Numerical Study of Hydrocarbon Charge Reduction Methods in HVAC Heat Exchangers

Ehsan Allymehr, Geir Skaugen, Torsten Will, Ángel Álvarez Pardiñas, Trygve Magne Eikevik, Armin Hafner and Lena Schnabel
Additional contact information
Ehsan Allymehr: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Kolbjørn Hejes vei 1D, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Geir Skaugen: SINTEF Energy Research, Kolbjørn Hejes vei 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Torsten Will: Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstr. 2, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
Ángel Álvarez Pardiñas: SINTEF Energy Research, Kolbjørn Hejes vei 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Trygve Magne Eikevik: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Kolbjørn Hejes vei 1D, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Armin Hafner: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Kolbjørn Hejes vei 1D, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Lena Schnabel: Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstr. 2, 79110 Freiburg, Germany

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-15

Abstract: Required refrigerant charge in heat pump systems with propane is analyzed. Two systems are compared: the first a direct heat pump, with fin-and-tube heat exchangers, and the second an indirect system, with plate heat exchangers with an additional brine-to-air heat exchanger. Each system was considered to be able to work reversibly, with 5 k W design cooling capacity in summer and 8 k W design heating capacity in winter. Two separately developed simulation codes were used to calculate the required refrigerant charge and the efficiency of each of the systems. The charge was reduced by the use of microfinned tubes up to 22% in direct system reduced using microfinned tubes compared to the smooth tube. For the indirect system using specially designed plate heat exchangers with the minimum internal volume, their charge was reduced by up to 66% compared to normal plate heat exchangers.

Keywords: hydrocarbon; heat exchanger; system charge; optimization (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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