The United Nations recognises anthropocentric greenhouse gas emissions to be the leading cause of global warming. The International Institute of Refrigeration further addresses that in 2014 7.8% of the global greenhouse gas emissions were assigned to the refrigeration sector. This marked the importance of using metrics to evaluate the climate impact of a refrigeration system. However, as these metrics rely on uncertain values it is difficult to assess how reliable they are. The purpose of this study is therefore to evaluate the reliability of two environmental metrics by applying methods for dealing with uncertainties, and to present possible improvements to the applied methods and metric. The study begins by introducing refrigeration systems and their environmentalcontext. In the background the reader is further introduced to the topic by accounting for the evaluated metrics, TEWI and LCCP, as well as three different methods for dealing with uncertainties, Sensitivity analysis, Uncertainty analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation. In order to fulfil the purpose a data centre is modelled, and the restrictions and operation conditions of the system will be further described under section 3. The result will consist of two parts. The first part will consider the theoretical aspect of the study as well as sources and typologies of values and uncertainties. The second part will consist of the empirical results from applying the mentioned methods on the modelled system. These will be presented in graphs sorted after method and metric and are then analysed and evaluated in the discussion. It is seen that only a few parameters dominate the influence in the Sensitivity and Uncertainty analysis but that the influential parameter is dependent on the relative order of magnitude. It is also stated that the LCCP rends no additional information at the analysed conditions. When applying the Monte Carlo Simulation TEWI is considered more reliable, as in that the deterministic value is a more accurate estimation of the ’true’ environmental impact of the system. One possible improvement may be to use the rendered standard deviation for TEWI as an uncertainty range to incorporate the uncertainties in the deterministic value. The study concludes that the Sensitivity and Uncertainty analysis illustrates theinfluence of one single parameter on the final metric value. However, the analyses do not determine to what extent these final values may be considered reliable. A Monte Carlo Simulation is better applicable for some uncertainty typology than others and as such TEWI is considered more reliable than LCCP. The study lands in the conclusion that the presented methods may be improved by assigning uncertainty typologies in order to evaluate the viability of a method to incorporate the uncertainties, e.g. a Monte Carlo Simulation. / Förenta Nationerna erkänner antropocentriska utsläpp av växthusgaser som den främsta orsaken till global uppvärmning. Vidare belyser IIR att kylsektorn stod för 7.8% av de globala utsläppen av växthusgaser år 2014. Detta åskådliggjorde vikten av att använda mätmetoder som kan utvärdera klimatpåverkan hos ett kylsystem. Då dessa mätmetoder baseras på osäkra värden är det svårt att bedöma hur pålitliga de faktiskt är. Syftet med detta projekt är därför att utvärdera tillförlitligheten hos två mätmetoder genom att tillämpa metoder för att hantera osäkerheter och att presentera möjliga förbättringar till de tillämpade metoderna och mätmetoderna. Projektet börjar med att introducera kylsystem och deras miljösammanhang. I bakgrunden får läsaren lära sig mer om ämnet genom en redogörelse för de utvärderade mätmetoderna, TEWI och LCCP, samt tre olika metoder för att hantera osäkerheter, Känslighetsanalys, Osäkerhetsanalys och Monte Carlo-simulation. För att uppfylla syftet modelleras ett data center, och systemets begränsningar och driftsförhållanden beskrivs vidare under rubriken Metod. Resultatet består av två delar. Den första delen redovisar den teoretiska aspekten av studien så som källor för osäkerheter och typologier samt att här tilldelas parametervärden och osäkerheter. Den andra delen består av de empiriska resultaten som fås då metoderna tillämpas på det modellerade systemet. Dessa presenteras i diagram vilka sorteras efter metod och mätmetod. Dessa analyseras och utvärderas sedan i diskussionen. Från resultaten går det att se att endast ett fåtal parametrar dominerar inflytandet i Känslighets- och Osäkerhetsanalysen men att den inflytelserika parametern är beroende av den relativa storleksordningen. Det visar sig även att LCCP inte bidrar till ytterligare information vid de analyserade förhålandena. Vid tillämpningen av Monte Carlo-simuleringen anses TEWI vara mer tillförlitlig. En möjlig förbättring kan vara att använda den givna standardavvikelsen för TEWI som ett osäkerhetsintervall för att inkorporera osäkerheten i det deterministiska värdet. Projektet landar i slutsatsen att Känslighets- och Osäkerhetsanalysen illustrerarinflytandet av en enskild parameter på det slutliga metriska värdet. Analyserna avgör emellertid inte i vilken utsträckning dessa värden kan anses vara tillförlitliga. En Monte Carlo-simulering är bättre tillämplig för en viss osäkerhetstypologi än andra och som sådan anses TEWI vara mer tillförlitlig än LCCP. Projektet landar även i slutsatsen att de presenterade metoderna kan förbättras genom att tilldela osäkerhetstypologier för att utvärdera huruvida en metod kan anses tillämplig för att inkorporera osäkerheter, t.ex. en Monte Carlo-simulering.

