Hydrocarbon as Refrigerant for Domestic Air Conditioner: A Comparative Study between R22 and R290

Abstract

Performance of a domestic split type air conditioner was evaluated by using two different refrigerants, i.e., R22 and R290. This paper presents the outcomes of this comparative study. The experimental investigation was conducted by using a 1 hp air conditioning unit. Power consumptions by the complete system including the evaporator as well as by the compressor alone were measured by clamp meter. Temperature was also measured at different locations by digital fluke thermometer whereas digital multimeter was used to measure the current supplied to the system. The air conditioner was run for six hours and the temperature of the cold air coming out from the evaporator was measured each time by setting three different set point temperatures, i.e., 16°C, 19°C, and 22°C. From the measured information, coefficient of performance (COP), and energy efficiency ratio (ERR) were calculated for each refrigerant. The results revealed that R290 refrigerant has better COP and EER compared to R22 refrigerant. The usage of R290 refrigerant can