COLD STORAGE FOR

VEGETABLES
DESIGN AND COST ESTIMATION

MANOJ PAUDEL
9/3/2014
This paper presents the design of cold storage for vegetable as per the requirement of Mr. Ujjwal.
The design is done according to the guidelines of 2006 ASHRAE Handbook Refrigeration. The
design is done for 250 kg per shipment, which results in 0.8 TR of cooling load and electricity
input of 0.75 kW.

Client Requirements:

250 kg of vegetables to be brought and stored in a room of size 12 ft x 9 ft.

Design Method

For the calculation of cooling load following temperature and humidity parameters are selected.

Design ambient temperature: 350C

Cold room temperature: 20C

Cold room humidity: 90%

The room is insulated with 1 inch thick polystyrene (thermocol) in three sides and partitioned
with plywood and 4 inch thick polystyrene in one side. Please refer the drawing.

Total Refrigeration Load is sum of

1) Transmission Load
2) Infiltration Load
3) Equipment Load
4) Product Load
 brick

2 cement + sand
motorcycle wash room

plaster
w2 2
Polystyrene
1 1 1 2
(Thermocol)
WALL 1, 2 and 3
w1 refrigerated space 3
3 3
4 plywood thermocol

4 4
WALL 4

300
600
1000
passage

1000
rack rack
2425
600

rack 1200
door
Layout of Cold Store
 REFRIGERATION SYSTEM DESIGN

Phase I: Cooling Load Calculation

Calculation of U-Value

thermal
thickness U-Value U-Value
Particulars Components conductivity, k resistance
mm (SI) (IP)
(W/m K)
Inside air film - - 0.12
plaster 0.72 100 0.1388889
brick 1.3 400 0.3076923 0.658 0.116
Wall 1
thermocol 0.03 25 0.8333333
Outside air film - - 0.12
Overall 525 1.5199145
Inside air film - - 0.12
plaster 0.72 100 0.1388889
brick 1.3 430 0.3307692 0.648 0.114
Wall 2
thermocol 0.03 25 0.8333333
Outside air film - - 0.12
Overall 555 1.5429915
Inside air film - - 0.12
plaster 0.72 100 0.1388889
brick 1.3 125 0.0961538 0.764 0.135
Wall 3
thermocol 0.03 25 0.8333333
Outside air film - - 0.12
Overall 250 1.3083761
Inside air film - - 0.12
thermocol 0.03 100 3.3333333
0.270 0.048
Wall 4 plywood 0.12 15 0.125
Outside air film - - 0.12
Overall 115 3.6983333
Inside air film - - 0.16
RCC slab 0.72 100 0.1388889
0.774 0.136
Ceiling thermocol 0.03 25 0.8333333
Outside air film - - 0.16
Overall 1.2922222
Inside air film 0.12
glass 0.96 5 0.0052083
w1 thermocol 0.03 25 0.8333333
Outside air film 0.12 0.927 0.163
Overall 30 1.0785417
 Transmission Load
Project: __________________Room : ____________ Month June Latitude 28 N
WB RH
DB (F) (F) (%) W' Time 1400
Design Out 95 DR 10
Conditions IN 35 90 Average 90
A,sq. ft CLTD, F
SCL
Conduction Dir. U Gross Net Table Corr. (BTU/hr)
Windows W1 0.1 25.5 25.5 55 140.25
(glass + 2 inch
thermocol) W2 0.1 25.5 25.5 55 140.25
1 0.116 81 55.5 55 354.09
2 0.114 108 82.5 55 517.275
Walls
3 0.135 81 81 55 601.425
4 0.048 108 108 55 285.12
Roof/Ceiling Hor. 0.136 108 108 55 807.84
Floor Hor. 0.07 108 108 55 415.8
Total Transmission Load 3262.5
Infiltration Load

Door width 0.9 m Door height(H) 2m

Enthalpy (hi) 305.22 kJ/kg Enthalpy (hr) 275.12 kJ/kg
Density (di) 1.12 kg/m3 Density (dr) 1.27 kg/m3
Doorway flow factor (Df) 0.7 Effectiveness factor 0

Using above formulae we get Fm = 0.97, Dt = 0.015

0.5
= 0.221 1.8(305.22 275.12)1.27(1 1.121.27) (9.81 2)0.5 0.97 0.7 0.015
= 0.36

Total Infiltration Load = 1230 Btu/Hr

Product Load:

( )
=
3600
Vegetable in flow Mass (m) 250 kg
Specific heat capacity (c ) 4 kJ/kg.K
Temperature difference (ti tr) 33
Cooling time (h) 20
Product Load 0.458 kJ/kg = 1563 Btu/hr

Equipment Load

() = () 1.25 3.412

Equipment Rated Power Cooling Load required (Btu/hr)

Evaporator Fan 100-300W 1706
Light 50-100W 426.5
Control Equipments 10-20 W 85.3
Total 2218

Hence we get total cooling load as follows:

Transmission Load 3263 Btu/hr

Infiltration Load 1230 Btu/hr
Equipment Load 2218 Btu/hr
Product Load 1563 Btu/hr
Total Cooling Load 8274 Btu/hr
Load addition for safety (20%) 1655 Btu/hr
Design Cooling Load 9929 Btu/hr (~ 0.83TR)

So we design the refrigeration system for the load of 10,000 Btu/hr or 2.93 kJ/s.
Phase II: Refrigeration Equipment Design

Refrigerant Selected: R134a Operating Temperature: -10 degree Celsius to 44 degree Celsius

[The properties of refrigerant R134a are obtained from Thermodynamics: An Engineering

Approach by Cengel and Boles]

The refrigerant cycle is analyzed for a refrigeration capacity of 0.83 TR (2.93 kW).

Evaporator temperature = -10 degree Celsius

Condenser temperature = 44 degree Celsius

Suction Pressure (P1 = P4) = 200.74 kPa

Discharge Pressure (P2 = P3) = 950 kPa

Now, from table (Cengel and Boles) :

h1 = 244.51 kJ/kg h2 = 277.27 kJ/kg h3 = 104.51 kJ/kg h4 = 104.51 kJ/kg

Refrigerant Mass flow rate = q/(h1 h4 ) = 0.021 kg/s

Compressor capacity = mass flow rate x (h2 h1) = 0.688 kW ~ 1 hp

Compressor Sizing:

Compressor Suction Pressure 200.74 kPa

Compressor Discharge Pressure 950 kPa
Compressor Capacity 0.688 kW ( choose 1 HP)

Condenser Sizing

Condenser Pressure 950 kPa

Type Forced convection, air cooled (with fan)
Condenser Capacity 3.63 kW (~1.04 TR choose 1.2 TR)

Evaporator Sizing:

Evaporator Pressure 200.74 kPa

Type Forced convection, air cooled ( with fan)
Evaporator Capacity 2.94 kW (~0.84 TR choose 1 TR)

Expansion Device:

Pressure to be decreased From 950 kPa to 200.74 kPa

Type Thermostatic Expansion Valve

Piping:

22 mm/28 mm diameter pipes for suction line, discharge line and liquid line

Control Equipments:

For temperature and humidity control : Should sense temperature and on or off the evaporator
fan and/or compressor as required. ( optimum temperature of room: 2 degree Celsius to 8 degree
Celsius)
 COST ESTIMATION

Particulars Cost
Installation Cost
Room Construction
Vegetable Rack
Refrigeration System
Total
Operating Cost (Electricity Consumption)
Compressor 15 kWh(units)/ day
Fan (Evaporator and Condenser)
Control Equipments
Light
Total