refrigerant charge minimization in refrigerating and air conditioning equipment is a key issue for the new environmental challenges. Mini microfin tubes represent an optimal solution for both heat transfer enhancement and charge minimization tasks. This paper presents an experimental study of R1234ze(E) flow boiling inside a mini microfin tube with internal diameter at the fin tip of 3.4 mm. The experimental measurements were carried out at constant saturation temperature of 30 °C, by varying the refrigerant mass velocity between 190 kg m⁻² s⁻¹ and 940 kg m⁻² s⁻¹, the vapour quality from 0.2 to 0.99 at three different heat fluxes: 10, 25, and 50 kW m⁻². The experimental results are then compared with those obtained for the more traditional R134a.     

Condensation in two phase and desuperheating zone for R1234ze(E), R134a and R32 in horizontal smooth tubes

Condensation is usually assumed to begin when the bulk enthalpy reaches the saturated vapor enthalpy, which leads to discontinuity of heat transfer coefficient calculation in modeling. This paper addresses the discontinuity by showing the presence of condensation in desuperheating region when the wall temperature decreases below the saturation temperature at any operating condition. The experiments have been conducted with R134a, R1234ze(E) and R32 for mass fluxes of 100–300 kgm⁻² s⁻¹, saturation temperatures of 30^°C–50 °C and from x = 0.05 to superheat of 50 °C in a horizontal smooth tube with 6.1 mm inner diameter. R134a is observed to have approximately 10% higher and 20% lower HTC compared to R1234ze(E) and R32 respectively. Cavallini correlation predicted the data within an accuracy of 12% while Kondo-Hrnjak correlation predicted HTC for condensation in de-superheating zone within accuracy of 23%.     

Thermodynamic assessment of high-temperature heat pumps using Low-GWP HFO refrigerants for heat recovery

Reducing energy consumption by utilizing heat recovery systems has become increasingly important in industry. This paper presents an exploratory assessment of heat pump type heat recovery systems using environmentally friendly refrigerants. The coefficient of performance (COP) of 4 cycle configurations used to raise the temperature of heat media to 160 °C with a waste heat at 80 °C is calculated and compared for refrigerants R717, R365mfc, R1234ze(E), and R1234ze(Z). A multiple-stage “extraction” cycle drastically reduces the throttling loss and exergy loss in the condensers, resulting in the highest COP for R1234ze(Z). A cascade cycle using R1234ze(Z) and R365mfc has a relatively high COP and provides practical benefits. Even under adverse conditions, the primary energy efficiency is greater than 1.3 when the transmission end efficiency of the electric power generation is 0.37. The assessment demonstrated that high-temperature heat pumps are a promising approach for reducing primary energy consumption for industrial applications.     

Measurements of PρT properties,vapor pressures,saturated densities,and critical parameters for R 1234ze(Z) and R 245fa

Pressure-density-temperature (PρT) properties, vapor pressures, and saturated liquid and vapor densities for refrigerants R 1234ze(Z) (cis-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene; CF₃CHCHF) and R 245fa (1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane; C₃H₃F₅) were measured with two types of isochoric methods. Pressure was measured with a digital quartz pressure transducer. Temperature was measured with 25 Ω standard platinum resistance thermometer on the ITS-90 temperature scale. Density was calculated from the mass of sample and the inner volume of pressure vessel. By using the present vapor pressure data, new vapor pressure correlations for R 1234ze(Z) and R 245fa have been formulated. In addition, the critical temperature T_c, critical density ρ_c, and critical pressure P_c were directly determined on the basis of direct observation of the meniscus disappearance.     

R1234ze(E)在多元醇脂油中溶解度的实验研究

R1234ze(E)(1,1,1,3-四氟丙烯)是当下具有较强替代潜能的环保制冷剂之一。本文搭建了溶解度测试实验系统,对R1234ze(E)在两种多元醇脂油中的溶解度进行测试,测试的温度范围为40～80℃,压力范围为0.123～0.360 MPa。采用PR状态方程和MHV2混合规则及NRTL活度系数模型对实验结果进行关联计算,得到不同温度下的交互系数及计算值与实验值的平均相对误差。结果表明:R1234ze(E)在两种多元醇脂油中的溶解度均随着温度的升高而降低,且R1234ze(E)在两种多元醇脂油中的平衡压力与溶解度之间存在立方函数关系。在两种多元醇酯油中,计算值与实验值的平均相对误差分别为1.68%和1.11%,可较好的描述R1234ze(E)在两种多元醇酯油中的相平衡行为。     

