Study on the Replacement of Rail Vehicle Air-Conditioning Refrigerants with Low-GWP Refrigerant Mixtures

Yuxin Zhang, Chun Song, Jianbin Zang (), Xinge Chen and Chongyu Lu
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Yuxin Zhang: School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Chun Song: School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Jianbin Zang: School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Xinge Chen: School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Chongyu Lu: School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-24

Abstract: This study addresses the urgent demand for low-GWP refrigerant alternatives in rail vehicle air-conditioning systems by proposing a novel binary mixture, ZT01 (R13I1/R32 = 0.6/0.4 by mass), as a replacement for R407C. A comprehensive evaluation combining thermodynamic cycle modeling, refrigerant property analysis, and experimental validation shows that ZT01 delivers a coefficient of performance (COP) comparable to R407C, while providing a 45–49% improvement in volumetric cooling capacity, enabling smaller compressor displacement for the same cooling output, and reducing specific compressor work by 13–21%. In addition, ZT01 maintains a lower compression ratio, exhibits non-flammability, is compatible with POE lubricant, and has a GWP of only 308. Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) analysis further indicates a 6.88% reduction in total carbon emissions and a 77.4% reduction in direct emissions compared to R407C, demonstrating that ZT01 is both technically feasible and environmentally sustainable for green retrofitting of rail vehicle HVAC systems.

Keywords: rail vehicle; low-GWP refrigerant mixture; theoretical cycle calculation; R13I1; LCCP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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