SE-14-C016 — Life Cycle Climate Performance Model for Transport Refrigeration/Air Conditioning Systems

A comprehensive analytical model using Excel and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) was developed to simulate life cycle climate performance(LCCP) for transport refrigeration and bus air conditioning systems. The LCCP model includes the direct impact of refrigerant emissions, theindirect impact of energy consumption used to operate the refrigeration and/or cooling system, and the energy to manufacture and safely dispose of theunit and refrigerant. The annual energy or fuel consumption for refrigeration operation is calculated with a dynamic link library (DLL) file convertedfrom a MATLAB(R) program using detailed input including the application, box structure, operation schedule, weather data, etc. With appropriateinput, the program can evaluate the LCCP of various application systems including trailer and truck refrigeration, sea-going container refrigeration,and bus air conditioning. It can handle existing or new technologies such as independent engine or truck engine shaft driven units, alternator units,and hybrid systems using thermal or electricity storage. This paper introduces the methodology, the Excel program, and sample simulation resultsusing the new tool.