BACKGROUND

International consensus was reached to take steps to reduce the emissions of both ozone layer depleters and "greenhouse" gases that are implicated in global warming. All chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and HCFC compounds possess an ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP). There was a challenge to the refrigeration industry created by the need to reduce or even eliminate the emissions of all compounds with a significant ODP and/or GWP. Therefore, there is a need to develop higher efficiency compressors for the refrigeration industry in order to satisfy the growing need worldwide.

Robust design methodology was used to optimize the design process of valve parts of compressors that would affect the energy efficiency ratio (EER). Several parameters that influence refrigeration capacity were examined in order to determine the optimal design of valve parts of compressors.

PROCESS

The robust design method proved to be extremely helpful in reducing EER in optimizing valve design of compressors. Eight design parameters were tested under one noise factor, oil. Eighteen design configurations were tested where input energy in wattage was considered the signal and output energy in wattage was the response.

BENEFITS

• The dynamic S/N ratio approach proved to be extremely helpful in improving EER in optimizing valve design of the compressors.

• There is a 3.63-dB gain in S/N ratio, which is equivalent to reducing variance by half or more. With this improvement, efficiency has gone up by 3.3%. This is very significant in this industry.