Exergy-based efficient ecological-function optimization for endoreversible Carnot refrigerators

Yanju He; Yanlin Ge; Lingen Chen; Huijun Feng

doi:10.1515/jnet-2024-0099

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Exergy-based efficient ecological-function optimization for endoreversible Carnot refrigerators

Yanju He , Yanlin Ge , Lingen Chen und Huijun Feng

Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 12. März 2025

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Abstract

Based on the definition of exergy-based efficient ecological-function (EEF) proposed in the existing literature, which is the product of energy conversion coefficient-of-performance (ɛ) and exergy-based ecological-function (E), this paper will introduce the exergy-based EEF into performance optimization for Carnot refrigerator cycle. Via endoreversible Carnot refrigerator model established in previous literature, expression of the exergy-based EEF of refrigerator is derived based on finite-time thermodynamic theory, relationships of dimensionless exergy-based EEF versus ɛ and cooling load (R) are studied, and performance differences of refrigerator cycles at the maximum exergy-based EEF, at the maximum E, and at the maximum efficient cooling-load conditions are compared. The results demonstrate that relationships of dimensionless exergy-based EEF versus R and ɛ are parabolic-like ones; in actual design, the refrigerator should be designed at the larger R and ɛ points. When exergy-based EEF is taken as optimization-objective, although R decreases slightly, ɛ is increased, and entropy-generation-rate (σ) is greatly decreased, so exergy-based EEF does not only reflect the compromise between the R and σ, but also reflect the compromise between the R and ɛ.

Keywords: endoreversible Carnot refrigerator; finite-time thermodynamics; ecological-function; performance comparison; comparative performance; exergy-based efficient ecological-function

Corresponding authors: Yanlin Ge and Lingen Chen, Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Equipment Intensification and Intrinsic Safety, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P.R. China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Green Chemical Equipment, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P.R. China; Institute of Thermal Science and Power Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P.R. China; and School of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P.R. China, E-mail: geyali9@hotmail.com (Y. Ge), lingenchen@hotmail.com (L. Chen)

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the reviewers for their careful, unbiased and constructive suggestions, which led to this revised manuscript.

Research ethics: Not applicable.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: This paper is supported by The Natural Science Foundation of China (Project Nos. 52171317 and 51779262).
Data availability: Not applicable.

Nomenclature

A: exergy-output-rate [kW]
E: ecological-function [kW]
E _ɛ: efficient ecological-function [kW]
F: heat-transfer area [m²]
f: heat-transfer area ratio
Q: heat-exchange rate [kW]
R: cooling-load [kW]
T: temperature [K]
x: working-fluid temperature-ratio

Greek symbols

α, β: heat-transfer coefficient
ɛ: coefficient-of-performance
σ: entropy-generation-rate [kW/K]
τ: cycle period
Ω: efficient R

Superscript

–: dimensionless

Subscripts

E ̄: point at maximum dimensionless E
E _ɛ: point at maximum EEF
E ̄ ε: point at maximum dimensionless EEF
Ω ̄: point at maximum dimensionless Ω
H/L: high/low temperature heat-reservoir side
HC/LC: high/low temperature heat-reservoir side working-fluid
max: maximum
opt: optimal
0: ambient temperature

Abbreviations

ECR: endoreversible carnot refrigerator
EEF: efficient ecological-function

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Received: 2024-10-24

Accepted: 2025-03-03

Published Online: 2025-03-12

Published in Print: 2025-07-28

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Schlagwörter für diesen Artikel

endoreversible Carnot refrigerator; finite-time thermodynamics; ecological-function; performance comparison; comparative performance; exergy-based efficient ecological-function