Drop-in replacement of low-GWP working fluid R1233zd(E) to R245fa for ORC-VCR application

Zhiqi Wang, Qianghui Yi, Xiaoxia Xia, Zhen Xiao, Kao Zhang, Jiaqi Huang, Boyan Tan and Yuxi Xiao

Energy, 2025, vol. 335, issue C

Abstract: Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) coupled with a vapor compression refrigeration (VCR) cycle can convert low-grade waste heat into cooling energy, providing an effective method to improve energy efficiency. Drop-in replacement of traditional working fluids with environmentally friendly refrigerants is a key development in refrigeration technology. In this study, an ORC-VCR experimental setup was established to evaluate the performance of R1233zd(E) as a potential drop-in replacement for R245fa. The off-design performance was investigated and compared under varying working fluid flow rates and cooling conditions. Experimental results demonstrated that, under identical operating conditions, R1233zd(E) outperformed R245fa in terms of component efficiency. The expander and compressor using R1233zd(E) achieved maximum isentropic efficiencies of 75 % and 72 %, respectively, whereas those of R245fa were 67 % and 65 %. However, R1233zd(E) exhibited a lower system COP and cooling capacity compared to R245fa. To achieve similar cooling capacity and drop-in replacement of R245fa with R1233zd(E), the ORC-VCR system must increase ORC flow rate or decrease coolant temperature. Additionally, due to its higher ORC thermal efficiency, R1233zd(E) is highly suitable as a drop-in substitute for R245fa in ORC systems. This research provides practical guidance for the drop-in replacement of R245fa with R1233zd(E) in ORC-VCR systems.

Keywords: Low-GWP refrigerant; ORC-VCR; Drop-in replacement; Experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:335:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225038058

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.138163

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