CHAPTER THREE

Vapor Compression Refrigeration

system

CHAPTER THREE

Vapor Compression Refrigeration

system
 Introduction
• Vapor refrigeration cycle involves phase change of the
refrigerant unlike gas refrigeration cycle. As a result, a
large refrigeration effect is achieved by evaporation
(constant temperature heat rejection).
• Vapor refrigeration cycle can be:
– Vapor compression
– Vapor Absorption
– Vapor jet
• Vapor compression cycle is the predominant
refrigeration cycle employed in many practical
applications.
• There are four basic components in a simple VCRC
namely: Compressor, Condenser, Expansion Valve and
Evaporator. Piston compressor is the most versatile
compressor used in VCRS.
• Limitations of the Carnot cycle is already discussed in
chapter one.
 Naming of Refrigerants
• According to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-1997, the first digit from
the right is the number of fluorine
• atoms in the compound. The second digit from the right is one
more than the number of hydrogen
• atoms in the compound. The third digit from the right is one less
than the number of the carbon atoms
• in the compound. If the digit is zero, it is omitted from the number.
The fourth digit from the right is
• the number of unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds in the compound.
If the digit is zero it is also omitted
• from the number.

REFRIGERANTS, REFRIGERATION CYCLES, AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS -

 T-s diagram for R134a

Black : Constant pressure lines (isobaric)

Red: Constant enthalpy lines (isenthalpic)
Green: Constant density lines (isochoric)
 P-h diagram for R134a

Black : Constant temperature lines (isothermal)

Red: Constant volume lines (isochoric)
Blue: Constant entropy lines (isentropic)
 P-v diagram for R134a

Black : Constant temperature lines (isothermal)

Red: Constant entropy lines (isentropic)
Blue: Constant enthalpy lines (isenthalpic)
Thermodynamic analysis of the standard
VCRC
Throttling loss and superheat horn

Irreversibility in the standard

VCRC occurs in two ways
- Due to varying temperature
heat rejection (superheat
horn)
- Due to isenthalpic expansion
(throttling loss)

, , −
= =
, , + +
, −
, + + 1−( / , )
= = =
, 1 + ( + )/ ,
,
• Whether throttling loss or superheating loss is
significant depends on the refrigerant thermodynamic
property

Type 1: Ammonia, CO2 and water

Type 2: CFC11, CFC12, HFC134a
Type 3: CFC113, CFC114, CFC115
 Refreshing your memory Thermodynamic concepts
• Internal energy of a fluid in one way is associated with molecular
level kinetic energy (due to translational, rotational and vibrational
motion of molecules). The average velocity of the degree of
activities Is proportional to temperature and is known as sensible
energy.
• Molecular binding forces gets weaker when phase of a substance
moves from solid to liquid and then to gas. To change the state of a
fluid from liquid to gas, energy is required to weaken the molecular
bond which is termed as latent energy.
ℎ= + , = | , = |
=
For an internally reversible system with no shaft work but boundary work only
= + or = +
ℎ= + +
Equating the above two equations for an internally reversible cyclic process:
ℎ− =
is shaft work resulting with compression or expansion of the fluid
For constant pressure process
ℎ= =
For constant temperature process
ℎ= =
 Thermodynamic analysis
• Isentropic compression (1-2) : =ℎ −ℎ =∫
• Isobaric de-superheating (2-2’) and condensation (2’-3) : = (ℎ − ℎ )
• Isenthalpic expansion (3-4): ℎ = ℎ = 1 − ℎ, @ + ℎ , @
• Evaporation (4-1): = (ℎ − ℎ )
• =

• Volumetric refrigeration effect, , defines the compressor size

̇
(maximum volume), which is given in / = ̇

In case of sub-cooled and superheated

regions where is almost constant at
constant pressure heat addition or
rejection:
ℎ= −
= | = =
− = ln
 Effect of operating conditions
• Effect of Condenser and evaporator
temperature
• Effect of sub – cooling and superheating
– Sub – cooling ensures that no vapor is introduced in
the expansion valve which affects the proper
operation of the device
– Superheating ensures no liquid enters the compressor
• Sub – cooling improves the cycle performance by
– Increasing the refrigeration effect by decreasing the
throttling loss
– Decreasing the quality of the vapor thereby
decreasing pressure drop inside the evaporator
• Superheating affects the cycle by
– Increasing the refrigeration effect
– Increasing the work of compression
– COP depends on the amount of increase in
refrigeration effect and work of compression
It is clear that COP increases as a result of sub – cooling but
the effect of superheating on COP depends on the relative
increase in refrigeration effect and work of compression.

