Multi-Pressure System

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 Multi-Pressure System

• Has Two or more low-side pressures, two or more

compressors, two or more evaporators, and utilizes flash tank
or intercooler.
• The removal and recompression of flash gas for complete
expansion reduces the power required by compressor.
• A multi-pressure system may be found in a dairy products
where one evaporator operates at -35°C to harden ice cream
while another evaporator operates at 2°C to cool milk.

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 Objective of Multi-Pressure System as
Compare to Vapor Compressor Cycle
• Removal of flash gas – Saving in the power requirement of
refrigeration system results if the flash gas in the throttling
process between the condenser and evaporator is removed
and recompressed before complete expansion. The vapor is
separated from the liquid utilizing the flash tank.

• Inter-cooling – Two stages of compression per kilogram of

vapor. Inter-cooling is accomplished using water cooled heat
exchanger. The water-cooled intercooler may be satisfactory
for two stage compression. The alternate method uses liquid
refrigerant from the condenser to do intercooling. Discharge
gas from the low stage compressor bubble through the liquid
in the intercooler. Refrigerant leaves the intercooler as
saturated vapor.

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 3 To compressor

5 Flash Tank

7 Expansion Valve

Flash tank for removing flash gas during expansion process.

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Intercooling of a refrigerant in two-stage compression

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Intercooling with (a) a water cooled hear exchanger (b) liquid refrigerant
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 𝑚2 + 𝑚6 = 𝑚3
𝑚2 ℎ2 +𝑚6 ℎ6 =𝑚3 ℎ3

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Problem 1. Calculate the power needed to compress 1.2 kg/s of
Ammonia from saturated vapor at 80 kPa (a) by single-stage
compression and (b) by two stage compression with intercooling
by liquid refrigerant at 300 kPa. The condenser is at 1000 kPa.

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Figure 5.3b
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(a) single stage compressor

𝒌𝒈ൗ
𝒎 = 𝟏. 𝟐 𝒔
𝒉𝟐 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎

𝑷 = 𝒎(𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏 )
𝒌𝒈ൗ 𝒌𝒈ൗ
𝑷 = 𝟏. 𝟐 𝒔 (𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎 − 𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟎) 𝒔
= 468 kW

𝒌𝒋 𝒉𝟏 = 𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟎
𝒉𝟑 = 𝒉𝟒 = 𝟑𝟏𝟓. 𝟔𝟖 ൗ𝒌𝒈

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(b) with intercooler

𝒉𝟒 = 𝟏𝟔𝟐𝟖

m2 = 𝟏. 𝟐 𝒌𝒈Τ𝒔

𝒉𝟐 = 𝟏𝟓𝟖𝟖

𝒌𝒋
𝒌𝒋 𝒉𝟏 = 𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟎 ൗ𝒌𝒈
𝒉𝟓 = 𝒉𝟔 = 𝒉𝟕 = 𝟑𝟏𝟔. 𝟔 ൗ𝒌𝒈
𝒌𝒋
𝒉𝟑 = 𝟏𝟒𝟓𝟎 ൗ𝒌𝒈
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 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚3 :
𝑚6 + 𝑚2 = 𝑚3
𝑚6 ℎ6 + 1.2 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑠 ℎ2 = 𝑚3 ℎ3
𝑚6 316.6 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔 + (1.2)(1588 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔) = 𝑚3 (1450 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔)

𝑚6 = 0.146 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑠
𝑚3 = 0.146 + 1.2 = 1.346 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑠

𝑃𝐻𝑆 = 𝑚3 (ℎ4 − ℎ3 ) 𝑃𝐿𝑆 = 𝑚1 (ℎ2 − ℎ1 )

𝑃𝐻𝑆 = 1.346 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑠 1628 − 1450 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔 𝑃𝐿𝑆 = 1.2 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑠 1588 − 1410 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔
𝑷𝑯𝑺 =239 KW 𝑷𝑳𝑺 =213.6 KW

𝑃𝑇 = 𝑃𝐻𝑆 + 𝑃𝐿𝑆
𝑃𝑇 = 213.6 𝐾𝑊 + 239 𝐾𝑊
𝑷𝑻 =452.6 KW

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Problem 2. Compare a compression of 3.5 kg/s of refrigerant 22 from
saturated vapor at 100 kPa to a condensing pressure of 1000 kPa (a) by
single stage compression and (b) by two stage compression with
intercooling at 300 kPa, using liquid refrigerant.
𝑚3 = 𝑚4 = 𝑚5

