Experimental study of heat transfer performance of industrial air cooler applying R449A instead of R507A refrigerant

Abstract In response to the problem of refrigerant pollution of the environment, this paper carries out research experiments on the performance of industrial air coolers using R449A and R507A refrigerants, comparing how refrigerant properties impact evaporator heat transfer performance. The parameters, such as the cooling capacity of the evaporator, were analyzed using the heat balance method. The results demonstrate that using R449A refrigerant in the evaporator at 0 °C enhances cooling capacity by 4.52% and heat transfer coefficient by 9.1% compared to the original R507A system. Using R449A refrigerant in the evaporator decreased the cooling capacity and heat transfer coefficient by 25% and 28.26%, respectively, at -18 °C, compared to the original R507A system. Studies have shown that R449A, when replacing R507A systems, has better heat transfer performance at higher temperatures and is suitable for refrigeration systems with higher temperature conditions.