Thermoeconomic optimization of subcooled and superheated vapor compression refrigeration cycle

An exergy-based thermoeconomic optimization application is applied to a subcooled and superheated vapor compression refrigeration system. The advantage of using the exergy method of thermoeconomic optimization is that various elements of the system—i.e., condenser, evaporator, subcooling and superheating heat exchangers—can be optimized on their own. The application consists of determining the optimum heat exchanger areas with the corresponding optimum subcooling and superheating temperatures. A cost function is specified for the optimum conditions. All calculations are made for three refrigerants: R22, R134a, and R407c. Thermodynamic properties of refrigerants are formulated using the Artificial Neural Network methodology.