THI RIIRIGIRATION CYCLI

Bused on LIe prIncIpIe LIuL IeuL IIows

nuLuruIIy Irom wurmer ureus Lo cooIer
ureus, LIe reIrIgeruLIon cycIe consIsLs oI
seven sLuges:
1. CompressIon oI IoL gus
. CooIIng
. CondensIng
q. SubcooIIng
g. ExpunsIon
6. EvuporuLIon
,. Super IeuLIng
A busIc vupor compressIon reIrIgeruLIon
sysLem consIsLs oI Iour prImury
componenLs: u meLerIng devIce (e.g., u
cupIIIury Lube, IIxed orIIIceJpIsLon, or u
LIermosLuLIc expunsIon vuIve),
evuporuLor, compressor, und condenser.
(See Igure 1.)
CompressIon energy eIevuLes LIe vupor
pressure Lo u boIIIng poInL LIuL Is beIow
LIe condensIng medIums` LemperuLure. n oLIer words, LIe compressor eIevuLes
LIe boIIIng poInL oI LIe reIrIgerunL Lo u poInL uL wIIcI LIe uIr (or wuLer) movIng
ucross LIe condenser Is Iow enougI Lo condense LIe reIrIgerunL Lo u IIquId.
AddILIonuI pusses In LIe condenser coII cooI LIe IIquId reIrIgerunL beIow ILs
boIIIng poInL Lo ensure IL remuIns u IIquId us IL experIences pressure drop In ILs
journey Lo LIe evuporuLor. TIIs cooIIng beIow LIe boIIIng poInL Is cuIIed
subcooIIng.

Figure 1. The refrigeration system. In a

typical refrigeration system, the
compressor sends hot gas to the
condenser. Then the condensed liquid
passes through an expansion valve into
the evaporator where it evaporates and
collects heat from the area to be cooled.
The gaseous refrigerant then enters the
compressor where the compression
process raises the pressure and
temperature. From the compressor, the
refrigerant is routed back to the
condenser and the cycle repeats.

A meLerIng devIce uL LIe evuporuLor InIeL ucLs us u dum Lo resLrIcL IIow und drop
LIe reIrIgerunL pressure Lo u new Iower boIIIng poInL. TIIs new boIIIng poInL Is
beIow LIe evuporuLor medIum (uIr or wuLer) LemperuLure so LIuL LIe uIr or wuLer
ucross LIe evuporuLor wIII cuuse LIe reIrIgerunL Lo boII. AILer uII oI LIe reIrIgerunL
In LIe evuporuLor Ius boIIed Lo u vupor, LIe vupor wIII pIck up uddILIonuI IeuL
LIrougI exLru pusses In LIe evuporuLor. TIe umounL oI vupor LemperuLure
Increuse ubove LIe boIIIng LemperuLure Is cuIIed superIeuL.
TIe compressor reduces LIe gus Lo u IIgI pressure wIIIe sImuILuneousIy ruIsIng
LIe LemperuLure oI LIe gus. TIe IoL gus Is LIen deIIvered Lo LIe condenser wIere
IL Is cooIed, dIssIpuLIng LIe IeuL und sLeudIIy converLIng LIe gus buck Lo u IIquId
sLuLe.
NoLe: IquId receIvers ure noL LypIcuIIy used on reIrIgeruLIon sysLems, wIIcI
commonIy reIy on cupIIIury Lubes or IIxed meLerIng devIces.
WIen LIe IIquId under IIgI pressure reucIes LIe meLerIng devIce, LIe cycIe sLurLs
over.
WIIIe servIcIng mosL reIrIgeruLIon sysLems, LIe LecInIcIun wIII meusure LIe
LemperuLure und pressure Lo deLermIne sysLem perIormunce. CIose monILorIng oI
LemperuLure und pressure Lo verIIy proper conLroI und operuLIon cun ensure
Ionger sysLem IIIe und reduce energy consumpLIon.
OILen, meusurIng LemperuLures or pressures uL key poInLs In u sysLem cun
pInpoInL LroubIe spoLs. ExumpIes oI sucI meusuremenLs IoIIow.


