Seasonal performance assessment of refrigerants with low GWP as substitutes for R410A in heat pump air conditioning devices

Highlights: • Four refrigerants alternatives to R410A were compared. • R452B was seen to be a suitable alternative R410A at heating mode. • The SEER values of the refrigerants were very close to each other. • SEER value for all of the alternative refrigerants was found higher compared to R410A. • R446A is more suitable for air conditioners performing cooling only. - Abstract: In this study, the effect of the utilization of refrigerants with a low Global Warming Potential (GWP) instead of R410A in air conditioners on seasonal efficiency was evaluated theoretically. In the study, four different alternative refrigerants were used namely, R446A, R447A, R452B and R454B. The GWP values of all of the studied refrigerants were lower than 750. The calculations were made according to the EN 14825 standard. Average seasonal conditions were applied for heating. The results showed that R446A had the lowest heating capacity and electric consumption. R446A required electric energy consumption for extra heating due to its low heating capacity and therefore it had the lowest seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) value. The seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) values of the refrigerants were very close to each other and their average was 6.56. R452B had the most suitable with 3.92 SCOP value among the alternative refrigerants.