SavedAdd your journal

Journals / International Journal of Automotive Science and Technology / 2026 / Volume: 10 Issue: 1

Comparison of the Thermodynamic Performance and Total Equivalent Warming Impacts of Various Refrigerants Alternative to R134a in Automobile Air Conditioning Systems for Cooling Mode Operations

Murat Hoşöz(KOCAELİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-3136-9586
Eren Kabak(KOCAELI UNIVERSITY)0009-0000-9728-7316
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-03-08
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

It was found that R1234yf and R1234ze(e) provided 4.11% and 0.16% lower coefficient of performance (COP) than R134a, respectively, while R152a, R430A, and R440A yielded 3.20%, 1.52%, and 4.46% higher COP, respectively.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The variations of significant energetic and exergetic performance parameters of automobile air conditioning systems operated in cooling mode for refrigerants R1234yf, R1234ze(e), R152a, R430A and R440A, which can be used as alternatives to R134a, were evaluated and presented comparatively for typical evaporating and condensing temperatures and a cooling capacity of 4 kW.
📊
Key Findings & Data:It was found that R1234yf and R1234ze(e) provided 4.11% and 0.16% lower coefficient of performance (COP) than R134a, respectively, while R152a, R430A, and R440A yielded 3.20%, 1.52%, and 4.46% higher COP, respectively.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Moreover, the AAC system using the refrigerant with the greatest GWP, R134a, accounts for only 9.5−10.5% of the vehicle’s TEWI, depending on the fuel type.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Alternative refrigerant · Automobile air conditioning · COP

Abstract

The variations of significant energetic and exergetic performance parameters of automobile air conditioning systems operated in cooling mode for refrigerants R1234yf, R1234ze(e), R152a, R430A and R440A, which can be used as alternatives to R134a, were evaluated and presented comparatively for typical evaporating and condensing temperatures and a cooling capacity of 4 kW. Furthermore, the direct and indirect total equivalent warming impacts (TEWI) caused by operating automotive air conditioning systems in cooling mode with the specified refrigerants were calculated and compared for the automobile using gasoline, diesel fuel and LPG. It was found that R1234yf and R1234ze(e) provided 4.11% and 0.16% lower coefficient of performance (COP) than R134a, respectively, while R152a, R430A, and R440A yielded 3.20%, 1.52%, and 4.46% higher COP, respectively. In agreement with the COP results, R440A has the highest exergetic efficiency, followed by R152a, R430A, R134a, R1234ze(e) and R1234yf, respectively. For all refrigerants, the compressor is the component destroying the highest rate of exergy, while the evaporator is the component destroying the lowest rate. These results reveal that the most energy and exergy efficient refrigerant is R440A. For the case of an automobile using gasoline, R134a has the highest TEWI value, namely 5834 equivalent kg CO2, while R1234ze(e) offers the lowest TEWI, namely 2857 equivalent kg CO2. In the TEWI ranking, R134a is followed by R440A, R152a, R430A, R1234yf, and R1234ze(e). The TEWI results for the automobile using diesel fuel are quite close to those for the automobile using gasoline. In the automobile fueled with LPG, the TEWI caused by the air conditioning system operated in cooling mode is 9−18% lower than those obtained for the gasoline and diesel cases for all refrigerants. Moreover, the AAC system using the refrigerant with the greatest GWP, R134a, accounts for only 9.5−10.5% of the vehicle’s TEWI, depending on the fuel type.

🔖

Cite This Article

Hoşöz, M., Kabak, E. (2026). Comparison of the Thermodynamic Performance and Total Equivalent Warming Impacts of Various Refrigerants Alternative to R134a in Automobile Air Conditioning Systems for Cooling Mode Operations. International Journal of Automotive Science and Technology, Volume: 10 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.30939/ijastech..1827501

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (36)