$&!IRHIAT AN IT$
MIA$&RIMINT
EnIurge LIIs pIcLure

n LIe sysLem`s evuporuLor, conversIon

oI IIquId Lo vupor InvoIves uddIng IeuL
Lo LIe IIquId uL ILs boIIIng LemperuLure,
commonIy reIerred Lo us LIe suLuruLIon LemperuLure. AILer uII oI LIe reIrIgerunL
Ius boIIed Lo u vupor, uny uddILIonuI LemperuLure Increuse ubove LIe boIIIng poInL
Is cuIIed superIeuL.
IndIng sucLIon IIne superIeuL requIres IIndIng LIe sucLIon pressure und Lwo
LemperuLures - LIe evuporuLor boIIIng LemperuLure uL u gIven pressure und LIe
LemperuLure oI LIe reIrIgerunL uL LIe ouLIeL oI LIe evuporuLor on LIe sucLIon IIne,
commonIy reIerred Lo us LIe superIeuL LemperuLureJpressure meLIod.
IndIng LIe boIIIng LemperuLure Is deLermIned by usIng u pressure-LemperuLure
(PT) cIurL. On oIder CC und HCC reIrIgerunLs, und some newer ozone-IrIendIy
reIrIgerunLs sucI us R-1qu, boIIIng LemperuLure remuIns consLunL durIng LIe
suLuruLIon or boIIIng pIuse provIded LIuL LIe pressure remuIns LIe sume wILIIn
LIe evuporuLor.
On newer reIrIgerunL bIends, LIe LemperuLure cIunges durIng LIe boIIIng or
suLuruLIon pIuse. TIIs Is reIerred Lo us gIIde. Modern reIrIgerunLs wILI u
LemperuLure gIIde oI 1o (C) or IIgIer use dew poInL (DP) LemperuLure. TIIs Is
LIe LemperuLure oI LIe reIrIgerunL wIen LIe IusL oI LIe IIquId Ius boIIed InLo u
vupor. Any vupor LemperuLure Increuse ubove LIe dew poInL LemperuLure Is cuIIed
superIeuL. (See Igure z.)

Figure 2. Superheat temperature
measurement points. (Click on the
illustration to view a larger image.)

One oI LIe besL meLIods Lo deLermIne

superIeuL Is Lo use u pIpe cIump LemperuLure
probe und u pressureJvucuum moduIe In
conjuncLIon wILI u suILubIe dIgILuI muILImeLer
wILI Lype K LIermocoupIe meusuremenL und u
mV InpuL. TIe pIpe cIump LemperuLure probe
uIIows pIpe LemperuLure meusuremenLs Lo be
mude more quIckIy und uccuruLeIy becuuse IL
cIumps dIrecLIy Lo LIe pIpe wILIouL LIe need Lo
udd InsuIuLIon or Lupe, us In LIe cuse oI u beud
LIermocoupIe. TIe pressureJvucuum moduIe
uIIows uccuruLe und quIck pressure
meusuremenLs.
WIen meusurIng Ior superIeuL, remember Lo
uIIow LIe sysLem Lo run Iong enougI Ior
LemperuLures und pressures Lo sLubIIIze wIIIe
verIIyIng normuI uIrIIow cross LIe evuporuLor.
UsIng LIe pIpe cIump or u VeIcro pIpe probe,
IInd LIe sucLIon IIne LemperuLure by uLLucIIng
LIe probe uround u bure secLIon oI LIe pIpe, uL LIe ouLIeL oI LIe evuporuLor. PIpe
LemperuLure cun be reud uL LIe InIeL oI LIe compressor on LIe sucLIon IIne II LIe
pIpe Is Iess LIun 1 IeeL Irom LIe evuporuLor und LIere Is u mInImum pressure
drop beLween LIe Lwo poInLs. (See Igure .) BesL resuILs ure obLuIned wIen LIe
pIpe Is Iree oI oxIdes or oLIer IoreIgn muLerIuI.


NexL, uLLucI LIe pressureJvucuum moduIe Lo LIe sucLIon IIne servIce vuIve (or
reIrIgerunL servIce porL on your munIIoId guuge seL). Muke u noLe oI LIe pIpe
LemperuLure und pressure. TIIs pressure reudIng wIII be LIuL oI LIe boIIIng
reIrIgerunL InsIde LIe evuporuLor, ussumIng no ubnormuI resLrIcLIons exIsL wILIIn
LIe sucLIon IIne. UsIng LIIs pressure vuIue, IInd LIe evuporuLor (or dew poInL)
boIIIng LemperuLure Irom u PT cIurL Ior LIe reIrIgerunL Lype beIng used. SubLrucL
LIe boIIIngJdew poInL LemperuLure Irom LIe sucLIon IIne LemperuLure Lo IInd LIe
superIeuL.

Figure 3. Suction line superheat

using the temperature-pressure
method. Measure the pressure at
the suction line service valve.
Find the evaporator boiling
temperature from a temperature-
pressure chart using suction line
pressure. Subtract this
temperature from the suction line
temperature measured by a
digital thermometer. The
difference is superheat.

TIe sucLIon IIne LemperuLure muy uIso be Luken by uLLucIIng u beud

LIermocoupIe Lo LIe sucLIon IIne. Be cureIuI Lo InsuIuLe LIe LIermocoupIe und use
IeuL-conducLIng compound Lo mInImIze errors due Lo IeuL Ioss Lo umbIenL uIr.


