Enhancing The Performance of Refrigeration Systems Using The Nanoparticles: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

This review paper presents a summary of the effect of nanoparticles on refrigerants as nano-refrigerants and lubricants as nano-lubricants on the efficiency of refrigeration systems as well as the thermophysical properties of the pure fluids. The results presented in this paper confirm that addition of the nanoparticles to the pure fluids will improve the thermal properties of the pure fluids which leads to a reduction in energy consumption, and improves both of refrigeration capacity, and the coefficient of performance of refrigeration system. Improving the thermal properties of refrigerants and lubricants is related to the concentration and type of nanoparticles being mixed with them. Application of nanoparticles technology to nano-lubricants achieves a good tribology characterization such as friction reduction and wear rate as compared to pure compressor lubricants. This achieves a longer life of mechanical parts, especially a compressor. Applying the nano-refrigerants achieves good thermophysical properties due to suspended nanoparticles which have a good thermal conductivity as compared to the pure refrigerants. However, nanoparticles technologies in refrigeration systems face many obstacles such as the costs of synthesizing nanoparticles and obtaining a homogeneous mixture free of sediment and agglomeration, which means stability for these particles for the longest possible period with lubricants and refrigerants.