Thermodynamic Performance Comparison of Refrigeration Systems using R-134a, R-744, and R-32 for Indonesian Fishing Boats

Abstract

Indonesian fishermen are lagging behind in the global fishing Industry due to several reasons such as the absence of effective fish refrigeration storage facilities. This is observed from the fact that the fishing boats use conventional refrigerants, R-134a, considered capable of damaging the ozone and climate. Meanwhile, the boats in Europe are using carbon dioxide, R-744, which has been updated and believed to be better for nature. Therefore, this study aimed to compare and analyze the enthalpy, energy, and coefficient of performance (COP) in the cooling system of fishing boats varied at R-134a, R-744 and R-32. The thermodynamic simulations were conducted by varying the pressure from 800 Kpa to 1000 Kpa. The temperatures used were also in different categories, including low from -2°C to -6°C and high from 31°C to 40°C. The results showed that the compressor with R-744 working fluid produced the highest energy consumption and had the lowest COP compared to R-134a and R-32. However, the use of R-744 in Indonesia fishing boats was observed to be a challenge. These findings highlight the potential for adopting R-32 as a more efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerant for Indonesian fishing boats, addressing global sustainability goals while improving local competitiveness in the fishing industry.