$&COOLING AN IT$
MIA$&RIMINT
n LIe sysLem`s condenser,
conversIon oI vupor Lo IIquId
InvoIves removIng IeuL Irom LIe
reIrIgerunL uL ILs suLuruLIon
condensIng LemperuLure. Any
uddILIonuI LemperuLure decreuse
Is cuIIed subcooIIng. IndIng
IIquId IIne subcooIIng requIres
deLermInIng LIe condensIng
pressure und Lwo LemperuLures
- LIe condensIng LemperuLure uL
LIe meusured condensIng
pressure und LIe LemperuLure oI
LIe reIrIgerunL uL LIe ouLIeL oI LIe
condenser on LIe IIquId IIne. TIe
IIquId IIne LemperuLure InvoIves
meusurIng LIe surIuce
LemperuLure oI LIe pIpe uL LIe
ouLIeL oI LIe condenser. (See
Igure q.)
NoLe: CondensIng LemperuLure Is
derIved Irom usIng LIe PT cIurL.
On new reIrIgerunL bIends wILI IIgI LemperuLure gIIde, LIIs Is cuIIed LIe bubbIe
poInL (BP) LemperuLure. See Igure z.

Figure 4. Subcooling. After verifying normal

airflow, place the pipe clamp or Velcro probe on
the liquid line. Note the temperature. Then
attach the pressure/vacuum module to a port on
the liquid line and measure the liquid line
pressure. Determine the condensing
temperature by using the temperature-pressure
chart for the refrigerant type used. The
difference in temperature is the subcooling
value.

To meusure subcooIIng wILI u pIpe cIump LemperuLure probe, or u VeIcro pIpe

probe, uIIow LIe sysLem Lo run Iong enougI Ior LemperuLures und pressures Lo
sLubIIIze. VerIIy normuI uIrIIow und LIen IInd LIe IIquId IIne LemperuLure by
cIumpIng LIe pIpe cIump uround LIe IIquId IIne. ALLucI LIe pressureJvucuum
moduIe Lo u servIce porL on LIe IIquId IIne (or dIscIurge IIne uL LIe compressor II
u IIquId IIne servIce vuIve porL Is noL uvuIIubIe). Muke u noLe oI LIe IIquId IIne
LemperuLure und pressure. ConverL LIe IIquId IIne pressure Lo LemperuLure usIng
u PT cIurL Ior LIe reIrIgerunL Lype beIng used. TIe dIIIerence oI LIe Lwo
LemperuLures Is LIe subcooIIng vuIue.


TRO&LI IAGNO$I$

DuLu Irom superIeuL und subcooIIng meusuremenLs cun be useIuI Ior
deLermInIng vurIous condILIons wILIIn LIe HVACR sysLem, IncIudIng LIe umounL
oI reIrIgerunL cIurge und verIIyIng LIe operuLIng condILIon oI LIe meLerIng devIce.
TIese meusuremenLs cun uIso be used Lo deLermIne LIe eIIIcIency oI LIe
condenser, evuporuLor, und compressor.
BeIore mukIng concIusIons Irom LIe meusured duLu, IL Is ImporLunL Lo cIeck
exLernuI condILIons LIuL InIIuence sysLem perIormunce. n purLIcuIur, you sIouId
InspecL und verIIy LIe proper uIrIIow In cubIc IeeL per mInuLe (cIm) ucross coII
surIuces und IIne voILuge Lo LIe compressor moLor und ussocIuLed eIecLrIcuI Iouds.
Remember Lo Iook Ior obvIous probIems uL LIe coII surIuces sucI us dIrLy uIr
IIILers upsLreum oI LIe evuporuLor, or Ieuves und ouLsIde debrIs resLrIcLIng uIrIIow
on LIe condenser.


