CHAPTER 6

Basic Refrigeration
Systems
Objectives
• Explain how phase changes are used in
refrigeration systems to transfer heat.
• Describe how phase change is possible through
pressure change or the addition or removal of
heat.
• Summarize the four phases of the compression
refrigeration cycle.

Lordan A.C.S. Ltd

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Objectives
• Identify the components that divide the low and
high sides of a compression refrigeration system.
• Understand the purpose of each of the
components in a compression refrigeration
system.

Courtesy of Sporlan Division - Parker Hannifin Corporation; Danfoss

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Introduction to Refrigeration
• Purpose of refrigeration
– Remove heat from space where it is not wanted
• Refrigerant acts like a sponge that is used to soak
up and move heat
• Refrigerant (like a sponge) expands to absorb and
compresses to expel

Goodheart-
Willcox
Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Compression Refrigeration Cycle

• Refrigerants
– Absorb heat inside
refrigerated space
– Release heat outside
• Refrigerant phase
changes
– Liquid to vapor
absorbs heat
– Vapor to liquid expels
heat

Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
High Side and Low Side
• Effect of pressure
– High pressure = high temperature for heat
rejection
– Low pressure = low temperature for heat
absorption
• Refrigeration system
– Low side: heat is absorbed into the system
– High side: heat is rejected from the system
• Compressor divides low side from the high side
• Metering device divides high side from low side
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Compressor
• Motor-driven device
• Squeezes vapor into small volume
– High temperature
– High pressure
• Separates low side from high side
• Creates high pressure on the high side
• Creates low pressure on the low side
• Most expensive and crucial part of system
• The “heart” of the system

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Evaporator and Compressor

• Evaporator
– Low-pressure liquid
refrigerant soaks up
heat
– Liquid becomes low-
pressure vapor
• Compressor
– Draws in low-pressure
vapor
– Compression results in Intake Stroke Compression Stroke
high-pressure vapor
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Condenser and Metering Device
• Condenser
– Temperature difference
causes release of heat
– High-pressure vapor
becomes high-pressure
liquid
• Metering device
– Restricts flow of liquid
refrigerant
– High-pressure liquid
becomes low-pressure
liquid Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Reciprocating Compressor

• Provides both suction

and compression
• Operates using a
back-and-forth motion

Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Oil Separation
• Purpose of oil
– Lubricate compressor’s mechanical parts
– Lubricate motor bearings (hermetic systems)
• Oil separator
– Contains baffles or screens to collect oil
– Prevents excess oil from interfering with operation
– Placed between compressor exhaust and
condenser

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Oil Separator

Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Condenser
• Compressor discharges high-pressure, high-
temperature vapor
• Vapor travels through discharge line to condenser
• Condenser changes all vapor into liquid (removing
its latent heat)
• Condenser subcools the liquid (removing some
sensible heat)
• Liquid travels through liquid line to metering device

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Types of Condensers

• Air-cooled
condensers
– Forced-air condenser
– Natural-convection
(static) condenser
• Water-cooled
condensers
– Shell-and-tube
– Shell-and-coil
– Tube-within-a-tube
Forced-Air Condenser
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Liquid Receiver

• Storage tank for liquid

refrigerant
– Allows charge to be
less critical
– Holds most of the
refrigerant charge for
system servicing
• Not used in capillary
tube systems

Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Liquid Line
• Carries liquid refrigerant to metering device
– Often made of copper
– Connected by brazing or flared fittings
– Smaller diameter than the suction line
• May be in contact with suction line
– Subcools liquid line refrigerant
– Reduces chance of flash gas in the liquid line
– Superheats suction line refrigerant

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Liquid Line Filter-Drier

• Keeps debris from

entering metering
device
• Removes moisture
from refrigerant
– Moisture might
otherwise freeze and
cause obstructions
– Moisture can form Emerson Electric Co.

sludge and acid

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Metering Device
• Controls flow of refrigerant into the evaporator
• Reduces liquid refrigerant from high pressure to
low pressure
• Located between liquid line and evaporator
• Other names
– Refrigerant control
– Refrigerant flow control
• Several different types of metering devices

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Types of Metering Devices
• Fixed orifice
• Capillary tube
• Thermostatic expansion
valve (TXV)
• Automatic expansion
valve (AXV)
• Electronic expansion
valve (EEV)
• Low-side float (LSF)
• High-side float (HSF)
Thermostatic Expansion Valve
Danfoss

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Process of Evaporation
• Warm air passes between evaporator fins
• Heat is absorbed by liquid refrigerant
• Liquid boils into vapor
• Temperature of air flowing over evaporator
becomes increasingly colder
• Cold air cools the conditioned area

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Evaporators

Lordan A.C.S. Ltd

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Accumulator

• Captures liquid
refrigerant in the
suction line
– Liquid can damage the
compressor
– Accumulator holds
liquid refrigerant
• Not required in most
small systems

Emerson Climate Technologies

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Suction Line
• Carries refrigerant vapor from evaporator to
compressor
– Carries superheated vapor with minimal flow
resistance
– Should slope from evaporator down to compressor
• Made of copper tubing
– Tubing should be insulated to prevent
condensation and the absorption of heat in
unconditioned spaces
• Refrigerant is superheated (above its saturation
point)
– Superheated but feels cool
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.
Suction Line Filter-Drier

• Located between
suction line and
compressor
• Designed for low-
pressure use
• Protects system from
acid and
contaminants
Emerson Electric Co.

• Often used
temporarily
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.