Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cycles
Objectives
Introduce the concepts of refrigerators and heat
pumps and the measure of their performance.
Analyze the ideal and actual vapor-compression
refrigeration cycles.
Discuss the operation of refrigeration and heat
pump systems.
Evaluate the performance of innovative vapor-
compression refrigeration systems.
2
Refrigerators And Heat Pumps
The transfer of heat from a low-temperature
region to a high-temperature one requires
special devices called refrigerators.
The objective of a refrigerator is to remove heat
(QL) from the cold medium; the objective of a
heat pump is to supply heat (QH) to a warm
medium.
Refrigerators and heat pumps are essentially
the same devices; they differ in their objectives
only.
Performance:
Schematic and T-s diagram for the ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle.
Ideal Vapor-compression Refrigeration Cycle
Process
4-1 Constant Pressure Evaporation
Heat from a cold space is absorbed by the
refrigerant. As a result, the refrigerant
evaporates at a constant evaporator
pressure, from state 4 to become a drier
saturated vapor at state 1.
7
Ideal Vapor-compression Refrigeration Cycle
Process
1-2 Isentropic compression
The saturated vapor is compressed from
the evaporator pressure to the condenser
pressure, in a reversible adiabatic manner.
The refrigerant exits the compressor as a
superheated vapor at state 2.
8
Ideal Vapor-compression Refrigeration Cycle
Process
2-3 Constant Pressure Condensation
Heat is rejected from the refrigerant to a warm
space. As a result, the refrigerant condenses at a
constant condenser pressure until it becomes a
saturated liquid at state 3.
9
Ideal Vapor-compression Refrigeration Cycle
Process
3-4 Constant Enthalpy Expansion
The refrigerant expands through the
throttle valve adiabatically. As a result, it’s
pressure drops from the condenser to the
evaporator pressure. The enthalpy is
constant during the process, i.e. h3 = h4.
An ordinary
household The P-h diagram of an ideal
refrigerator. vapor-compression
refrigeration cycle. 11
Refrigeration Load
• Refrigeration Capacity, QL
– defined as the amount of heat that has to be transferred from a cold
space per unit time
– determines the mass flow rate of refrigerant
• 1 ton = 200Btu/min = 211kJ/min = 3.516kW
• ton : “the rate of heat transfer to produce 2000 lb of ice at 0oC (32o)F
from liquid water at 0oC (32oF) in 24 hours”
• Mass flow rate of refrigerant
refrigerat or capacity
m
refrigerat ing effect per unit mass
12
Solving Problem
• 2 methods can be used for cycle analysis.
– Using property table for refrigerants
– Using the P-h diagram
P
q2 = h 2 – h 3
3 2
4 1
q2 = h 1 – h4
h
win = h2 – h1 13
P-h Diagram for Refrigerant 134a
14
Example
Ideal Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycles
15
Ideal Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycles
16
Problem
Ideal and Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycles
Answers: (a) 7.41 kW, 1.83 kW, (b) 9.23 kW, (c) 4.06
17
Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
An actual vapor-compression refrigeration cycle involves irreversibilities
in various components - mainly due to fluid friction (causes pressure
drops) and heat transfer to or from the surroundings. As a result, the
COP decreases.
Differences
• Non-isentropic
compression;
• Superheated vapor
at evaporator exit;
• Sub-cooled liquid at
condenser exit;
• Pressure drops in
condenser and
evaporator.
18
Schematic and T-s diagram for the actual vapor-compression refrigeration cycle.
Undercooling (Subcooling) And Its Effects
• In the condenser, the vapor can be
further cooled at constant pressure to a
temperature that is lower than
temperature in condenser.
• Undercooling (subcooling) increases the
3
refrigerating effect from
(h1 – h4) > (h1 – h4’) where h4 is
enthalpy with undercooling (subcooling)
and h4’ is initial enthalpy
• Undercooling (subcooling) is limited by
temperature of cooling water and
temperature difference of cycle. 19
Example
Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycles
20
Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycles
21
Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycles
22
Problem – Class Exercise
Ideal and Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycles
29
Example
Cascade Refrigeration Cycles
30
Problem
Cascade Refrigeration Systems
11–42
Consider a two-stage cascade refrigeration system operating between
pressure limits of 0.8 and 0.14 MPa. Each stage operates on the ideal
vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with refrigerant-134a as the
working fluid. Heat rejection from the lower cycle to the upper cycle
takes place in an adiabatic counter-flow heat exchanger where both
streams enter at about 0.4 MPa. If the mass flow rate of the refrigerant
through the upper cycle is 0.24 kg/s, determine the:
a) mass flow rate of the refrigerant through the lower cycle,
b) rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space,
c) power input to the compressor, and
d) coefficient of performance of this cascade refrigerator.
Answers: (a) 0.195 kg/s, (b) 34.2 kW, 7.63 kW, (c)31
4.49
Problem
Cascade Refrigeration Systems
11–47
Consider a two-stage cascade refrigeration system operating between
pressure limits of 1.2 MPa and 200 kPa with refrigerant-134a as the working
fluid. Heat rejection from the lower cycle to the upper cycle takes place in an
adiabatic counter-flow heat exchanger where the pressure in the upper and
lower cycles are 0.4 and 0.5 MPa, respectively. In both cycles, the refrigerant
is a saturated liquid at the condenser exit and a saturated vapor at the
compressor inlet, and the isentropic efficiency of the compressor is 80
percent. If the mass flow rate of the refrigerant through the lower cycle is
0.15 kg/s, determine the:
a) mass flow rate of the refrigerant through the upper cycle,
b) rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space, and
c) coefficient of performance of the system.