The Ewing and Gosney criteria , > , indicates the

,
maximum COP occurs in the saturated region
• Sub – cooling and superheating can
be achieved by simply increasing
heat transfer area if the
temperature difference is large
enough b/n condenser and heat
sink and b/n evaporator and heat
source.
• In case such heat transfer is
insufficient for the required sub –
cooling and superheating, Liquid
suction heat exchanger is used.
• ̇ = ̇ ℎ −ℎ = ̇ ℎ −ℎ
• ℎ −ℎ = ℎ −ℎ
• Taking average s and treating the superheated gas as
an ideal gas
• , − = , −
• But , > , → − > −
• The actual heat transfer is
• , −
• The maximum possible heat transfer is
• , −
,
• = = =
,
• For heat exchanger effectiveness of 1, =
• If a perfect heat exchanger with an effectiveness of 100
percent is used as LSHX, the compressor exit temperature
becomes the condenser temperature which gives rise to a
theoretically better COP cycle called Gridley cycle.
• But the impracticality of isothermal compression especially
in reciprocating and centrifugal compressors limits the
practicality of the system.
Actual VCR systems

Approximate , suggested by Linge, for

10℃ < < 60℃ and −50℃ < <
40℃ for ammonia, R12, R22
=1− , without sub – cooling.
∆
= 1− (1 + ), with sub
– cooling.
Modification of the SSS (Simple Stage Standard)
cycle
• The SSS cycle can be sufficient for small temperature
difference between condenser and evaporator.
• But in some applications the temperature difference
becomes too large either due to very low temperature
requirement of the refrigerated space or relatively high
available heat sink.
• When evaporator temperature decreases significantly, the
SSS cycle performance significantly reduces due to:
– Increase in throttling loss
– Increase in superheat horn loss
– Increase in compressor discharge temperature
– Quality of vapor increases, thereby increasing pressure drop in
the evaporator
– Specific volume at the inlet of the compressor increases, which
decreases the volumetric work of compression requiring larger
compressor.
• The viable modified cycles are multi – stage cycles
operating with two or more low side pressures.
1. Multi – compression
2. Multi – evaporator
3. Cascade system
• Intermediate processes are compulsory in multi – stage
systems: Flash removal and intercooling.
Flash gas removal in a flash tank
A flash tank is a pressure vessel
which separates the liquid and
vapor refrigerant at
intermediate pressure between
condenser and evaporator
pressure.

- It reduces the quality of vapor

entering the evaporator.
- The separated vapor can be
compressed back to condenser
pressure or throttled to
evaporator.
 Intercooling
Intercooling contributes for
system performance in
- Decreasing compressor work
- Decreasing the compressor
exit temperature

For polytropic compression =− = 1−

= ( ) −1

This equation shows that it requires less work for smaller specific volume for same
pressure ratio.

, =

, =
 Multi compression system
This system incorporates both
flash tank and water intercooler
to ensure complete de –
superheating of the refrigerant as
bubbling of the superheated
refrigerant in the flash tank may
not give sufficient intercooling.

