aBased on a simple irreversible variable-temperature heat reservoir air (Brayton) refrigeration cycle model, a performance analysis and optimization of a real air refrigerator is carried out using finite-time thermodynamics. To maximize the cooling load and the coefficient of performance (COP) of the cycle, the allocation of a fixed total heat-exchanger inventory and thermal-capacity rate matching between the working fluid and heat reservoirs are optimized, respectively. The influences of pressure ratio, the total heat-exchanger inventory, the efficiencies of the compressor and expander, the thermal capacity rate of the working fluid and the ratio of the thermal-capacity rates of the heat reservoirs on the performance of the cycle are shown by numerical examples. The results obtained provide guidances for the design of practical air-refrigeration plants. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.