Energy and Exergy Analysis of Modified Heat Pump for Simultaneous Production of Cooling and Water Desalination Using Diverse Refrigerants

More efficient energy conversion systems operating with clean energy sources or utilizing waste heat are crucial to minimizing the negative environmental impact associated with conventional systems. This study presents the energy and exergy analysis of a modified heat pump capable of producing cooling and desalinated water using heat dissipated in the condenser. Six refrigerants were analyzed in the theoretical evaluation of the proposed system. These were selected based on their use in vapor compression systems and their thermodynamic properties. A parametric study considering operating temperatures and relative humidities determined that refrigerant R-123 achieved the greatest benefits in terms of the EER, the GOR, and ηExergy. In contrast, the highest benefits in water desalination were obtained with refrigerant R-410a. For operating conditions of TE = 0 °C, TC = 34 °C, and TCA = 14 °C, the system using refrigerant R-123 achieved an EER, GOR, ηExergy, DW, and IT of 0.82, 2.51, 0.35, 3.46 L/h, and 0.55 kW, respectively. Additionally, the dehumidifier and the evaporator were the components contributing the highest irreversibilities, accounting for approximately 24% and 19.3%, respectively.