Efficient ecological function analysis and multi-objective optimizations for an endoreversible simple air refrigerator cycle

Abstract Combining finite time thermodynamics and exergetic analysis, analogous to the definition of ecological efficient power for heat engines, this paper proposes a unified performance indicator for various cycles, exergy-based efficient ecological function ( E ɛ ) which is defined as product of exergy-based ecological function and coefficient of performance, and introduces it into performance optimization of endoreversible simple air refrigerator cycle coupled to constant-temperature heat reservoirs. Relations among E ɛ , pressure ratio ( π ) and heat conductance distribution ratio ( u ) are derived by using numerical method. The cycle performance indicators which include cooling load ( R ), coefficient of performance ( ɛ ), and exergetic loss rate ( E out / T 0 ) under the different maximum objective criteria are compared. Taking π as optimal variable, and taking R , ɛ , cooling load density ( r ), E ɛ and their combinations as optimization objectives, multi-objective optimizations, totally 15 optimization combinations, are performed by using NASG-II algorithm. The results demonstrate that, the maximum E ɛ criteria can better reflect the compromise among R , ɛ and E out / T 0 . The Pareto solution sets are majorly distributed in 2.5–20 when quadru-objective optimizations are performed. The option selected by LINMAP decision-making method is closer to ideal solution when bi-objective optimization of ɛ and r is carried out.