A mathematical model was developed to predict the energy performances of refrigerating systems using nanofluids for application in refrigeration plants of cold chain. The model was based on a combination of the Effectiveness-Number of Transfer Units method and classical heat transfer and fluid hydrodynamic correlations. Simulations were done for a tubular heat exchanger in laminar and turbulent regimes, for various types of NPs and a wide range of volume fraction. It was shown that heat transfer coefficients significantly increased with the increase of NPs concentration whatever the flow regime, but the pressure drop also increased. Calculation of a Performance Evaluation Criterion has shown that the energy performance is strongly dependent on the type of NPs, their volume fraction and the flow regime. These criterion data also showed the existence of optimum parameters for which the use of nanofluids is energetically interesting. The model was validated using published data.