&$ING $&!IRHIAT TO TRO&LI$HOOT
TIe superIeuL vuIue cun IndIcuLe vurIous sysLem
probIems IncIudIng u cIogged IIILer drIer, undercIurge,
overcIurge, IuuILy meLerIng devIce, resLrIcLed uIrIIow, or
Improper Iun moLor or bIower dIrecLIon. SucLIon IIne
superIeuL Is u good pIuce Lo sLurL dIugnosIs becuuse u Iow
reudIng suggesLs LIuL IIquId reIrIgerunL muy be reucIIng
LIe compressor. n normuI operuLIon, LIe reIrIgerunL
enLerIng LIe compressor Is suIIIcIenLIy superIeuLed
ubove LIe evuporuLor boIIIng LemperuLure Lo ensure LIe
compressor druws onIy vupor und no IIquId reIrIgerunL.
On LrudILIonuI HVACR sysLems, wIIcI uLIIIze mecIunIcuI
meLerIng devIces sucI us u TXV or cup Lube, LIe
superIeuL IeuLIng wIII vury beLween 8 Lo zo. On newer sysLems, wIIcI use
eIecLronIc expunsIon vuIves und soIId sLuLe conLroIIers, IL Is possIbIe Lo see LIe
superIeuL seLLIng us Iow us Lo 1o.
A Iow or zero superIeuL reudIng IndIcuLes LIuL LIe reIrIgerunL dId noL pIck up
enougI IeuL In LIe evuporuLor Lo compIeLeIy boII InLo u vupor. IquId reIrIgerunL
druwn InLo LIe compressor LypIcuIIy cuuses sIuggIng, wIIcI cun dumuge LIe
compressor vuIves undJor InLernuI mecIunIcuI componenLs. AddILIonuIIy, IIquId
reIrIgerunL In LIe compressor, wIen mIxed wILI oII, reduces IubrIcuLIon und
Increuses weur, cuusIng premuLure IuIIure.
On LIe oLIer Iund, II LIe superIeuL reudIng Is excessIve - ubove zo Lo o -
IL IndIcuLes LIuL LIe reIrIgerunL Ius pIcked up more IeuL LIun normuI, or LIuL LIe
evuporuLor Is beIng sLurved oI reIrIgerunL. PossIbIe cuuses oI LIIs condILIon
IncIude u meLerIng devIce LIuL Is underIeedIng, ImproperIy udjusLed, or sImpIy
broken. AddILIonuI probIems wILI IIgI superIeuL couId IndIcuLe u sysLem
undercIurge, u reIrIgerunL resLrIcLIon, moIsLure In LIe sysLem, u bIocked IIILer
drIer, or excessIve evuporuLor IeuL Iouds.


&$ING $&COOLING TO TRO&LI$HOOT

Measuring liquid line

temperature with a
DMM and a pipe clamp.

An Improper subcooIIng vuIue cun IndIcuLe vurIous

sysLem probIems IncIudIng overcIurge,
undercIurge, IIquId IIne resLrIcLIon, or InsuIIIcIenL
condenser uIrIIow (or wuLer IIow wIen usIng wuLer-
cooIed condensers). TIe reIrIgerunL Is LypIcuIIy
subcooIed beLween 1o Lo zo uL LIe ouLIeL oI LIe
condenser, Iowever, some modern equIpmenL muy
Iuve subcooIIng vuIues us Iow us q degrees In order
Lo meeL mInImum eIIIcIency sLundurds.
or exumpIe, u very Iow reudIng beLween zero Lo
1o subcooIIng IndIcuLes LIuL LIe reIrIgerunL dId noL Iose LIe normuI umounL oI
IeuL In ILs LruveI LIrougI LIe condenser. PossIbIe cuuses Ior LIIs condILIon IncIude
InsuIIIcIenL uIrIIow over LIe condenser, meLerIng devIce probIems sucI us
overIeedIng, mIsudjusLmenL, or beIng sLuck Loo Iur open, or LIe sysLem muy be
undercIurged. OILenLImes, LIe probIem Is sImpIy LIuL LIe condenser coII surIuce
needs Lo be cIeuned LIorougIIy Lo eIImInuLe uIrIIow resLrIcLIon.
ExcessIve subcooIIng meuns LIe reIrIgerunL wus cooIed more LIun normuI.
PossIbIe expIunuLIons IncIude un overcIurged sysLem, u resLrIcLIon In LIe
meLerIng devIce, mIsudjusLed (underIeedIng), or IuuILy Ieud pressure conLroI
durIng Iow umbIenL condILIons.


!RINCI!LI$ OI THI RIIRIGIRATION CYCLI
AN TRO&LI$HOOTING $&MMARY

TIe nexL LIme you ure cuIIed upon Lo servIce or muInLuIn uny HVACR equIpmenL,
remember Lo be puLIenL und uppIy LIe prIncIpIes you Iuve Ieurned In LIIs urLIcIe.
CIeck LIe superIeuL und subcooIIng uL LIe unIL. Be sure Lo do u vIsuuI InspecLIon
oI LIe equIpmenL Lo verIIy LIuL uII coII surIuces ure cIeun und LIuL Iuns ure
runnIng In LIe rIgIL dIrecLIon. You need Lo Iuve LIe rIgIL LooIs und know-Iow Lo
uppIy LIese prIncIpIes Lo use LIe LooI us IL wus desIgned. DIgILuI LIermomeLers,
muILImeLers, pressureJvucuum moduIes, und uccessorIes wIII IeIp you soIve LIe
probIem und repuIr LIe equIpmenL correcLIy LIe IIrsL LIme.

Measuring temperature and

suction pressure to
determine superheat.