Computational Study on R134a Refrigerant for Vortex Tube Condenser for Automotive Air-Conditioner

This paper provides the importance of vortex tube, when it is employed in HVAC closed system, with different working fluids. The vortex tube condenser (VTC) can provide the better heat transfer rate and may help to diminish the carbon emissions by reducing the HVAC parasitic load on engine. During the numerical studies, two different VTC geometries employed with 2 and 6 nozzles were analysed under two working refrigerant fluids (R134a and air). The prototype was assumed to be fitted in between the compressor and condenser refrigeration cycle. Further, their cooling and heating effect, temperature distribution and heat flux were analysed under adiabatic and non-adiabatic conditions. The results illustrate that Proto-II leads to higher temperature difference as compared to Proto-I for both the refrigerants unless would reach a peak value when the chamber inlet/nozzle outlet velocity gets chocked. Finally, non-adiabatic condition is considered by providing fins towards the outer side of the VTC, and for both refrigerant, the performance of the VTC is decreased. Although the temperature difference between the outlet hot and cold refrigerant was largest for Proto-II. However, the temperature drop at the outlet cold temperature was larger than the temperature rises at the high temperature outlet. Therefore, it became clear that the heat transfer to the surroundings is larger in Proto-I, and it is suitable performance for the refrigerator, which has a smaller temperature difference of outlet hot and cold refrigerant.