A novel ejector intercooler refrigeration cycle integrated with a transcritical CO2 Rankine cycle for low-temperature: Energy, exergy, environmental and enviroeconomic (4E) analysis

Abstract To address the limitations of conventional cooling systems and the global shift towards natural refrigerants, this study presents a comprehensive energy, exergy, environmental, and enviroeconomic (4E) analysis of a novel ejector intercooler refrigeration cycle (NEIRC) integrated with a power cycle. Unlike previous studies, the proposed configuration uniquely utilizes the waste heat from the gas cooler of the High-Temperature Circuit (HTC) to drive a transcritical carbon dioxide (CO2) Rankine cycle, thereby generating auxiliary power for the system. The optimum gas cooler pressures were determined for varying gas cooler temperatures (35°C to 50°C) and evaporator temperatures (−50°C to −25°C). Results indicate significant performance enhancements: at a gas cooler temperature of 35°C and an evaporator temperature of −40°C, the NEIRC demonstrated an 8.59% increase in coefficient of performance (COP) and an 8.56% enhancement in exergy efficiency compared to the standard ejector intercooler refrigeration cycle (EIRC). Additionally, the NEIRC achieved an 11.5% reduction in CO2 emissions and an 11.47% cost advantage over the reference system. These findings provide a vital theoretical benchmark for researchers working on integrated energy systems and demonstrate that the NEIRC is a promising, sustainable solution for low-temperature industrial cooling applications, offering a viable pathway to reduce the carbon footprint of refrigeration technologies.