Flow boiling of non-azeotropic mixture R32/R1234ze(E) in horizontal microfin tubes

Flow boiling of a potential refrigerant R32/R1234ze(E) in a horizontal microfin tube of 5.21 mm inner diameter is experimentally investigated. The heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and pressure drop are measured at a saturation temperature of 10 °C, heat fluxes of 10 and 15 kW m^?2, and mass velocities from 150 to 400 kg m^?2 s^?1. The HTC of R1234ze(E) is lower than that of R32. Degradation in the HTC of the R32/R1234ze(E) mixture is significant; the HTC is even lower than that of R1234ze(E). The HTC is minimized at the composition 0.2/0.8 by mass, where the temperature glide and the mass fraction distribution are maximized. A predicting correlation based on Momoki et al. (1995) associated with the correction methods of Thome (1981) to consider the mass transfer resistance and Stephan (1992) to consider the additionally required sensible heat is proposed and validated with the experimental results.     

Condensation heat transfer and two-phase frictional pressure drop in a single minichannel with R1234ze(E) and other refrigerants

R1234ze(E), trans-1, 3, 3, 3-tetrafluoropropene, is a fluorinated propene isomer which may be a substitute of R134a for refrigeration applications. R1234ze(E) has a much lower GWP_100-years than that of R134a. In this paper, the local heat transfer coefficient during condensation of R1234ze(E) is investigated in a single minichannel, horizontally arranged, with hydraulic diameter equal to 0.96 mm. Since the saturation temperature drop directly affects the heat transfer rate, the pressure drop during adiabatic two phase flow of R1234ze(E) is also measured. Predictive models are assessed both for condensation heat transfer and pressure drop. A comparative analysis is carried out among several fluids (R1234ze(E), R32, R134a and R1234yf) starting from experimental data collected at the same conditions and using the Performance Evaluation Criteria (PEC) named Penalty Factor (PF) and Total Temperature Penalization (TTP) to rank the tested refrigerants in forced convective condensation.     

Theoretical energy performance evaluation of different single stage vapour compression refrigeration configurations using R1234yf and R1234ze(E) as working fluids

R1234yf and R1234ze(E) have been proposed as alternatives for R134a in order to work with low GWP refrigerants, but this replacement results generally in a decrease of the performance. For this reason, it is interesting to explore ways to improve the system performance using these refrigerants. In this paper, a comparative study in terms of energy performance of different single stage vapour compression configurations using R1234yf and R1234ze(E) as working fluids has been carried out. The most efficient configuration is the one which uses an expander or an ejector as expansion device. On the other hand, using an internal heat exchanger in a cycle which replaces the expansion valve by an expander or an ejector could produce a detrimental effect on the COP. However, for all the configurations the introduction of an internal heat exchanger produces a significant increment on the cooling capacity.     

新型制冷剂R1234ze(E)及其混合工质研究进展

低GWP值制冷剂R1234ze(E)(trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene)作为R134a较为理想的替代品而被关注,但其单一成分的热力学性能和传输特性并不理想,在R1234ze(E)中混入R32成分可以有效改善其热力学性能。本文概述了低GWP值工质R1234ze(E)及其与R32混合物的热物性特征、传输特性及系统运行性能方面的研究现状,并与目前常用的制冷工质进行比较分析,指出R1234ze(E)与R32混合工质有望成为新型低GWP值替代工质。     

The fluorinated olefin R-1234ze(Z) as a high-temperature heat pumping refrigerant

Estimates are provided for R-1234ze(Z) of its: (1) critical temperature, pressure, and density, acentric factor, and ideal gas specific heat at constant pressure, and (2) various thermodynamic and transport properties, which are used to predict the performance potential of R-1234ze(Z) in high-temperature heat pumping applications. In particular, for an idealized cycle, the coefficient of performance and volumetric heating capacity for R-114 are 3.24 and 1667 kW m⁻³, respectively, and for R-1234ze(Z) are 3.40 and 1645 kW m⁻³, respectively. The attractiveness of R-1234ze(Z) is confirmed further through heat exchanger simulations. This paper demonstrates that R-1234ze(Z) deserves further consideration as a possible R-114 replacement.     

