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A New, Efficient and Environmentally Benign System for Automobile Air Conditioning
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English
Abstract
By introducing HFC-134a as the replacement refrigerant for CFC-12 in motorcar air conditioning, the automobile industry will comply with the present national and international legislation for the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances.
A transition to this new fluid will, however, result in emissions of several hundred thousand tonnes of a new and unfamiliar chemical compound to the atmosphere each year, involving both known negative consequences like global warming, and potential risks of serious unknown environmental effects.
A new, efficient and environmentally benign automobile air conditioning system “MAC-2000” has been developed at The Norwegian Institute of Technology, in cooperation with Hydro Aluminium.
The new system is based on a trans-critical vapour compression cycle with carbon dioxide as the refrigerant. Although working pressures and component design are different, the basic principle of the CO2 system is similar to present CFC/HFC units. The new concept offers a complete solution to all environmental problems associated with motorcar air conditioning and eliminates all uncertainty with respect to possible unforeseen environmental effects.
By development and testing of a laboratory prototype, it has been documented that the CO2 system is highly competitive to present CFC-12 and HFC-134a units in terms of performance, cost, weight and dimensions.
Use of CO2 as a refrigerant gives a number of additional economic and practical advantages. Examples are: No need for recycling or recovery, low cost of fluid, excellent availability, well-known properties, and more compact machinery and components.
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Authors
Citation
Pettersen, J. and Lorentzen, G., "A New, Efficient and Environmentally Benign System for Automobile Air Conditioning," SAE Technical Paper 931129, 1993, https://doi.org/10.4271/931129.Also In
References
- Energy and Global Warming Impacts of CFC Alternative Technologies Oak Ridge National Laboratory Arthur D. Little Inc.
- Yamada Y. Hiraga M. Sandten U A Study of Dual Zeolite-Water Absorption System for Automotive Air Conditioning ISATA 25th Silver Jubilee International Conference on Automotive Technology and Automation Italy, June 1-5, 1992
- Kroeze C Reijnders L Halocarbons and global warming, III. The Science of the Total Environment 112 1992 291 314
- Horten E “Sabroe”- Compressors for Motor Vessels Proc. of the Vth International Congress of Refrigeration Rome 1928
- Climate Change 1992 The Supplementary Report to the IPCC Scientific Assessment, WMO/UNEP Cambridge University Press 1992
- Hazardous Chemicals Data Book 2 Noyes Data Corporation 1986
- Pettersen J. Rekstad H The Practical Performance of R-134a in Motorcar Air Conditioning Proc. XVIIIth International Congress of Refrigeration Montreal 1991 1155 1160
- Yamada A. et.al Development of an Automotive Air Conditioning System Using the HFC-134a Refrigerant SAE Paper 920216 1992
- El-Bourini R. et.al Performance Evaluation of an Automotive Air Conditioner with Expansion Valve Control Using CFC-12 & HFC-134a Refrigerants SAE Paper 910218 1991