NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.
Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
A THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF REFRIGERANTS: PERFORMANCE LIMITS OF THE VAPOR COMPRESSION CYCLE
Published
Author(s)
Piotr A. Domanski, J S. Brown, Janusz Wojtusiak, Mark O. McLinden
Abstract
This paper explores the thermodynamic performance limits of the vapor compression cycle. In particular, we apply evolutionary algorithms to explore the performance of thousands of hypothetical refrigerants defined by their thermodynamic parameters used by the extended corresponding states model. We identified optimal values of these fundamental parameters required to reach the performance limits. The study confirmed the fundamental trade-off between the coefficient of performance (COP) and volumetric capacity, and indicated refrigerant critical temperature as the dominant parameter influencing the tradeoff. Thermodynamic performance limits depend on the operating conditions and the cycle design. These limits are represented by Pareto fronts developed for the objective functions COP and volumetric capacity. As expected, the performance of current refrigerants falls below the Pareto front limits. We demonstrate that for practical cycles the developed methodology and resulting Pareto fronts are more realistic benchmarks for the performance potentials of refrigerants than is COP alone, which is an efficiency only metric.
Citation
International Journal of Refrigeration-Revue Internationale Du Froid
Domanski, P.
, Brown, J.
, Wojtusiak, J.
and McLinden, M.
(2013),
A THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF REFRIGERANTS: PERFORMANCE LIMITS OF THE VAPOR COMPRESSION CYCLE, International Journal of Refrigeration-Revue Internationale Du Froid, [online], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2013.09.036
(Accessed October 14, 2025)