PSI - Issue 77

Arian Semedo and João Garcia/ Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2026) 000–000

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Arian Semedo et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 77 (2026) 498–511

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subsystems were integrated and jointly assessed to determine the overall technical viability and energetic performance of the proposed solution. 5. Analyzed Solutions Building upon the characterization of the refrigeration system and the assessment of available renewable energy resources, this section outlines the operational strategies investigated in the present study. Each strategy integrates distinct configurations and technological combinations, designed to enhance system performance, improve energy efficiency, and mitigate environmental impact, while taking into account the specific boundary conditions of the case study. 5.1. Solution A Solution A consists of a refrigeration system comprising two independent units, both operating with R134a as the working fluid. One unit is dedicated to frozen storage, while the other is designed for chilled storage. In this configuration, the total electricity demand of the refrigeration warehouse is met exclusively by the public power grid (Figure 4).

Fig. 4. Solution A

5.2. Solution B Solution B also relies entirely on the public power grid for electricity supply. However, the refrigeration system is based on a transcritical CO₂ booster configuration, selected due to its high efficiency and reduced environmental impact, making it a suitable option for sustainable cooling applications (Figure 5).

Fig. 5.Solution B

5.3. Solution C Solution C employs a transcritical CO₂ booster refrigeration system, while the electricity demand of the refrigeration warehouse is supplied exclusively from renewable energy sources—namely wind,

Fig. 6.Solution C

photovoltaic solar, and marine current energy (Figure 6). This strategy reduces dependency on conventional energy infrastructure and strengthens environmental sustainability.