Thermofluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 2/ Rev.

02-20012

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
________________________________________________________________________
Program
:
Bachelor Of Engineering (Hons) Mechanical
Course
:
Thermalfluids Lab
Code
:
MEC 554
________________________________________________________________________
LAB SHEET NO:

HEATING, VENTILATION & AIR CONDITIONING LABORATORY SHEET (HVAC)

TITLE : Variation In Refrigeration Coefficient Of Performance At Various Operating
Conditions.
1. INTRODUCTION
Refrigeration is used widely in various applications from industrial to domestic situations, mainly for
the storage and transport of perishable foodstuffs and chemical substances. It has the prime
function to remove heat from a low temperature region, and it can also be applied as a heat pump
for supplying heat to a region of high temperature.
2. OBJECTIVE
To investigate the variation of Coefficient of Performance (COPR) of a vapor compression
refrigeration system at different cooling load.
3. THEORY
A refrigeration cycle works to lower and maintain the temperature of a controlled space by heat
transfer from a low to a high temperature region.

High Temperature Reservoir, TH

QH
.

Wnet

QL
Low Temperature Reservoir, TL
Refrigeration duty is another term for the cooling effect of the refrigeration system, which is the rate
of heat being removed from the low temperature region with specified evaporation and
condensation temperatures. The unit for duty measurements is in Watts (for 1 ton of
refrigeration = 3517W).

Thermofluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 2/ Rev. 02-20012

3.1

The Vapor Compression Cycle

Ideal refrigeration systems follows the theoretical Reversed Carnot Cycle process. In
practical refrigerators, compression and expansion of a gas and vapor mixture presents
practical problems in the compressor and expander. Therefore, in practical refrigeration,
compression usually takes place in the superheated condition and a throttling process is
substituted for the isentropic expansion.

Thermofluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 2/ Rev. 02-20012

The cycle :
12
23
34
41

Condensation of the high pressure vapour during which heat is transferred to the
high temperature region.
Adiabatic throttling of the condensed vapour from the condensing to the
evaporating pressure.
Evaporation of the low pressure liquid during which heat is absorbed from the low
temperature source.
Isentropic compression of the vapour, from the evaporating to the condensing
pressures.

Energy Transfers Analysis

Compressor
q4-1 = h4 h1 + w4-1
If compression is adiabatic, q4-1 = 0, and w4-1 = h1 h4 = wcomp
Power requirement, P = (h1 h4), where is the flow rate of working fluid per unit time.
Condenser
q1-2 = h2 h1 + w
w = 0, therefore q1-2 = h2 h1 and rate of heat rejection Q1-2 = ( h2 h1 )

Expansion Valve

q2-3 = h3 h2 + w
w = 0, therefore q 2-3 = h2 h3 and process is assumed adiabatic q 0
therefore h2 = h3

Evaporator

q34 = h4 h3 + w
w = 0 therefore q34 = h4 h3 and rate of heat absorbed Q34 = ( h4 h3 )

Coefficient of Perfomance, COPref:

COPref =

q3 4
h4 h3
=
w
h1 h4

Thermofluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 2/ Rev. 02-20012

5. EQUIPMENT
TH Series Computer Linked Refrigeration Unit (Edibon).

6. PROCEDURES
6a) Condenser-water and evaporator-water
a. Select water as a heat source by opening valves AVS-4 and AVS-5.Then click START
b. Adjust the water flow rate at the condenser to 5 L/m and 3 L/m at the evaporator
(evaporator load).
c. Then click COMPRESSOR
d. When the system is stabilized, start recording the data by click START SAVING
e. Set the sampling rate at 120 second per sample.
f. Record the data for six minutes (3 samples @ 360 second). STOP SAVING
g. Then increase evaporator load to 5 L/m and repeat step (c) to step (f).
6b) Condenser-water and evaporator-air
a. Select air as a heat source by opening valves AVS-3 and AVS-5.Then click START
b. Adjust the water flow rate at the condenser to 5 L/m and adjust the air flow of the
evaporator until 50% of the maximal flow (evaporator load).
c. Then click COMPRESSOR
d. When the system is stabilized, start recording the data by click START SAVING
e. Set the sampling rate at 120 second per sample.
f. Record the data for six minutes (3 samples @ 360 second). STOP SAVING
g. Then increase evaporator load to 100% and repeat step (c) to step (f).
6c) Condenser-air and evaporator-air
a. Select air as a heat source by opening valves AVS-3 and AVS-6. Then click START
b. Adjust the air flow of the condenser to maximum flow (100%) and 50% of the maximal
flow at the evaporator (evaporator load).
c. Then click COMPRESSOR
d. When the system is stabilized, start recording the data by click START SAVING
e. Set the sampling rate at 120 second per sample.
f. Record the data for six minutes (3 samples @ 360 second). STOP SAVING
g. Then increase evaporator load to 100% and repeat step (c) to step (f).
6d) Condenser-air and evaporator-water
a. Select water as a heat source by opening valves AVS-4 and AVS-6.Then click START
b. Adjust the air flow of the condenser to maximum flow (100%) and adjust the water flow
rate at the evaporator to 3 L/m (evaporator load).
c. Then click COMPRESSOR
d. When the system is stabilized, start recording the data by click START SAVING
e. Set the sampling rate at 120 second per sample.
f. Record the data for six minutes (3 samples @ 360 second). STOP SAVING
g. Then increase evaporator load to 5 L/m and repeat step (c) to step (f).

7. DATA AND RESULTS

7.1

By using data obtained from the experiments, show sample calculations of the parameters
below and complete the results summary table.

(a)

Refrigerant mass flow rate (kg/s),

(b)

Evaporator cooling load , Qevap

(c)

Coefficient of performance, COPref

(d)

Average COPref

Thermofluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 2/ Rev. 02-20012

Data Summary table

240

360

240

360

Cond - Water
Evap - Water

Cond - Water
Evap - Air

SC-2 = 5 L/m

Cond - Air
Evap - Air

Fan power at condenser = 100%

Cond - Air
Evap - Water

Fan power at condenser = 100%

120

SC-2 = 5 L/m

120

Time (s)

360

SC-3 = 5 L/m

240

120

SC-3 = 3 L/m

360

120

Fan power at
evap. = 100%

240

Fan power at
evap. = 50%

360

Fan power at
evap. = 100%

240

Fan power at
evap. = 50%

360

SC-3 = 5 L/m

240

SC-3 = 3 L/m

360

120

Evaporator
heat load

240

120

Condenser
cooling load

360

120
a

Working fluid
Exp #

240

120

SW-1
(W)
SC-1
(L/h)
SP-2
(bar)
SP-1
(bar)
ST-4
(oC)
ST-3
(oC)
ST-2
(oC)

Thermofluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 2/ Rev. 02-20012

Results Summary table

Time (s)

Exp #

Vref
(m3/s)

v2 (table)
(m3/kg)

mref (kg/s)
= Vref/v2

h3 (kJ/kg)

h4 (kJ/kg)

Qevap (kW)
= mref (h4 h 3)

120
240
360
Average COP
a
120
240
360
Average COP
120
240
360
Average COP
b
120
240
360
Average COP
120
240
360
Average COP
c
120
240
360
Average COP
120
240
360
Average COP
d
120
240
360
Average COP

COP =
Qevap/ (SW1/1000)

Thermofluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 2/ Rev. 02-20012

8. DISCUSSIONS
a.

What is the effect on the COPref as the load is increased? Why?

b.

What is the effect of cooling medium on the average refrigeration COP? Why?

c.

What do you understand by the term load? Give examples of actual loads in refrigeration
practice in a domestic fridge, in a room, and in a factory.

d.

Conclusion of the experiment.