Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants

The ground source heat pump (GSHP) system is receiving increasing interest because of its potential to increase energy efficiency and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Using low-GWP refrigerants is another effective approach to reducing emissions. However, alternative refrigerants also affect th...

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Main Authors: Fang Wang, Tian You
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-02-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X23000679
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author Fang Wang
Tian You
author_facet Fang Wang
Tian You
author_sort Fang Wang
collection DOAJ
description The ground source heat pump (GSHP) system is receiving increasing interest because of its potential to increase energy efficiency and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Using low-GWP refrigerants is another effective approach to reducing emissions. However, alternative refrigerants also affect the energy performance of GSHP systems, so the life cycle climate performance (LCCP) is evaluated to facilitate reasonable refrigerant selection. The GSHP systems using five refrigerants (R134a, R152a, R1234yf, R1234ze(E), and R290) are simulated under the fixed and individual design methods, considering different climate zones. The results reveal that (1) R152a and R1234ze(E) are the optimum low-GWP refrigerants in four different climate zones under fixed and individual design methods, respectively. However, R290 and R1234yf are not good alternative refrigerants for their highest total emissions, though their GWP is low. (2) Changchun has the largest direct emissions (0.04–67.92 tCO2eq) and indirect emissions (2628.27–3065.76 tCO2eq) for its severe cold climate. (3) The refrigerant leakage rate (RLR) has a great impact on the total emissions of GSHPs with a high-GWP refrigerant, while the refrigerant charge has the least impact. The carbon emission factor (CEF) also has a rising influence on the LCCP. This research aims to provide suggestions for the selection of GSHP refrigerants towards carbon neutrality.
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spelling doaj.art-a07e8edceb5c46a293c20a0b29e980cd2023-02-02T04:48:55ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2023-02-0142102761Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerantsFang Wang0Tian You1School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, 519082, ChinaCorresponding author.; School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, 519082, ChinaThe ground source heat pump (GSHP) system is receiving increasing interest because of its potential to increase energy efficiency and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Using low-GWP refrigerants is another effective approach to reducing emissions. However, alternative refrigerants also affect the energy performance of GSHP systems, so the life cycle climate performance (LCCP) is evaluated to facilitate reasonable refrigerant selection. The GSHP systems using five refrigerants (R134a, R152a, R1234yf, R1234ze(E), and R290) are simulated under the fixed and individual design methods, considering different climate zones. The results reveal that (1) R152a and R1234ze(E) are the optimum low-GWP refrigerants in four different climate zones under fixed and individual design methods, respectively. However, R290 and R1234yf are not good alternative refrigerants for their highest total emissions, though their GWP is low. (2) Changchun has the largest direct emissions (0.04–67.92 tCO2eq) and indirect emissions (2628.27–3065.76 tCO2eq) for its severe cold climate. (3) The refrigerant leakage rate (RLR) has a great impact on the total emissions of GSHPs with a high-GWP refrigerant, while the refrigerant charge has the least impact. The carbon emission factor (CEF) also has a rising influence on the LCCP. This research aims to provide suggestions for the selection of GSHP refrigerants towards carbon neutrality.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X23000679Ground source heat pumpLife cycle climate performanceAlternative refrigerantsRefrigerant chargeCarbon emission factorGlobal warming
spellingShingle Fang Wang
Tian You
Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Ground source heat pump
Life cycle climate performance
Alternative refrigerants
Refrigerant charge
Carbon emission factor
Global warming
title Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants
title_full Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants
title_fullStr Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants
title_full_unstemmed Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants
title_short Comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants
title_sort comparative analysis on the life cycle climate performance of ground source heat pump using alternative refrigerants
topic Ground source heat pump
Life cycle climate performance
Alternative refrigerants
Refrigerant charge
Carbon emission factor
Global warming
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X23000679
work_keys_str_mv AT fangwang comparativeanalysisonthelifecycleclimateperformanceofgroundsourceheatpumpusingalternativerefrigerants
AT tianyou comparativeanalysisonthelifecycleclimateperformanceofgroundsourceheatpumpusingalternativerefrigerants