A MORE SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO DECISION-MAKING REGARDING REFRIGERANT FLUIDS CRE-ATION OF THE TEWI+S+R INDICATOR

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.3175725170715

• Palavras-chave: Carbon emissions, Energy, Food chain, TEWI.

• Keywords: Carbon emissions, Energy, Food chain, TEWI.

• Abstract:

  The cold chain is responsible for 26-34% of global emissions, and within this chain is refrigeration. The choice of more sustainable refrigerants is essential for decarbonization. The TEWI (Total Equivalent Warming Impact) indicator has become a quick and important tool for measuring decarbonization levels, but this indicator is limi-ted to energy efficiency associated with emissions. A new indicator is proposed, TEWI+S+R, which includes "S" for safety and "R" for reliability. This means that the choice of refrigerant is not limited to efficiency and emissi-ons, allowing for a broader view in decision-making. Situations were simulated in a frozen food rack for two countries with different energy matrices, and the best result was the R-32 refrigerant for both countries. In other words, refrigerants with medium environmental impact may be viable as a solution in the cold chain.