Performance Analysis of Low GWP Refrigerants R1234yf and R448A in a Small High and Low-temperature Test Equipment

Aim: The article presents an analysis of the feasibility of R1234yf and R448A, two new low GWP refrigerants, as alternatives to R404A in the refrigeration system of small high and lowtemperature test equipment. Methods: The physical properties of R448A and R404A are similar. Compared with R404A, the GWP of R1234yf and R448A reduced by 99.9% and 67.7%, respectively. The analysis is based on an experimental comparison of R404A with R448A and R1234yf, comparing the compressor discharge temperature, COP, cooling capacity, and the cooling rate of three refrigeration systems at different ambient temperatures. Results: The experimental results show that the cooling capacity of R448A is better than R404A at a higher condensing temperature. Conclusion: When the charging volume is 230g, and the ambient temperature is 25°C, the COP of the R448A system is increased by about 24.63% compared with the R404A system.