• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.823-829
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• 2012

In this study, the performance of mobile air conditioner(MAC) systems to which the refrigerants R134a and R1234yf were used was evaluated to compare the characteristic of automotive refrigeration cycles with refrigerant. The experimental setup of a MAC consists of an belt driven compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a block type thermal expansion valve. The drop-in test on MAC were carried out under variable compressor speed from 800 to 2500 rpm. Performance test by using R1234yf and R134a in the same system revealed low the charge amount and mass flow rates for using R1234yf, that is, up to 10% and 17%, respectively. The compressor discharge temperature of R1234yf is $8^{\circ}C$ lower than that of R134a. The cooling capacity with R1234yf system decreased by 4~7% compared with R134a system. In addition, The COP of R1234yf system is lower 3~4% than that of R134a system.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2012

CFC-12 used in mobile air conditioning(MAC) system has been replaced by R-134a, a type of HFC refrigerant, from 1991 to 1994. R-134a has since been widely used as a refrigerant of a mobile air conditioner. However, it is one of the six main green house gases listed in Kyoto Protocol, which makes it imperative to regulate its emission and develop alternative refrigerants. In this study, the concentration of leaked R-134a was measured using VT(Variable Temperature) shed and Running loss test shed to analyze the level of air conditioner refrigerant leaked in a vehicle. According to the analysis of the concentration of R-134a leaked from a vehicle parked, annual leakage amount of R-134a was in the range of 6.46~13.28 g/yr. The figure was similar with the leakage from the mobile air conditioning system currently used. In a study using the same vehicle model, a vehicle equipped with dual evaporation system had a higher leakage rate of refrigerant than a vehicle with a single evaporation system. It appears that the added fittings and joints of the dual evaporator system led to higher leakage rate. Besides, the analysis of the change in R-134a concentration under various car speed found that more refrigerant leaked under high speed(100km/hr) and but the volume of the wind did not affect to the variation of refrigerant leakage.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.259-270
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• 2012

Mobile air conditioning(MAC) systems of light-duty vehicles consume the most energy among auxiliary parts. Vehicle $CO_2$ reduction policies in Korea, US EPA and EU include the strategies to reduce additional $CO_2$ by MAC operation with providing incentive for the high-efficient MAC technologies. It is under development how to estimate MAC $CO_2$ and to differentiate advanced or high-efficient MAC system in US EPA and EU. The additional energy by MAC operation would beaffected by not only driving patterns but also environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. In this study, we estimated MAC $CO_2$ of Korean light-duty vehicles with various driving cycles and environmental conditions. Test results were corrected to reference conditions for varied temperature and humidity during tests to get the comparable data for test vehicles. The test results showed that high-efficient MAC technologies have potential to reduce MAC $CO_2$ approximately by 50%. Considering the rate of MAC $CO_2$ to vehicle $CO_2$, it is expected that the introduction of high-efficient MAC technologies would considerably reduce vehicle $CO_2$ emission in MAC operation.