Investigation of Low Global Warming Potential Refrigerant Alternatives for Naval Chillers
Abstract
Topic: PD-01 Technical Point of Contact: Steve Mastro Abstract: Most US Navy surface ships commissioned since 2001 use R-134a for space conditioning and refrigeration. This refrigerant has a high global warming potential (GWP ~ 1400) and is the subject of legislative phase out, threating future availability. For Navy applications, a suitable replacement candidate should be widely available from US-based manufacturing facilities, be non-flammable with acceptable decomposition products, work as a “dropin” or back-fit replacement for existing Navy chiller plants and maintain equivalent or superior energy efficiency and thermal performance compared to R-134a in air conditioning, refrigeration, and high heat flux removal applications. Selected refrigerants must have a GWP less than 750, and ideally less than 150 to comply with potential future legislative action. Thus, the overall goals of this research are to (1) identify low global warming potential (GWP) alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) R-134a for use in Navy centrifugal air conditioning (AC) plants, and (2) to provide hands-on technical training for undergraduate and graduate students to prepare them for Navy intern programs and participation in the Navy’s civil service. These goals will be accomplished through three research objectives. Objective 1: Conduct comparative performance assessment of low-GWP alternatives using a high-fidelity AC plant model built with experimentally measured boiling and condensation heat transfer coefficients at standard and offdesign conditions. Objective 2: Experimentally evaluate the high heat flux removal performance of promising lowGWP alternatives for future two-phase electronics cooling. Objective 3: Engage a minimum of fifteen students in hands-on research that are eligible to continue into Navy intern programs or Navy civil service. This work addresses a current Navy technology need, while simultaneously providing significant hands-on experience to develop the future Naval workforce.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 12, 2025
- Source ID
- N001742310008
Entities
People
- Brian Fronk
Organizations
- Pennsylvania State University
- United States Navy