  1. Bhatti MS. Riding in Comfort Part II: Evolution of Automotive Air Conditioning. ASHRAE Journal. 1999;41:44−50.
  2. UNEP. Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer, final act. United Nations Environment Programme; 1987.
  3. Lee Y, Jung D. A brief performance comparison of R1234yf and R134a in a bench tester for automobile applications. Applied Thermal Engineering. 2012;35:240−242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2011.09.004
  4. IPCC. Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; 2023; Geneva, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.59327/IPCC/AR6-9789291691647
  5. UNEP. Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. United Nations Environment Programme; 1997.
  6. EU. Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases and repealing Regulation (EC) No 842/2006. Official Journal of European Union. 2014; L 150−195.
  7. Zhang Z, Wang J, Feng X, Chang L, Chen Y, Wang X. The solutions to electric vehicle air conditioning systems: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2018;91:443−463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.04.005
  8. Gungor U, Hosoz M. Performance comparison of a mobile air conditioning system using an orifice tube as an expansion device for R1234yf and R134a. Science and Technology for the Built Environment. 2024;30: 588−598. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744731.2024.2309124
  9. Zilio C, Brown JS, Schiochet G, Cavallini A. The refrigerant R1234yf in air conditioning systems. Energy. 2011;36:6110−6120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2011.08.002
  10. Alkan A, Kolip A, Hosoz M. Energetic and exergetic performance comparison of an experimental automotive air conditioning system using refrigerants R1234yf and R134a. Journal of Thermal Engineering. 2021;7:1163−1173. https://doi.org/10.18186/thermal.978014
  11. Tasdemirci E, Alptekin E, Hosoz M. Experimental performance comparison of R1234yf and R134a automobile air conditioning systems employing a variable capacity compressor. International Journal of Vehicle Design. 2022;90:1−18. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJVD.2022.129169
  12. Prabakaran R, Lal DM, Kim SC. Thermodynamic analysis of air conditioning system for a passenger vehicle with suction line heat exchanger using HFO-1234yf. Heat Transfer Engineering. 2023:814−832. https://doi.org/10.1080/01457632.2023.2227801
  13. İnan MS, Alkan A. Performance analysis of different refrigerants in automobile air conditioning equipment using variable capacity compressor. International Journal of Automotive Science and Technology. 2024;5:372−377. https://doi.org/10.30939/ijastech.992262
  14. Abraham JDAP, Mohanraj M, Selvakumar M, Raj AK. Experimental assessments on R430A as an environment‑friendly replacement to R134a in vehicle air conditioners. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering. 2021;43:162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-021-02873-1
  15. Prabakaran R, Sidney S, Iyyappan R, Lal DM. Experimental studies on the performance of mobile air conditioning system using environmental friendly HFO-1234yf as a refrigerant. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part E-Journal of Process and Engineering. 2019;235:735−742. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954408919881236
  16. Cho H, Lee H, Park C. Performance characteristics of an automobile air conditioning system with internal heat exchanger using refrigerant R1234yf. Applied Thermal Engineering. 2013; 61:563 −569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2013.08.030
  17. Direk M, Kelesoglu A, Akin A. Drop-in performance analysis and effect of IHX for an automotive air conditioning system with R1234yf as a replacement of R134a. Strojniski Vestnik – Journal of Mechanical Engineering. 2017;63:314−319. https://doi.org/10.5545/sv-jme.2016.4247
  18. Aral MC, Suhermanto M, Hosoz M. Performance evaluation of an automotive air conditioning and heat pump system using R1234yf and R134a. Science and Technology for the Built Environment. 2021;27:44−60. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744731.2020.1776067
  19. Gungor U, Hosoz M. Experimental performance evaluation of an R1234yf automobile air conditioning system employing an internal heat exchanger. International Journal of Automotive Engineering and Technologies. 2021;10:50−59. https://doi.org/10.18245/ijaet.842426
  20. Güngor U, Hoşöz M. Performance comparison of an R1234yf automobile air conditioning system using an internal heat exchanger with R134a system. Uludağ Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Dergisi. 2024;29:783−802. https://doi.org/10.17482/uumfd.1525619
