FEASIBILITY AND DESIGN STUDIES FOR HEAT-RECOVERY FROM A REFRIGERATIONSYSTEM WITH A CANOPUS HEAT-EXCHANGER

This paper presents an investigation of the feasibility of heat recove ry from the condenser of a vapour compression refrigeration (VCR) syst em through a Canopus heat exchanger (CHE) between the compressor and c ondenser components. The presence of the CHE makes it possible to reco ver the superheat of the discharged vapour and utilize it for increasi ng the temperature of the external fluid (water) removing heat from th e condenser. The effects of the operating temperatures in the condense r and evaporator for different inlet water temperatures and mass flow rates on the heat recovery output and its distribution over the conden ser and CHE (the fraction of the condenser heat available through the CHE), available outlet water temperature and heat recovery factor have all been studied and optimum operating parameters for feasible heat r ecovery have been ascertained. The parametric results obtained for dif ferent working fluids, such as R-22, R-12, R-717 and R-500, have been presented. It is found that, in general, a heat recovery factor of the order of 2.0 and 40% of condenser heat can be recovered through the C anopus heat exchanger for a typical set of operating conditions.