Novel Cascade Refrigeration Cycle for Cold Supply Chain of COVID-19 Vaccines at Ultra-Low Temperature -80°C Using Ethane (R170) Based Hydrocarbon Pair

Several media report highlight on that the pharmaceutical companies require ultra-low temperatures -80°C to transport and store its COVID-19 vaccines. This research presents the thermodynamic analysis on cascade refrigeration system (CRS) with several refrigerant pairs which are R32/R170, R123/R170, R134a/R170, R404A/R170, R407c/R170, R410/R170, and the hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerant pair Propane/Ethane, namely R290/R170. Besides, the results of R22/R170 pair, which is not recommended to be used due to phase out of R22 as per Montréal Protocol, are included as base case to compare the novel hydrocarbon pairs in CRS and the old trend of refrigerant pairs. Thermodynamic properties of all these pairs were investigated and compared under different intermediate temperature used in CRS heat exchanger, which thermally connected both the Low and High temperature cycles (LTC) and (HTC). By applying the first law of thermodynamics, the coefficients of performance (COPs) and the specific power consumptions (SPC) in kW/TR are presented and compared. In addition, by applying the second law of thermodynamics the exergetic efficiencies were estimated. The results reveal the promising opportunity of using the HC pair (R290/R170). The minimum SPC in kW/TR is recorded for the pair R123/R170. One the other hand, the highest exegetic efficiency values are observed to be 40%, 38%, and 35% for the pairs R123/R170, R290/R170, and R134/R170, respectively. This research concludes that the HC pair (R290/R170) is highly recommended for CRS applications either to transport the COVID-19 or store it in cold storage rooms in hospitals and clinics. All precautionary measures should be carefully applied in design and operation of HC pair (R290/R170) due to its flammability hazard.

Phase Equilibrium Characteristics of CO_(2)and Ionic Liquids with[FAP]-Anion Used for Absorption-Compression Refrigeration Working Pairs

The study of the phase equilibrium characteristics of CO_(2)-ionic liquids(ILs)as new absorption-compression type refrigeration working pairs is of great importance.Three kinds of ILs,i.e.,[emim][FAP],[bmim][FAP]and[hmim][FAP],were chosen as potential absorbents.The solubility of CO_(2)in these ILs was measured experimentally within 0 to 5.0 MPa at temperatures of 293.15 K to 333.15 K,and the effects of temperature,pressure,IL anion and cation structure and stirring action on CO_(2)solubility were also discussed and analyzed.The results showed that the longer alkyl chains in an identical IL family,the alkyl fluoride group in IL anions and the stirring action by a magnetic stirrer had positive effects on the solubility of CO_(2).In the three ILs,[hmim][FAP]possessed the best performance for CO_(2)absorption;the solubility of CO_(2)reached 0.7641 at a pressure of 5 MPa and temperature of 293.15 K,the maximum solubility measured in this work.The CO_(2)-[hmim][FAP]binary mixture is recommended as a potentially applicable working pair for CO_(2)absorption-compression refrigeration systems.