Abstract
This paper deals with an experimental study on the performance evaluation of a room air conditioner using R32. The test room air conditioner is a product developed for the R410A use. The COP, cooling and heating capacities, charge amount of refrigerant, electric power input, refrigerant thermodynamic states in the air conditioner etc. were measured for both refrigerant R410A and R32, based on JIS-C9612 standard. The experimental results of R32 are evaluated in comparison with the results of R410A, and the following are confirmed :(1) The performance of R32 is higher than R410A. This reason is mainly due to the pressure drop and heat exchange characteristics (in the evaporator and the condenser), (2) The charge amount of R32 is less than that of R410A. From the above results, the further improving the performance and saving the refrigerant amount are expected when refrigerant R410A is replaced with R32. The effects of the performance of components on the COP are also analyzed based on the measured thermodynamic states at both ends of components in the system. Then, it's clarified that the most effective factor is irreversibility of the compressor and the following is the pressure drop in low pressure side including the evaporator and the suction pipe in the system.