[pt] Configurações novas e tradicionais de sistemas de refrigeração comerciais foram comparadas considerando sua operação com fluidos refrigerantes alternativos. Primeiramente, desenvolveram-se modelos termodinâmicos para o ciclo transcrítico de dois estágios com refrigerante CO2 (CO2 booster) e para o sistema indireto com CO2 bifásico operando como fluido secundário (pumped CO2). Tais tecnologias foram, em seguida, comparadas com o ciclo de expansão direta (DX) por meio do COP e do consumo anual de energia. Nessa análise, R404A, CO2, e misturas não-azeotrópicas de baixo GWP foram utilizados como fluidos refrigerantes. Em segundo lugar, desenvolveu-se modelo de parâmetros concentrados para simular a operação em regime permanente do sistema de expansão direta com múltiplos compressores e evaporadores. O método multizona foi utilizado na modelagem dos trocadores de calor tubo-e-aleta, com a consideração de diferentes tipos de aletas e superfícies internas para os tubos. Resultados da simulação foram comparados com dados experimentais e, em seguida, calculou-se o impacto ambiental do sistema operando com diferentes refrigerantes de baixo GWP, por meio da metodologia LCCP. / [en] Comparison of new and conventional commercial refrigeration systems, operating with typical and alternative refrigerants, was performed. First, thermodynamic models for the pumped CO2 and the CO2 booster cycles were developed. The COP and the annual energy consumption of these novel designs were compared to those of the traditional direct expansion system in different geographic locations, to take into account year-round climate data. Refrigerant R404A, CO2 and new low-GWP non-azeotropic blends were considered as working uids in this analysis. Second, a component-based lumped parameter model to simulate the steady-state operation of a multicompressor multi-evaporator direct expansion system was developed. The modeling effort considered a multizone approach for the tube-and-fin heat exchangers, as well as addressing enhanced internal surfaces and different fin patterns. Predicted results were compared with experimental data, and a life cycle climate performance (LCCP) analysis was performed to compare the environmental impact of new low-GWP refrigerants.

Described in many studies as dangerous for the environment and potentially carcinogenic for humans, Chlorinated Paraffins (CPs) are easily widespread due to their substantial production and use in different products. Previous studies reported the presence of CPs in different plastic polymers. However, the impact of recycled content in plastic materials on the CPs levels hasn’t particularly been considered. Recycling plastics is becoming essential but the accumulative potential of pollutants, such as CPs, need investigations. The presence of CPs in both virgin and mixed recycled and virgin plastics was studied. Plastic pellets and plastic pieces from products made of three polymer types:Poly(methyl 2-methylpropenoate) (PMMA), Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) were analysed. A solid-liquid extraction assisted by ultrasonication was performed, followed by cleanup using silica. CPs in plastic extracts were analysed by Gas Chromatography Orbitrap High Resolution Mass Spectroscopy (GC-Orbitrap-HRMS). Because of the high volatility characteristic of long chain Chlorinated Paraffins (LCCPs), only short chain and medium chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs ) have been studied in this project. Interesting variations in the presence of SCCPs and MCCPs have been observed from one polymer type to another. In the results, we show that MCCPs were less frequently detected compared to SCCPs. A higher detection frequency of CPs was observed for samples containing recycled plastics. The results indicate that CPs are present in plastic polymers (TPU, PMMA and TPR) and that the content of recycled material has a direct impact on the levels of SCCPs and MCCPs.