16 Cooling Plant Optimization Application Guide

Figure 3. Basic Refrigeration Cycle and P-h Diagram.

As shown from the pressure and temperature lines in Figure 3, the refrigerant
temperature in the evaporator and condenser is a direct function of the refrigerant
pressure. Raising the chilled water temperature in turn causes p
s
to rise to p
s
'.
The evaporation process now moves to line 1' - 2'. Lowering the condenser water
temperature causes p
d
to decrease to p
d
'. The condensing process now moves to
line 3' - 4'. Therefore, raising the chilled water temperature and lowering the
condenser water temperature results in the work input to the compressor of only
W M H H
comp
' ( ' ' )
3 2
, where M is the mass flow rate of the refrigerant. This
is less than the work required by the compressor for the original colder
evaporator temperature, and a warmer condenser temperature
W M H H
comp
( )
3 2
.
In a constant speed centrifugal chiller with pre-rotation inlet guide vanes, as
chilled water temperature is increased the vanes begin to close off. At small
angles of closure, the vanes not only decrease the head produced by the
compressor, they also "pre-swirl" the refrigerant in the direction of impeller
rotation.
At this point, compressor efficiency is only slightly affected and savings due to
lower refrigerant head are achieved. However, as leaving chilled water
temperature is increased further, the vanes close further and begin to function like
a valve. This throttles the flow of refrigerant creating friction and decreases
compressor efficiency. This vane induced friction (and resulting decrease in
compressor efficiency) quickly overtakes the benefits of "pre-swirl" and lower
head pressure which is produced by a higher leaving chilled water temperature.
Even so, energy savings still do occur; however, savings at higher chilled water
temperatures are due to the airside cooling coil performing less latent cooling
because of the higher chilled water temperature.