Study evaluates R152a and R1234yf as replacements for R134a in AACs

A study by Yi-Jia Wei and Tun-Ping Teng evaluated the feasibility of retrofitting automotive air conditioners (AACs) with R152a and R1234yf as environmentally friendly alternatives to R134a. The research focused on performance and environmental impacts under various operating conditions.

R152a and R1234yf were tested at 75% (300 g) and 110% (440 g) of the original R134a charge (400 g), respectively. Tests were conducted under different outdoor ambient temperatures (30°C, 35°C, and 40°C) and compressor speeds (1000 and 1800 rpm), while maintaining fixed indoor conditions. R152a showed improved performance across all parameters, including a lower compression ratio and higher energy efficiency ratio (EER).

At 35°C and 1800 rpm, power consumption (Pc) with R152a and R1234yf was 5.96% and 5.04% lower, respectively, than with R134a. EER increased by 11.26% for R152a and 1.45% for R1234yf under the same conditions. The total equivalent warming impact (TEWI) of R152a was also lower than R1234yf’s when daily driving exceeds 4.9 hours.

The study concluded that R152a offers both better energy performance and lower environmental impact for AAC applications without requiring hardware modifications.