Investigation of various mixtures of hc290/hc600 refrigerants in adiabatic capillary tube used in split-type air-conditioner

Abstract

According to Montreal Protocol, HCFC22 (hydro chlorofluorocarbon), a commonly used refrigerant in domestic refrigeration and air-conditioner, must be phased out owing to its environmental problem. Several natural substances including ammonia, carbon dioxide, water and hydrocarbon (HC) such as propane (HC290) and butane (HC600) and their mixtures have immerged as close substitute. Literature showed that pure HC refrigerant may not be suitable enough because of the difference in operating pressure and volumetric cooling capacity when compared with HCFC22. The main objective of this study is to theoretically investigate different ratios of HC refrigerants HC290/HC600 mixtures flowing through adiabatic capillary tube using homogenous model. In this study, the percentage by volume of HC290 was varied from 30 to 40 % in a step of 5%. The pressure at the two extreme ends and temperature along the capillary tube, using HCFC22 refrigerant, which was used as benchmark, was experimentally determined in the air-conditioning (AC) system. Comparing the model results with the experimental data showed that HC refrigerants HC290/HC600 in ratio 35%/65% gave 2.95% minimum error and thus it can be used as a substitute to HCFC22 in the split-type AC system.