  21. Mota-Babiloni A, Navarro-Esbri J, Barragan-Cervera A, Moles F, Peris B. Drop-in energy performance evaluation of R1234yf and R1234ze(e) in a vapour compression system as R134a replacements. Applied Thermal Engineering. 2014;71:259−265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2014.06.056
  22. Devecioğlu AG, Oruç V. A comparative energetic analysis for some low-GWP refrigerants as R134a replacements in various vapor compression refrigeration systems. Journal of Thermal Sciences and Technology. 2018;38:51−61.
  23. Kabak E, Hosoz M. Thermodynamic performance comparison of a mobile air conditioning system for various HFO and HC alternative refrigerants to replace R134a. International Journal of Automotive Engineering and Technologies. 2025;14:25−37. https://doi.org/10.18245/ijaet.1536150
  24. Hasheer SKM, Kolla S, Rao DK, Ram YNVS. Theoretical exploration of low GWP refrigerant mixtures as replacement to HFC-134A in a vapour compression refrigeration system. Journal of Thermal Engineering. 2023;9:912−920. https://doi.org/10.18186/thermal.1330788
  25. Hamza A, Khan TA. Comparative performance of low-GWP refrigerants as substitutes for R134a in a vapor compression refrigeration system. Arabian Journal of Science and Engineering. 2020; 45:5697−5712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-020-04525-3
  26. Alhendal Y, Gomaa A, Bedair G, Kalendar A. Thermal performance analysis of low-GWP refrigerants in automotive air-conditioning system. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering. 2020; Article ID 7967812:1−14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7967812
  27. Bilen K, Işık B, Dağıdır K, Arcaklıoğlu E. Thermodynamic analysis of usage of R134a, R1234yf, R450A, R513A, and R515B in the mechanical vapor compression refrigeration system. Journal of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture of Gazi University. 2024;39:161−175. https://doi.org/10.17341/gazimmfd.1203826
  28. Patel B, Parekh A. Energy, exergy and entropy analysis with R1234yf as an alternate refrigerant to R134a of automobile air conditioning system. Journal of Thermal Engineering. 2024;10:101− 114. https://doi.org/10.18186/thermal.1429400
  29. Alkan A. Theoretical comparison analysis of R134a, R1234yf, R452A and R454C refrigerants used in automobile, trailer, commercial and industrial cooling systems. European Mechanical Science. 2024;8:47−53. https://doi.org/10.26701/ems.1437841
  30. Örgen FKD, Dikmen E, Şahin, AŞ. Energy, exergy environment and environmental economic analysis of the vapor compression refrigeration system working with R513A and R515B refrigerants instead of R134a. Journal of Technical Science. 2023;13:34−40. https://doi.org/10.35354/tbed.1127021
  31. Tuchowski W, Kurtz-Orecka K. The Influence of Refrigerants Used in Air-Conditioning Systems in Motor Vehicles on the Environment. In: Ball, P., Huaccho Huatuco, L., Howlett, R., Setchi, R. (eds) Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2019. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies. Springer, Singapore; 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9271-9_51
  32. Alkan A, Kolip A, Hosoz M. Experimental energy and exergy performance of an automotive heat pump using R1234yf. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry. 2021;146:787−799. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-020-10035-z
  33. Hodnebrog Ø, Etminan M, Fuglestvedt JS, Marston G, Myhre G, Nielsen JC, Shine KP, Wallington TJ. Global warming potentials and radiative efficiencies of halocarbons and related compounds: A comprehensive review. Reviews of Geophysics. 2013;51:300− 378. https://doi.org/10.1002/rog.20013
  34. Lemmon EW, Huber ML, McLinden MO. Reference Fluid Thermodynamic and Transport Properties (REFPROP), Version 9.1, in NIST Standard Reference Database 23. National Institute of Standards and Technology; 2013.
  35. Cho H, Park C. Experimental investigation of performance and exergy analysis of automotive air conditioning systems using refrigerant R1234yf at various compressor speeds. Applied Thermal Engineering 2016;101:30−37.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.01.153
  36. İnan MS, Alkan A. Performance analysis of different refrigerants in automobile air conditioning equipment using variable capacity compressor. International Journal of Automotive Science and Technology. 2024;5:372−377. https://doi.org/10.30939/ijastech.992262