Heat transfer fluids. Definition and selection criteria

The applications of heat transfer fluids for heating in industrial processes are extremely varied, involving a wide variety of fluids due to the wide temperature range encountered in these processes: gases, liquid metals, molten salts, organic fluids. Applications for refrigerant fluids for process cooling at sub-ambient temperatures include industrial and commercial refrigeration and air conditioning. Although they operate in a much smaller temperature range (– 70/+ 20 °C), these fluids are also of varied natures, due to the diversity of constraints that need to be taken into account when choosing them: energy and economic criteria, but also safety and environmental impact criteria. After outlining the main categories of refrigerant and heat transfer fluids and illustrating this presentation with examples of applications, we give an exhaustive list of the criteria for choosing heat transfer and refrigerant fluids, focusing on their field of use, energy system operating constraints and, of course, technical and economic criteria.

This study on heat and cold transfer fluids consists of three articles:

• heat transfer fluids and refrigerants. Definitions. Selection criteria;

• heat transfer fluids. Properties [BE 9 571] ;

• heat transfer fluids. Properties [BE 9 572] .