微圆管内R1234ze(E)流动沸腾的环状流特性模拟研究

本文建立了制冷剂R1234ze(E)在微圆管内流动沸腾过程中的环状流模型,对传热和气液两相流动压降进行了模拟研究。综合考虑重力、表面张力及气液界面剪切力的影响,模拟分析了周向液膜不均匀分布特性及该特性对流动与换热的影响,经验证,计算结果与已有实验结果吻合较好。本文还研究了不同因素对环状流区域表面传热系数与压降的影响。模拟结果表明:在流动起始区域,截面液膜厚度的分布受重力作用影响,随着流动沸腾过程的进行,该影响作用开始减弱,且有重力作用时的环状流平均表面传热系数高于无重力作用时的环状流平均表面传热系数,随着重力加速度的增加,环状流的平均表面传热系数不断增大;随着质量流速的增大,表面传热系数与压降均随之增大;随着管径增大,表面传热系数与压降均随之减小。     

Nucleate boiling heat transfer coefficients of HFO1234yf on various enhanced surfaces

In this study, nucleate boiling heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) of HFO1234yf HFC134a are measured on a flat plain, Turbo-B, Turbo-C, and Thermoexcel-E surfaces. All data are taken at the liquid pool temperature of 7 °C on small flat horizontal square copper plates (9.53 mm × 9.53 mm) at heat fluxes from 10 kW m⁻² to 200 kW m⁻² with an interval of 10 kW m⁻². Test results show that nucleate boiling HTCs of HFO1234yf on all four surfaces are similar to those of HFC134a at all heat fluxes tested in this study. At heat fluxes below 150 kW m⁻², Thermoexcel-E surface shows the highest heat transfer performance and hence is the best surface for the manufacture of the evaporators in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. On the other hand, at high heat fluxes above 150 kW m⁻², Turbo-B and Turbo-C show better heat transfer performance than Thermoexcel-E and hence are good for electronic cooling applications. Overall, HFO1234yf is a good long term candidate with excellent environmental properties to replace successfully HFC134a from the view point of pool boiling heat transfer. Hence HFO1234yf can be readily applied to the conventional evaporators designed for HFC134a.     

Measurement of vapor viscosity of R1234yf and its binary mixtures with R32, R125

The vapor viscosities of the new refrigerant R1234yf and its binary mixtures, R32+R1234yf, R125+R1234yf, were measured at atmospheric pressure with a falling-ball-type viscometer. The combined expanded uncertainty of the measurement apparatus was less than 1.5%. The binary mixtures consisted of 20.0, 30.0, 40.0, and 50.0 wt% R32 for R32+R1234yf and of 20.0, 35.0, 50.0, and 70.0 wt% R125 for R125+R1234yf. The viscosities of R1234yf were correlated with the Chapman–Enskog gas kinetic theory and those of binary mixtures were correlated with the Wilke mixture rule. The average absolute deviation (AAD) is 0.189% for R32+R1234yf and 1.169% for R125+R1234yf. The deviations of experimental viscosities of the binary mixtures from data calculated using RefProp v9.1 were also obtained. The AAD is 0.555% for R32+R1234yf and 1.479% for R125+R1234yf.     

Experimental liquid densities of cis-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene (R1234ze(Z)) and trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (R1233zd(E))

In this work, liquid phase densities of two fourth generation refrigerants, cis-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene R1234ze(Z) and trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene R1233zd(E), are measured. The densities have been measured using a vibrating tube densimeter over the temperature range from 273.15 K to 333.15 K for pressures up to 30 MPa. For both fluids, the expanded uncertainty at a confidence level of 95% in the density measurements is estimated to be 0.07% over the entire T–p range measured.     

Development and validation of a micro-fin tubes evaporator model using R134a and R1234yf as working fluids

This paper presents a model of shell and tube evaporator with micro-fin tubes using R1234yf and R134a. The model developed for this evaporator uses the ε-NTU method to predict the evaporating pressure, the refrigerant outlet enthalpy and the outlet temperature of the secondary fluid. The model accuracy is evaluated using different two-phase flow boiling correlations for micro-fin tubes and comparing predicted and experimental data. The experimental tests were carried out for a wide range of operating conditions using R134a and R1234yf as working fluids. The predicted parameter with maximum deviations, between the predicted and experimental data, is the evaporating pressure. The correlation of Akhavan– Behabadi et al. was used to predict flow boiling heat transfer, with an error on cooling capacity prediction below 5%. Simulations, carried out with this validated model, show that the overall heat transfer coefficient of R1234yf has a maximum decrease of 10% compared with R134a.     