Answers: (a) 0.212 kg/s, (b) 25.7 kW, (c) 2.68
32
33
34
35
Multistage Compression Refrigeration Systems
When the fluid used throughout the cascade
refrigeration system is the same, the heat exchanger
between the stages can be replaced by a mixing
chamber (called a flash chamber) since it has better
heat transfer characteristics.
37
Multistage Compression Refrigeration Systems
QH
7 2
• It can be carried out with Expansio
Win
compressors 8 1
Evaporator
4
QL
Cycle Layout of a Two-Stage Compression
Refrigeration System
38
Multistage Compression Refrigeration Systems
• The T-s diagram representing the cycle of a two-stage vapor-
compression cycle
T 4
5 2
7 9
6 3
8 1
s 39
Multistage Compression Refrigeration Systems
Two-stage refrigeration cycle represented by the p-h diagram
representation of
the cycle because it
can easily be Flash Chamber 3 2
7 9
compared to the 6
plant layout
Evaporator
8 1
h 40
Multistage Compression Refrigeration Systems
• 1kg refrigerant moves through condenser
• 1kg liquid enters 1st throttle valve P
• 1kg (mostly liquid) enters flash chamber and
starts to evaporate and becomes mixture of 5 4
Condenser
gas (x)kg and liquid (1–x)kg
• (x) moves towards 2nd stage compressor at Pi
• (1–x)kg liquid make its way through the 2nd
throttle valve into the evaporator 3 2
7 6 9
• (1–x)kg vapor enters the 1st stage compressor
where it is compressed to Pi
• At Pi (state 3) (1-x)kg vapor mixes with (x)kg
Evaporator
vapor adiabatically and becomes 1kg vapor 8 1
• 1kg vapor is compressed in 2nd stage
compressor
h
• 1kg vapor enters condenser to be condensed
and becomes 1kg liquid
41
Multistage Compression Refrigeration Systems
ANALYSIS
• Fraction of refrigerant which evaporates in the flash chamber can be given as
follows.
h6 hfi
x
hfgi
QL
COPR
Win
1 x h1 h8
1 x h 2 h1 h4 h9
43
Problem
Two-Stage Compression Refrigeration Systems
11–44
A two-stage compression refrigeration system operates with
refrigerant-134a between the pressure limits of 1.4 and 0.10 MPa. The
refrigerant leaves the condenser as a saturated liquid and is throttled
to a flash chamber operating at 0.4 MPa. The refrigerant leaving the
low-pressure compressor at 0.4 MPa is also routed to the flash
chamber. The vapor in the flash chamber is then compressed to the
condenser pressure by the high-pressure compressor, and the liquid is
throttled to the evaporator pressure. Assuming the refrigerant leaves
the evaporator as saturated vapor at a rate of 0.25 kg/s and that both
compressors are isentropic, determine the:
a) fraction of the refrigerant that evaporates in the flash chamber,
b) rate of heat removed from the refrigerated space, and
44
c) coefficient of performance.
Table A-11, A-12, A-13
45
46
47
48
Problem
Two-Stage Compression Refrigeration System
11–48
A two-stage cascade refrigeration system operates between pressure limits of 1.2
MPa and 200 kPa with refrigerant-134a as the working fluid. Saturated liquid
refrigerant leaving the condenser is throttled to a flash chamber operating at 0.45
MPa. The vapor from the flash chamber is mixed with the refrigerant leaving the
low-pressure compressor. The mixture is then compressed to the condenser
pressure by the high-pressure compressor. The liquid in the flash chamber is
throttled to the evaporator pressure. The mass flow rate of the refrigerant is 0.15
kg/s. Assuming saturated vapor refrigerant leaves the evaporator and the isentropic
efficiency is 80 percent for both compressors, determine the:
a) mass flow rate of refrigerant in the high-pressure compressor,
b) rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space, and
c) coefficient of performance of the system.
d) rate of heat removal and the COP if this refrigerator operated on a single-
stage cycle between the same pressure limits with the same compressor
efficiency and flow rate as in part (a). 49
Absorption Refrigeration Systems
50
Ammonia absorption refrigeration cycle.
Absorption refrigeration systems (ARS) involve the absorption of a refrigerant by a
transport medium. The most widely used system is the ammonia–water system,
where ammonia (NH3) serves as the refrigerant and water (H2O) as the transport
medium.
Other systems include water–lithium bromide and water–lithium chloride
systems, where water serves as the refrigerant. These systems are limited to
applications such as A-C where the minimum temperature is above the freezing
point of water.
Compared with vapor-compression systems, ARS have one major advantage: A
liquid is compressed instead of a vapor and as a result the work input is very small
(on the order of one percent of the heat supplied to the generator) and often
neglected in the cycle analysis.
ARS are much more expensive than the vapor-compression refrigeration systems.
They are more complex and occupy more space, they are much less efficient thus
requiring much larger cooling towers to reject the waste heat, and they are more
difficult to service since they are less common.
Therefore, ARS should be considered only when the unit cost of thermal energy is
low and is projected to remain low relative to electricity.
ARS are primarily used in large commercial and industrial installations. 51
The COP of actual absorption
refri-geration systems is usually
less than unity.
Air-conditioning systems based
on absorption refrigeration,
called the absorption chillers,
perform best when the heat
source can supply heat at a high
temperature with little
temperature drop.