Effects of variable-temperature heat reservoirs on performance of irreversible Carnot refrigerator with heat recovery

Abstract The outlet temperature of the heat recovery reservoir is an important parameter in the design of refrigeration with heat recovery systems. In this paper the second law of thermodynamics has been applied to an irreversible Carnot refrigerator with heat recovery (CRHR) coupled to variable-temperature heat reservoirs. The refrigerating rate, input power, refrigeration coefficient, heat recovery coefficient, comprehensive coefficient of performance and exergy efficiency are chosen as the objective functions. The design rule chosen for this study is that the heat transfer area should be constrained. The mathematical expressions for assessing performance parameters with respect to area ratio, were derived for this study. These expressions are transcendental equations. The numerical solution method was employed to calculate the approximate solutions of the optimum performance parameters in a numerical example. The results indicate that the increase in the outlet temperature of heat recovery reservoir could lead to a rise in the maximum value of refrigerating rate and minimum value of input power; also it will lead to the decline in the maximum value of refrigeration coefficient, heat recovery coefficient, comprehensive coefficient and the exergy efficiency. When the ratio of heat recovery heat exchanger area to the summation of high temperature heat exchanger area and the heat recovery heat exchanger area is 1.0, the performance coefficients would attain their limit values and all of the condensing heat could be recycled. Our findings are helpful to the design and optimization to inform preparation of standard relating to the development of refrigerator with heat recovery.