To High-Stage
Compressor

𝑘𝑔ൗ
𝑚1 = 𝑚2 = 3.5 𝑠
From Condenser

From Low-Stage
Compressor

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(a) single-stage compressor

𝒌𝒈ൗ
𝒎 = 𝟑. 𝟓 𝒔
𝑷 = 𝒎(𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏 )
𝒌𝒈ൗ 𝒌𝒋
𝑷 = 𝟑. 𝟓 𝒔 (𝟒𝟒𝟗 − 𝟑𝟖𝟕) ൗ𝒌𝒈

P = 217 KW

𝒉𝟐 = 𝟒𝟒𝟗 𝒌𝒋ൗ𝒌𝒈

𝒉𝟑 = 𝒉𝟒 = 𝟐𝟐𝟖. 𝟐 𝒌𝒋ൗ𝒌𝒈 𝒉𝟏 = 𝟑𝟖𝟕 𝒌𝒋ൗ𝒌𝒈

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(b) With intercooler

𝒉𝟒 = 𝟒𝟑𝟎 𝒌𝒋ൗ𝒌𝒈

𝒉𝟐 = 𝟒𝟏𝟔 𝒌𝒋ൗ𝒌𝒈

𝒉𝟏 = 𝟑𝟖𝟕 𝒌𝒋ൗ𝒌𝒈

𝒌𝒋
𝒉𝟓 = 𝒉𝟔 = 𝒉𝟕 = 𝟐𝟐𝟖. 𝟐 ൗ𝒌𝒈 𝒉𝟑 = 𝟑𝟗𝟗 𝒌𝒋ൗ𝒌𝒈 𝒎𝟐 = 𝟑. 𝒕 𝒌𝒈/𝒔

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 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚3 :
𝑚6 + 𝑚2 = 𝑚3
𝑚6 ℎ6 + 3.5 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑠 ℎ2 = 𝑚3 ℎ3
𝑚6 228.2 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔 + (3.5)(416 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔) = 𝑚3 (399 𝑘𝑗Τ𝑘𝑔)

𝑚3 = 3.84 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑠

𝑃𝐻𝑆 = 𝑚3 (ℎ4 − ℎ3 ) 𝑃𝐿𝑆 = 𝑚1 (ℎ2 − ℎ1 )

𝑃𝐻𝑆 = 3.84 430 − 399 𝑃𝐿𝑆 = 3.5 416 − 387
𝑷𝑯𝑺 =119.04 KW 𝑷𝑳𝑺 = 101.5 KW

𝑃𝑇 = 𝑃𝐻𝑆 + 𝑃𝐿𝑆
𝑃𝑇 = 119.04 + 101.50
𝑷𝑻 = 220.54 KW

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Difference of Properties between R-22 and Ammona

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Choice of intermediate Pressure (Inter-cooler Pressure)

𝑃𝑖 = (𝑃𝑘 )(𝑃0 )
In a two stage system, the above equation gives a geometric
mean value for the intermediate pressure. This is only true for
complete intercooling. However in refrigeration systems,
complete intercooling is not possible. For refrigeration systems,
use the following equation in determining the intermediate
pressure:
𝑇𝑘
𝑃𝑖 = (𝑃𝑘 )(𝑃0 )( )
𝑇0

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 One Evaporator and One Condenser
A pressure valve throttles the flash gas from the intermediate pressure to the
evaporative pressure. Throttling is necessary because there is no compressor available
with high suction pressure. The only reason for using the flash tank would keep the
flash gas in the machine room rather than sending it to the evaporator. The flash gas in
the evaporator tubes and long suction line does no refrigeration but does increase the
pressure drop.

System with one compressor, evaporator, condense and Flash Tank.

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P-H Diagram of One Evaporator and One Condenser

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 Flash Gas Removal
In a compound compression, the throttling expansion of the liquid is done in stages;
the liquid from the condenser 6 first expands into flash chamber 7 at the intermediate
pressure and then the liquid from flash chamber at 8 enters the evaporator through
another expansion valve and expands to 9.

Fig. 5.1(a) Schematic diagram of the system with flash gas removal 23
In a system without flash chamber, the liquid from the condenser expands straight
to the evaporator pressure. This wasteful energy as the vapor is flashed at the
intermediate pressure at 3 is also throttled to 11 at the evaporator pressure and
required to be recompressed to the intermediate pressure. A system with a flash
chamber eliminates the undesirable throttling of the vapor generalized at the
intermediate pressure.

