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Entropy, Exergy Analysis and Optimization for Refrigeration and Heat Pump Systems

A special issue of Entropy (ISSN 1099-4300). This special issue belongs to the section "Thermodynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 568

Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Refrigeration machines and heat pumps are energy-conversion systems that operate based on inverse thermodynamic cycles. Refrigeration machines and heat pumps are core systems in air conditioning, cooling, freezing, artificial heating, and thermal management applications across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Due to the high energy consumption associated with these systems, improving their thermodynamic performance is a major research and engineering goal. Conventional performance indicators (the first law of thermodynamics)—the coefficient of performance (COP) is the key indicator—are applied to the overall system. To address the irreversibilities within system components, entropy analysis (the second law of thermodynamics) should be applied. Exergy analysis, as a combination of the first and second laws of thermodynamics, offers a more comprehensive tool for evaluating the performance of the overall system and its components. Optimizing refrigeration and heat pump systems using entropy and exergy concepts involves reducing entropy generation and minimizing exergy destruction through improved component design and operating strategies. This includes optimizing compressor efficiency, enhancing heat-exchanger effectiveness, selecting environmentally friendly and thermodynamically suitable refrigerants, and optimizing temperature and pressure levels. Exergy-based analysis and optimization further support decision-making by linking thermodynamic performance with economic and environmental considerations.

This Special Issue aims to showcase new improvements and optimizations of refrigeration machines, heat pumps, and thermodynamic methods.

Prof. Dr. Tatiana Morosuk
Dr. Muhammad Sultan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Entropy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy analysis
  • entropy analysis
  • exergy analysis
  • thermodynamic cycle
  • heat pump
  • refrigeration machine
  • irreversibility
  • exergy destruction
  • efficiency
  • optimization

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

30 pages, 11564 KB  
Article
Thermodynamic Performance Analysis and Refrigerant Evaluation of Enhanced Cascade Vapor-Injection Refrigeration Systems
by Jidong Li, Maolin Cai, Weiqing Xu and Guanwei Jia
Entropy 2026, 28(7), 747; https://doi.org/10.3390/e28070747 - 1 Jul 2026
Abstract
To enhance the compression efficiency and refrigerant flow capacity for low-temperature refrigeration applications, the vapor-injection strategy is innovatively synthesized with two-stage cascade refrigeration systems. Two cascade vapor-injection configurations with subcoolers and flash tanks (CSVIRS and CFVIRS) are compared with the conventional cascade refrigeration [...] Read more.
To enhance the compression efficiency and refrigerant flow capacity for low-temperature refrigeration applications, the vapor-injection strategy is innovatively synthesized with two-stage cascade refrigeration systems. Two cascade vapor-injection configurations with subcoolers and flash tanks (CSVIRS and CFVIRS) are compared with the conventional cascade refrigeration system (CCRS) through integrated thermodynamic simulations. The impacts of crucial temperature and injection parameters are comprehensively analyzed through energy and exergy methods, while the performance comparisons of various refrigerant combinations are also conducted. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the CFVIRS exceeds that of the CCRS and CSVIRS by 33.84% and 2.10% under the default condition. The cascade vapor-injection configurations exhibit a performance advantage at higher condensation temperature and lower evaporation temperature of the low-temperature cycle (LTC). The evaporation temperature of the high-temperature cycle (HTC) and injection pressures are examined with optimum solutions. Decreasing the entrainment ratio of the HTC and increasing the entrainment ratio of the LTC within appropriate ranges are beneficial for the refrigeration performance. R1270-R170 demonstrates superior energy and exergy performance, whereas R143a-R23 shows the highest improvement ratio among the compared refrigerants. The implementation of cascade vapor injection substantially reduces exergy destruction in the compression and expansion devices, while the exergy characteristics of various refrigerant pairs are extensively investigated. Full article
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