̇ is the amount of saturated liquid refrigerant that is

ℎ −ℎ converted into saturated gas (8 to 4) due to heat absorption
̇ = ̇
ℎ −ℎ from the superheated refrigerant that comes from compressor I
(3 to 4). It is small and may be neglected.
• Mass and energy balance of the individual components is given by:
̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇
̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇
– Flash tank : No heat, no work transfer
• Mass balance: ̇ + ̇ = ̇ + ̇
• Energy balance: ̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ = ̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ
̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ = ̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ ̇ = ̇
̇ = ̇ + ̇
̇ = 1− ̇ − ̇
ℎ −ℎ ℎ −ℎ ℎ −ℎ
̇ = ̇ − ̇ = ̇ − ̇
ℎ −ℎ ℎ −ℎ ℎ −ℎ
ℎ −ℎ +ℎ −ℎ ℎ −ℎ
= ̇ − ̇ = ̇
ℎ −ℎ ℎ −ℎ
– Water intercooler: Only heat transfer
• Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇
• Energy balance: ̇ = ̇ ℎ − ̇ ℎ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
– Compressor I: Only work transfer
• Mass balance: Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇
• Energy balance: ̇ = ̇ ℎ − ̇ ℎ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
– Compressor II: Only work transfer
• Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇
• Energy balance: ̇ = ̇ ℎ − ̇ ℎ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
 – Condenser: Only heat transfer
• Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇
• Energy balance: ̇ = ̇ ℎ − ̇ ℎ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
– Evaporator: Only heat transfer
• Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇
• Energy balance: ̇ = ̇ ℎ − ̇ ℎ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
– Float valve: Isenthalpic expansion
• Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇
• Energy balance: ℎ = ℎ
– Expansion valve: Isenthalpic expansion
• Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇
• Energy balance: ℎ = ℎ
• The coefficient of performance is
̇ ̇ ( )
= ̇ ̇
= ̇ ( ̇
) ( )
 Flash tank in R12 and R22
• Since the working temperature of refrigerants like R12 and
R22 is low, water cooling is not effective. So instead of
intercooling the vapor form low stage compressor is mixed
with the vapor from the flash tank.

Flash tank energy balance: ̇ ℎ = ̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ

̇ = (1 − ) ̇
Mixing at 4: ̇ ℎ + ̇ − ̇ ℎ = ̇ ℎ
 Flash tank for intercooling only

Flash tank energy balance: ℎ =ℎ =ℎ

̇ − ̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ = ̇ ℎ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
The generated vapor due to superheated gas from = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
compressor I ̇ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
̇ (ℎ − ℎ ) = ̇ ℎ − ℎ ̇ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
Mass balance of the flash tank CV
̇ = ̇ − ̇ + ̇ + ̇
̇ − ̇ (1 − ) = ̇
 Multi evaporator system

Individual evaporators and separate expansion valves with a

pressure reducing valve
Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇
̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇ ̇ + ̇ = ̇
̇ = ̇ = ̇
 Multi evaporator system with multiple expansion valves

Mass balance: ̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇
̇ = ̇ = ̇ ̇ + ̇ = ̇
̇ = ̇ = ̇ = ̇
 Multi evaporator, multi compression system
with flash gas removal and intercooling

Flash tank Energy balance: ̇ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )

̇ − ̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ = ̇ − ̇ ℎ + ̇ ℎ ̇ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
Generated vapor in the flash tank due to de- ̇ = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
superheating of the compressor exit gas = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
̇ (ℎ − ℎ ) = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ ) = ̇ (ℎ − ℎ )
Mass balance
̇ = ̇ − ̇ 1− − ̇
 Multi evaporator system with individual
compressors and multiple expansion valves
 Cascade Systems
• The working temperature range of refrigerants is limited. Therefore
when the temperature lift of a refrigeration system is beyond the
working range of a single refrigerant, cascade system with different
refrigerators will be used.

Cascade temperature
Clausius – Clayperon
For maximum COP: , = equation
For equal pressure ratio: , = ln = −
 Auto – cascade system
• A single compressor is used

3
2

4’ 5’ 6’ P
1
3
4 2
4
5’
6 4’
5
6
5 1 6’

h
 Evaporators
• Direct expansion heat exchangers (DX coolers)
– Widely used
• Flooded shell-and-tube liquid cooler
– widely used in large chillers
• Shell-and-tube liquid cooler with direct-expansion
refrigerant feed, or simply direct-expansion liquid
cooler
– often used in reciprocating or screw chillers
• Liquid overfeed cooler
– sometimes adopted for processing air conditioning
systems
• Direct-expansion ice maker
– usually used in thermal storage systems and for industrial
applications
Direct expansion Evaporator
Flooded Liquid Chiller