R1234yf as a substitute of R134a in automotive air conditioning. Solubility measurements in two commercial PAG oils

Starting from January 1st 2011, as stated by the Directive 2006/40/EC, fluorinated greenhouse gases with a global warming potential (GWP) higher than 150 can not be used in automotive applications any more. For this reason, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a), commonly used for these applications, will be abandoned and substituted by refrigerants with lower GWP. In recent times, a new fluid, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene (R1234yf) has been proposed as an interesting alternative, since it has a very low GWP and thermodynamic properties very similar to R134a. At the moment, only few data can be found on the thermodynamic properties of this new refrigerant and, in particular, its behaviour in solution with commonly used compressor lubricants is still to be evaluated. Here, solubility experimental data of R1234yf in a Polyalkylene Glycol (PAG) and in a specifically modified Double-Capped PAG (DC-PAG) commercial lubricants are measured with a static synthetic method at isothermal conditions, in the temperature range between 258 K and 338 K.     

R1234yf/R290/R134a系气液相平衡的模拟

本文从理论方面研究了混合制冷剂的相平衡特性,基于Peng-Robinson(PR)状态方程与Wong-Sandler(WS)混合法则,结合Predictive Soave Redlich Kwong(PSRK)方程中使用的UNIFAC基团贡献法,构建了混合物气液相平衡预测模型(PRWS-UNIFAC-PSRK)。结果表明:二元混合物R32/R1234yf的压力及气相质量分数的模拟结果与实验值偏差分别在±2.5%和±0.02内;三元混合物R134a/R1234yf/R600a的压力及气相组分质量分数计算值与实验数据的偏差基本在±3%和±0.04内;建立了R1234yf/R290/R134a系的三元相平衡图,当质量分数在0.25/0.70/0.05左右时存在共沸点。通过采用多参数状态方程,改进活度系数模型,获取更为准确的二元相互作用系数,可进一步提高模型的预测精度。     

Boiling heat transfer of HFO-1234yf flowing in a smooth small-diameter horizontal tube

The flow boiling heat transfer coefficient of the low-GWP (global warming potential) refrigerant HFO-1234yf inside a smooth small-diameter horizontal tube (inner diameter: 2 mm) was experimentally investigated. The local heat transfer coefficient was measured at heat fluxes of 6-24 kW m⁻², mass fluxes of 100-400 kg m⁻² s⁻¹, an evaporating temperature of 288.15 K, and an inlet vapor quality of 0-0.25. The results show that the effect of heat flux on the heat transfer was large at low vapor quality, while the effect of mass flux was large at high vapor quality. The heat transfer coefficient of HFO-1234yf was almost the same as that of R-134a. The heat transfer coefficients calculated based on correlations with Saitoh et al. agreed well with the measured values compared to other correlations. The measured pressure drop agreed well with that predicted by the Lockhart-Martinelli correlation.     

Subcooled liquid density measurements and PvT measurements in the vapor phase for 3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene (R1243zf)

The fluorinated propene isomer R1243zf (3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene, CF₃CFCH₂, CAS number 677-21-4) is a potential alternative refrigerant with short atmospheric lifetime, low-GWP, and low acute toxicity; however, because of its flammability it is being considered primarily as a component in blends. In this paper, 302 subcooled liquid density data and 101 vapor phase PvT data are presented. The subcooled liquid density data are measured for eight isotherms, evenly separated approximately from 283 K to 353 K, for pressures from close to saturation to 35 MPa and the vapor phase PvT data are measured for six isochores for temperatures approximately from 278 K to 368 K and for pressures approximately from 260 kPa to 912 kPa. In addition, a saturated liquid density correlation, a Tait correlation for the subcooled liquid density data, and a Martin–Hou Equation of State for the vapor phase PvT data are presented.     

Condensation of refrigerants in a multiport tube with rectangular minichannels

This study investigated the condensation heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of refrigerants R134a, R32, R1234ze(E), and R410A in a horizontal multiport tube with rectangular minichannels, in the mass velocity range of 100–400 kg m⁻² s⁻¹ and saturation temperature set at 40 and 60 °C. The effect of mass velocity, vapor quality, saturation temperature, refrigerant properties, and hydraulic diameter of rectangular channels on condensation characteristics is clarified. A new correlation is proposed for predicting the frictional pressure drop for condensation flow in minichannels. A heat transfer model for condensation heat transfer in rectangular minichannels is developed considering the flow patterns and effects of vapor shear stress and surface tension. Then, based on this model, a new heat transfer correlation is proposed. The proposed correlations successfully predict the experimental frictional pressure drop and heat transfer coefficients of the test refrigerants in horizontal rectangular minichannels.