Summary

In conventional cooling systems, the refrigerant superheating inside the compressor is largely responsible for overall energy losses, increasing the compression specific work and decreasing the cooling capacity. In heat pump applications, superheating increases both the compression loss and the specific heating capacity of the system, since the condenser inlet temperature is directed related to the final temperature of the compression process. In this work, a new methodology is proposed to analyze the effects of superheating on compressors applied to heat pump applications, by using a model to predict its thermal profile. It is shown the importance of correctly evaluating the COP for heating when selecting a suitable compressor for this application. Different configurations were experimentally tested for the compressor in order to validate the simulation model. An experimental analysis of different solution alternatives has shown that an efficiency increase between 1.4% and 7.5% can be obtained with a well-chosen thermal management alternative. The present study also allowed the understanding of sources and sinks of heat inside the compressor and their relation regarding the increase of heating efficiency. The results indicate that suction superheating due to heat released by both the bearings and the electrical motor act to increase the compressor efficiency in heat pump applications.

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