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One compressor and two evaporators with the air-conditioning &
low temperature evaporators both operating at 10°C
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One compressor and two evaporators with a pressure reducing valve
to maintain a high temperature in the air-conditioning evaporator.
Two Compressors & One Evaporator

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Two Compressors & One Evaporator

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Single Compressor-Individual Expansion Valves
Two evaporators & a single-compressor system with individual expansion valves for
each evaporator and one compressor. Operation means dropping of pressure from
high pressure evaporators through back pressure valves. The high compression of
vapor resulted to a high discharge temperature of the evaporator E2 requiring a
pressure regulating valve which further resulted to higher operating expenses.

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Single Compressor & 2 Evaporators

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The mass flow rates through evaporators 1 and 2 respectively

𝑄𝑜1 𝑄𝑜1
𝑚7 = =
𝑞𝑜1 ℎ7 − ℎ5

𝑄𝑜2 𝑄𝑜2
𝑚8 = =
𝑞𝑜2 ℎ6 − ℎ4

The enthalpy of the vapor mixture entering the compressor.

𝑚7 ℎ7 + 𝑚8 ℎ8
ℎ1 =
𝑚 7 + 𝑚8

And the net work done is given by

𝑊 = (𝑚7 +𝑚8 )(ℎ2 − ℎ1 )

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Single Compressor- Multiple Expansion valves

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Single Compressor- Multiple Expansion valves

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The mass flow rates of the refrigerant comprising the
liquid and vapor fractions, are:

𝑄𝑜1
Evaporator 1 𝑚8 =
ℎ8 −ℎ6
𝑄𝑜2
Evaporator 2 𝑚7 =
ℎ7 −ℎ4

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2 Evaporators, 2 Compressors & Multiple
Expansion Valves

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2 Evaporators, 2 Compressors & Multiple
Expansion Valves

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2 Evaporators, 2 Compressors & Flash Tank

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5.3.4 Individual compressor with compound compression and flash
intercooling

When one or more evaporators are in operation at very low

temperatures, and individual compressors are installed, then
compound compression can be used to effect power saving as shown
in Fig. 5.9(a) and (b) with multiple arrangement of expansion valves
and flash intercooling. The flash chamber is maintained at pressure
of the high temperature.

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 5.4.1 Optimum Coupling Temperature between Cascade
Circuit
The intermediate temperature between the two cascade circuits,
such as 𝑡𝑜2 <=𝑡𝑘1 , may be called the coupling temperature. For
optimum sizing of the two circuits, the optimum coupling
temperature can be approximately represented by the square-root of
the condensing temperature in warm and evaporating temperature
in cold circuit.

𝑇𝑜1 𝑇𝑜2
= 𝑠𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑇𝑜2 = 𝑇𝑘1
𝑇𝑘1 − 𝑇𝑜1 𝑇𝑘2 − 𝑇𝑜2

𝑇𝑜2 = 𝑇𝑘2 𝑥 𝑇𝑜1 = 𝑇𝑘1

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 Problems

1. Calculate the power required by the compressor in an

ammonia system which serves a 100 KW and 150 KW
evaporator. The system used one stage compressor
with two air conditioning evaporator operating at
both -10°C the condensing temperature is 35°C
2. Calculate the power required by the compressor in an
ammonia system which serves a 50 KW and 100 KW
evaporator. The system used one stage compressor
with two evaporator operating at 10°C and 0°C
respectively. The condensing temperature is 40°C

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3. Calculate the power required by the two stage compressors in an
ammonia system which serves a 250 KW evaporator at -25°C. The system
uses two stage compressions with intercooling and removal of flash gas. The
condensing temperature is 35C. Compare it with the vapor compression
cycle with condensing temperature at 35C and evaporating -25C.

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4. In an ammonia system one evaporator is to provide 180 KW of
refrigeration at - 30°C and another evaporator is to provide 200 KW at 5°C.
The system uses two stage compressions with intercooling. The condensing
temperature is 35°C. (a) Calculate the power required by the compressors
(b) compare the powers of the compressors when using a vapor
compression cycle.

𝑬𝒊𝒏 = 𝑬𝒐𝒖𝒕

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