Abstract: By applying the heat transfer law Q∝△Tⁿ, a class of irreversible Carnot refrigerators affected by heat resistance, heat leak and internai irreversibilities is investigated, and the relationship between the optimal refrigeration rate and the performance coefficient of the refrigerators is derived. Moreover, the significance of using this relationship to study the optimal performance and performance bounds of a real refrigerator is also expounded.

Key words: irreversible Carnot refrigerator, heat transfer law, optimization