Refrigeration Systems

Lecture 2 Notes
BSME 3A

AGARIN, Mark Bernard

BARQUEZ, Lord Jireh
BERMUNDO, Ronald
CILLAN, Cyrene
DELA TORRE, Adrian Jones
ORONAN, Adneil Kyle Joseph
Simple Vapor Compression Refrigeration Systems

Refrigeration is that branch of science which deals with the process of reducing and maintaining
the temperature of a space or material below the temperature of the surroundings.

Refrigerant is the working substance in a refrigerator system.

Vapor Compression Refrigeration System

P-h and Ts diagram of standard Vapor Compression Cycle

Process:
1 – 2, reversible and adiabatic compression from saturated vapor to the condenser
pressure.
2 – 3, reversible refjection of heat at constant pressure (desuperheating and
condensation)
3 – 4, irreversible expansion at constant enthalphy from saturated liquid to the evaporator
pressure.
4 – 1, reversible addition of heat at constant pressure in evaporation to saturated vapor.

Analysis of the Vapor Compression Cycle:

1. Compressor ℎ2

ℎ1

𝑊 (𝐾𝐽⁄𝐾𝑔)

𝐾𝐽
w = work of compression, ⁄𝑘𝑔
ℎ1 = enthalpy entering the compressor, 𝐾𝐽⁄
𝑘𝑔
ℎ2 = enthalpy leaving the compressor, 𝐾𝐽⁄
𝑘𝑔
m = mass flow ratio, 𝐾𝐽⁄𝑠
W =Theoretical compressor power, 𝐾𝐽⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐 or 𝐾𝑊
3
𝑣2 = specific volume of vapor, 𝑚 ⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐 or 𝐿⁄
𝑘𝑔
3
𝑉2 = volume flow rate, 𝑚 ⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐 or 𝐿⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐

𝑤 = ℎ2 − ℎ1 𝑊 = 𝑚(ℎ2 − ℎ1 ) 𝑉1 = 𝑚𝑣1
2. Condenser 𝑄𝑐
𝑞𝑐 = ℎ2 − ℎ3
ℎ3 ℎ2
𝑄𝑐 = 𝑚(ℎ2 − ℎ3 )
𝑄𝑐 =
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑, 𝐾𝐽⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑞𝑐 = ℎ2 − ℎ3
 3. Expansion Valve
ℎ3

ℎ3 = ℎ4

ℎ4
4. Evaporator 𝑞𝑐

𝑞𝑒 = ℎ1 − ℎ4 𝑄𝑒 = 𝑚(ℎ1 − ℎ4 )
𝑞𝑒 = ℎ1 − ℎ3 𝑄𝑒 = 𝑚(ℎ1 − ℎ3 )
ℎ4 ℎ1

𝑞𝑒 = 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡, 𝐾𝐽
⁄𝑘𝑔
𝐾𝐽
𝑄𝑒 = 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦, ⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐

Coefficient of Performance (COP)

-is the ratio of the refrigerating effect to the work of compression
ℎ1 − ℎ4 ℎ1 − ℎ3
𝐶𝐷𝑃 = =
ℎ2 − ℎ1 ℎ2 − ℎ1
Efficiency (nva)= actual volumetric efficiency
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟
𝑛𝑣𝑎 =
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟
𝑣1
𝑛𝑣𝑎 =
𝑣𝐷
𝜋
where: 𝑣𝐷 = 4 𝐷 2 𝐿𝑁

where:
𝑣𝐷 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟
𝐷 = 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 (𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑒)
𝐿 = 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒
𝑁 = 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
= (𝑛)(1)(𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠) 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑠
= (𝑛)(2)(𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠) 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑠
𝑛 = 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑
Displacement rate is the volume swept through by the pistons in their suction strokes per unit
time.
𝑃2 1 𝑣2 𝑣2
𝑛𝑣𝑐 = 1 + 𝐶 − 𝐶( )𝑘 = 1 + 𝐶 − 𝐶( ) = 1 − 𝐶( − 1)
𝑃1 𝑣1 𝑣1
𝑛𝑣𝑐 = 𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦
c= percent clearance
V2= specific volumes of vapor after isentropic compression to P2
k= 1304 for ammonia
𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑛𝑐 =
𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

= 𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜n 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐y

𝑁𝑚 = mechanical efficiency
𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑊𝑖 𝐼𝐻𝑃
= 𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘
= 𝑊𝑏
= 𝐵𝐻𝑃

Where:
IHP= indicated horsepower of the compressor
BHP= brake horsepower of the compressor
 Problem:
An NH3 vapor compression refrigeration system has a condensing temperature of 25°C and an
evaporating temperature of -10°C. The refrigerating capacity is 7 tons. The liquid leaving the
condenser is saturated and compression is isentropic. Determine;
a) The refrigerant flow rate, kg/sec
b) The refrigerant volumetric flow at compressor suction, liters/sec
c) The work of compression, KJ/kg
d) Theoretical compressor power, KW
e) Heat rejected from the system, KW
f) COP
g) Quality of refrigerant before evaporation

Solution: QR

3 2
CONDENSER

Expansion value X
COMP WC
4
EVAPORATOR 1

QA

P2

3 25°C

P1
T

-10°C

4
1

S
Properties of NH3:
h1 = 1450.22 KJ/kg --------- hg @ –10°C
V1 = 417.477 li/kg --------- Vg @ –10°C
P1 = 291.57 kPa --------- Psat @ –10°C
P2 = 1004.6 kPa --------- Psat @ 25°C
h2 = 1630 KJ/kg --------- from S1 = S2 and P2 = 1004.60 kPa
h3 = h4 = 317.667 KJ/kg → hf at 25°C

a.) Refrigerant flow rate, Mr

QA = Mr (h1 – h4) = Mr (RE)
QA 𝑄𝐴
Mr = h1 – h4 ; Mr = 𝑅𝐸

QA = 7 tons × 3.516 kW/ton = 24.612 KW

24612 KW or KJ/sec 24612
Mr = 1450.22−317.667𝐾𝐽/𝑘𝑔 = 1132.55 = 0.02173 kg/sec

b.) Volumetric flow at compress or suction, V1

V1 = Mrѵ1 = (0.02173 kg/sec)(417.477)li/kg = 9.07 li/sec

c.) Work of Compression, WC

WC = h2 – h1 = 1630 – 1450.22 KJ/kg = 179.78 KJ/kg

d.) Theoretical Compressor Power, WC

ⱲC = MrWC = (0.02173 kg/sec)(179.78 KJ/kg) = 3.906 KW

e.) Heat Rejected, QR

QR = Mr (h2 – h3) = (0.02173)(1630 – 317.667) = 28.52 KW

f.) COP
COP = RE/WC = QA/ⱲC = 24.612 KW/3.906 KW = 6.301

g.) Quality of refrigerant before evaporation, X4

h4 = hf4 + X4hfg4
hf4 = hf at –10°C → 154.056 KJ/kg
hfg4 = hfg at –10°C → 1296.164 KJ/kg