Natural Working Fluids
 

Volume 22, No.1/2004

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In this issue

Over the years, the refrigeration and heat pump industry has seen its choice of refrigerants reduced by restrictions and bans on the use of various substances. It looks as if HFC refrigerants are now next in line for this treatment, with limitations on their use in several European countries. There will be little choice but to use natural working fluids. This edition of HPC Newsletter is therefore concentrated on research into natural working fluids.

Heat Pump News

Launch of global partnership promoting sustainable energy
 Energy and environment ministers from several countries were among the guests when the 'Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)' was inaugurated in London on 23rd October. The work of the partnership is aimed at overcoming obstacles in the way of renewable energy and energy-efficient energy sources.

 

Shipments of air conditioners set new records in China and USA...
 Total sales of air conditioners in China in 2003 accounted for 60 % of the world market. Domestic sales and export sales are estimated to have amounted to about 34 million units. In the USA, too, total sales of air conditioners

and heat pumps established new records, with sales of air  conditioners increasing by 1 % and those of heat pumps by 10 %.

 

...but continue to decline in Japan
Sales of air conditioners in Japan, on the other hand, moved in the other direction, falling by 1,9 % last year, although this is not as bad as in 2002, when sales fell by 10 %.

 

New Operating Agent for the IEA Heat Pump Centre
With effect from 1st January this year, the secretariat of the IEA Heat Pump Centre is operated by SP SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden. There will be changes in the web site and in the newsletter. For instance is this e-Newsletter a new service.

Events

Heat Pump Conference in Las Vegas, 2005 – Call for Papers
The Eighth IEA Heat Pump Conference will be held in Las Vegas from 30th May to 2nd June 2005. The programme will include presentations by invited speakers and others who have submitted papers selected for presentation. Please submit abstracts of planned papers to your regional coordinator by not later than 30th April 2004.

To the conference site

Topical Articles

Natural refrigerants for heat pumps
What are the benefits of using natural refrigerants in refrigeration and heat pump applications? What are their properties, and in which applications are they most suitable? 

 

Alternative Refrigerants: progress in carbon dioxide systems
Carbon dioxide is a refrigerant of considerable potential interest at present. Several sessions of the IIR Conference in Washington were devoted to it. Read about the main results from the literature study of its thermodynamic properties, possible cycles, pressure drops and heat transfer, system design and other aspects.

 

CO2 as a working fluid in compression systems
An oil-free reciprocating compressor has been built and tested for operation with carbon dioxide at supercritical pressures and temperatures. The tests indicated good performance, including quiet operation. This is one of the results from a now concluded project within the IEA Heat Pump Programme, intended to

advance the technology of using  carbon dioxide as a refrigerant by tackling both fundamental and practical problems. This article describes the results from the various sub-projects. 

 

A small heat pump with ammonia as working fluid
Ammonia is a refrigerant that is used in large refrigeration and heat pump plants, but which has not been used in small units. One of the reasons for this is the need to avoid the use of copper-based materials. To find solutions to these problems, a small heat pump with ammonia as refrigerants was built within the scope of a research project. 

 

Non-topical Articles

Competitive strength of renewable energy in the building sector
Working in conjunction with consultants, installation contractors, manufacturers and end users, Novem in Holland has developed a method for determining the market potentials of renewable energy sources and systems in buildings. The method is based on economic parameters, with complementary input from subjective factors such as aesthetics, image etc. It can be used, for example, by government to help develop efficient guide measures.