Title: Thermodynamic analysis of a solar refrigeration system based on combined supercritical CO₂ power and cascaded refrigeration cycle

Authors: Eydhah Almatrafi; Abdul Khaliq; Rajesh Kumar; Ahmed Bamasag; Muhammad Ehtisham Siddiqui

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah – 21589, Saudi Arabia; K.A. CARE Energy Research and Innovation Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah – 21589, Saudi Arabia; Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah – 21589, Saudi Arabia ' Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering at Yanbu, Taibah University, Yanbu Al Bahr – 41911, Saudi Arabia ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University (DTU), Delhi – 110042, Delhi, India ' Mechanical Engineering Department, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah – 21589, Saudi Arabia ' Mechanical Engineering Department, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah – 21589, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: This communication proposed a solar driven system based on supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) power cycle integrated with cascaded refrigeration cycle (CRC) to refrigerate a thermal load of below than -40°C. The impact of varying solar irradiance (DNI), type of solar heat transfer fluid (SHTF), and the working fluid of CRC on refrigeration capacity and exergy efficiency of combined system are investigated. Results indicate helium as the most efficient SHTF with air to follow. It is shown that maximum refrigeration is produced when operating with helium as SHTF and propylene as the refrigerant for CRC. From exergetic point of view, propylene provides higher exergy efficiency; CO₂ is the one with lower, while N₂O presents intermediate results. The exergy efficiency of the system for the propylene, N₂O and CO₂ is determined as 9.64%, 8.73%, and 8.47%, respectively.

Keywords: gaseous solar heat transfer fluids; supercritical CO₂ power cycle; cascaded refrigeration cycle; CRC; deep freezing; exergy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2023.131486

International Journal of Exergy, 2023 Vol.41 No.2, pp.182 - 196

Received: 30 Aug 2022
Accepted: 11 Dec 2022
Published online: 14 Jun 2023 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article