State-space model for dynamic behavior of vapor compression liquid chiller

•A dynamic model is developed to study dynamic behaviors of refrigeration system.•The model is transformed into a state space form by using vector-matrix notation.•Errors of model results compared with experimental data are all less than 10%.•The model is used to study transient behaviors of chiller under different cases.

A state-space model has been developed to investigate the dynamic behaviors of refrigeration system. By using vector-matrix notation and linearization, the ordinary differential equations describing the chiller's dynamic thermal behaviors are transformed into a representation form of the state space. The model has been validated by a series of dynamic response experiments of a chiller with the refrigerant R-134a. The average errors of the model results compared with the experimental data are all less than 10% in the experimental cases. Afterward, the model is used to investigate the transient behaviors of the exit cold carrier temperature of evaporator under different A disturbances. The state-space model developed in this study helps us have a good idea of the dynamic performance of a refrigeration system under transient conditions and design optimized control strategies for a high-energy-efficiency HVAC system.