Thermoeconomic model of a commercial transcritical booster refrigeration system

For cooling applications in supermarkets, booster refrigeration systems operating in both transcritical and subcritical conditions are increasingly used. A thermodynamic model of a transcritical booster refrigeration plant is tailored to match the new generation of commercial refrigeration plants. The booster refrigeration plant consists of one refrigerant cycle supplying refrigerant for evaporators in both cooled and frozen display cases. The detailed numerical model of a refrigeration plant reflects that the trans- and subcritical operation criteria depends on heat rejection performance defined by ambient conditions. As two evaporation temperatures are produced from one exergy stream, thermoeconomic theory is used to establish the price of cooling at each individual temperature level based on operating costs. The analysis shows that exergy for cooling frozen displays has approximately double cost of exergy for cooling. Second law analysis is needed to illustrate the characteristics of the plant at different load rates, according to the alternating load profile and corresponding to outdoor conditions. With the detailed model, different uses of the analysis are possible, including thermoeconomic diagnosis. One approach to diagnosis is considered, including the many factors of uncertainty between numerical model and plant at different loads. The characteristic curves method is applied to the high pressure compressor unit of the refrigeration plant. This successfully determines whether an anomaly is intrinsic or induced.