Yes, propane is a viable working fluid and a suitable replacement for some refrigerants, but.
As you know, the biggest problem with propane is that it's flammable. A cracked evaporator would create a nice fuel/air mix in your car, house, computer, or wherever. Suitable for use indoors? Your call, I guess.
He reports delta-T and power consumption, but what about mass flow rate times specific heat times delta-T? I have a very hard time believing that changing the working fluid (to one the system wasn't designed for, even) would bring about a 60% improvement in efficiency.
|