Potential Application of Commercial Refrigerants as Adsorbate in Adsorption Refrigeration System
Abstract
Commercial refrigerants used for vapour compression cycle show positive adsorption capacity with various activated carbon adsorbents however most of them appeared to have high global warming potential (GWP) values. Nevertheless, refrigerants such as R1234yf, R1234ze (E), R450A, R290, R600a, R744 and R717 have been proposed as low GWP alternatives in vapour compression cycles. Properties of some vapour compression cycle refrigerants qualify them as the good alternative adsorbate for solar adsorption refrigeration systems. Maximum adsorption capacity of 2kg/kg-adsorbent reported for commercial refrigerant R134a on activated carbon, while the maximum for classical adsorption pairs is 0.259 kg/kg-adsorbent which appears for activated carbon-methanol pair.These refrigerants will add the availability of the adsorbates, reduced scale of problems associated with material compatibility and leakages. These systems have good potential applications in off grid areas in developing countries with abundant availability of solar energy including food preservation, vaccine and medicine storage.