MEHTOD FOR IMPROVING THERMODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF VAPOUR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM UGING NANOFLUID

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this research nanoparticle based refrigerant has been used to increase the heat transfer performance of base refrigerant in the vapour compression refrigeration system. Many types of solid and oxide materials could be used as the nanoparticles to be suspended into the conventional/non conventional refrigerants. In this project work, the effect of the suspended copper oxide (CuO), Titanium Oxide (TiO2), Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3), into the eco friendly refrigerant (i.e. R134a, R407c and R404A) is used for enhancing the thermal performance of vapour compression refrigeration system. Comparison was made between utility of eco friendly refrigerant mixed with nanoparticle and used in the primary circuit of VCRS. That eco friendly nanorefrigerant is used in primary circuit of VCRS along with mixing of nanoparticle with R718 in the secondary evaporator circuit. The performance of VCRS is evaluated using (i) pure refrigerant (w/o nano particle) in the primary circuit and R718 in the secondary circuit (ii) Eco friendly refrigerant in primary circuit and nanofluid (nanoparticle mixed with R718 in the evaporator secondary circuit (iii) nanorefrigerant (nanoparticle mixed into pure refrigerant) in primary circuit and R718 in secondary circuit of VCRS. Experiment was conducted to verify theoretically computed value and it was observed that the experimental value matches well with theoretical calculated value of VCRS for case (i) as mentioned above. Computational simulation was also carried out to compare for above mentioned three cases and it was observed that the performance enhancement is ranging between 8 to 19 % for case(ii) with different types of nanoparticle while for case (iii) the enhancement value ranges between 2.6 to 35 % with different types of nanoparticle.