Efficiency of the indicated process of CO2-compressors

Abstract The compressor of a refrigerant compression process is the component with the major influence on the efficiency and reliability of the entire system. Due to the fluid properties of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), the pressure ratio of the refrigeration process with CO 2 as the working fluid is, in relation to common refrigeration processes, rather low while the pressure difference is extremely high. From experimental and theoretical considerations it becomes obvious that at these conditions a high volumetric and energetic efficiency of the compressor may be achieved if its design is appropriate. In this paper, the effects on the efficiency of the indicated compression process of a CO 2 -compressor are discussed and evaluated and a promising design concept for an efficient CO 2 -compressor is derived.