Effect of Different Compressor Speeds on the Energy and Exergy of an Automobile Air-Conditioner Using R134a in the Absence and Presence of a Liquid-Suction Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Refrigerant R134a has been widely utilized in automotive air conditioning systems (AACSs); R134a has a high global warming potential (GWP) of 1430 despite having zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). Coming refrigeration systems must include refrigerants with low GWP and zero ODP. The aim of this experimental study is to evaluate the thermal performance of an (AAC) with different values of compressor speeds, i.e., (1000, 1700, and 2400 rpm) and two thermal loads, i.e., (500 and 1000 Watt) with the absence and presence of liquid suction heat exchanger (LSHX) using R134a. The results showed that adding LSHX enhanced the COP cycle by 7.18%, 10.7%, and 3.09% for the first, second, and third speed, respectively, at 500 Watt, while the enhancements were 10.27 %, 23.3 %, and 11.5 % for the first, second, and third speed, respectively, at 1000 Watt. Increasing the compressor speed decreased COP due to a reduction in RE and increased the compression effect, increasing the work done by the motor on the compressor that caused a reduction in COP. The compressor exergy destruction (X des. Comp.) decreased when LSHX was added by 6.13%, 2.22%, and 18.8% for the first, second, and third speed, respectively. However, X des. comp. increased with compressor speed due to the system’s pressure difference rise because of decreasing evaporation and increasing condensation pressures. As a result, the entropy generation increased. The increase in discharge temperature and pressure of the compressor led to a high friction force between the moving part of the compressor and the refrigerant, so the energy losses increased. Increasing the compressor speed decreased the total exergy performance of the cycle by 5.8 %, 7.5 %, and 16.7 % for the first, second, and third speed, respectively, due to increasing the compressor discharge temperature, increasing the X des. comp. and thermostatic expansion device and decreasing condenser and evaporator. Increasing X des. comp was higher than the destruction in the condenser and evaporator, which canceled the effect of others, so the total exergy performance of the cycle decreased.