PERFORMANCE

AND EFFICIENCY
TEST OF
REFRIGERATION
SYSYTEM
(MEL LAB 3 REPORT)

Ian R. Sombilon
INTRODUCTION

Vapor-compression refrigeration, in which the refrigerant undergoes phase changes, is

one of the many refrigeration cycles and is the most widely used method for air-conditioning of
buildings and automobiles. It is also used in domestic and commercial refrigerators, large-scale
warehouses for chilled or frozen storage of foods and meats, refrigerated trucks and railroad
cars, and a host of other commercial and industrial services. Oil refineries, petrochemical and
chemical processing plants, and natural gas processing plants are among the many types of
industrial plants that often utilize large vapor-compression refrigeration systems.

Refrigeration is a general term. It describes the process of removing heat from spaces,
objects, or materials and maintaining them at a temperature below that of the surrounding
atmosphere. It may be defined as lowering the temperature of an enclosed space by removing
heat from that space and transferring it elsewhere. A device that performs this function may also
be called an air conditioner, refrigerator, air source heat pump; geothermal heat pump or chiller
(heat pump).To produce a refrigeration effect, the material to be cooled needs only to be
exposed to a colder object or environment. The heat will flow in its NATURAL direction-that is,
from the warmer material to the colder material. Refrigeration, then, usually means an artificial
way of lowering the temperature. Mechanical refrigeration is a mechanical system or apparatus
that transfers heat from one substance to another.

It is easy to understand refrigeration if you know the relationships among temperature,

pressure, and volume, and how pressure affects liquids and gases.
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM COMPONENTS

There are five basic components of a refrigeration system, these are:

 Evaporator
 Compressor
 Condenser
 Expansion Valve
 Refrigerant

; to conduct the heat from the product In order for the refrigeration cycle to operate successfully
each component must be present within the refrigeration system.

The Evaporator

The purpose of the evaporator is to remove unwanted heat from the product, via the
liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant contained within the evaporator is boiling at a low-
pressure. The level of this pressure is determined by two factors:

 The rate at which the heat is absorbed from the product to the liquid refrigerant in the
evaporator
 The rate at which the low-pressure vapour is removed from the evaporator by the
compressor

To enable the transfer of heat, the temperature of the liquid refrigerant must be lower than
the temperature of the product being cooled. Once transferred, the liquid refrigerant is drawn
from the evaporator by the compressor via the suction line. When leaving the evaporator coil the
liquid refrigerant is in vapour form.

The Compressor

The purpose of the compressor is to draw the low-temperature, low-pressure vapour from
the evaporator via the suction line. Once drawn, the vapour is compressed. When vapour is
compressed it rises in temperature. Therefore, the compressor transforms the vapour from a
low-temperature vapour to a high-temperature vapour, in turn increasing the pressure. The
vapour is then released from the compressor in to the discharge line.

The Condenser

The purpose of the condenser is to extract heat from the refrigerant to the outside air.
The condenser is usually installed on the reinforced roof of the building, which enables the
transfer of heat. Fans mounted above the condenser unit are used to draw air through the
condenser coils.

The temperature of the high-pressure vapour determines the temperature at which the
condensation begins. As heat has to flow from the condenser to the air, the condensation
temperature must be higher than that of the air; usually between - 12°C and -1°C. The high
pressure vapour within the condenser is then cooled to the point where it becomes a liquid
refrigerant once more, whilst retaining some heat. The liquid refrigerant then flows from the
condenser in to the liquid line.

The Expansion Valve

Within the refrigeration system, the expansion valve is located at the end of the liquid
line, before the evaporator. The high-pressure liquid reaches the expansion valve, having come
from the condenser. The valve then reduces the pressure of the refrigerant as it passes through
the orifice, which is located inside the valve. On reducing the pressure, the temperature of the
refrigerant also decreases to a level below the surrounding air. This low-pressure, low
temperature liquid is then pumped in to the evaporator.

The Refrigerant

A refrigerant is a substance or mixture, usually a fluid, used in a heat pump and

refrigeration cycle. In most cycles it undergoes phase transitions from a liquid to a gas and back
again. Many working fluids have been used for such purposes.

Fluorocarbons, especially chlorofluorocarbons, became commonplace in the 20th

century, but they are being phased out because of their ozone depletion effects. Other common
refrigerants used in various applications are ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and non-halogenated
hydrocarbons such as propane.

The desired thermodynamic properties are a boiling point somewhat below the target
temperature, a high heat of vaporization, a moderate density in liquid form, a relatively high
density in gaseous form, and a high critical temperature. Since boiling point and gas density are
affected by pressure, refrigerants may be made more suitable for a particular application by
choice of operating pressures.
PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY TEST

Performance Terms and Definitions

Tons of refrigeration (TR): One ton of refrigeration is the amount of cooling obtained by
one ton of ice melting in one day: 3024 kcal/h, 12,000 Btu/h or 3.516 thermal kW.

Net Refrigerating Capacity: A quantity defined as the mass flow rate of the evaporator
water multiplied by the difference in enthalpy of water entering and leaving the cooler,
expressed in kcal/h, tons of Refrigeration.

Kw/ton rating: Commonly referred to as efficiency, but actually power input to

compressor motor divided by tons of cooling produced, or kilowatts per ton (kW/ton). Lower
kW/ton indicates higher efficiency.
 Coefficient of Performance (COP): Chiller efficiency measured in Btu output (cooling)
divided by Btu input (electric power).

Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER): Performance of smaller chillers and rooftop units is
frequently measured in EER rather than kW/ton. EER is calculated by dividing a chiller's cooling
capacity (in Btu/h) by its power input (in watts) at full-load conditions. The higher the EER, the
more efficient the unit.

To determine the net refrigeration capacity

The test shall include a measurement of the net heat removed from the water as it
passes through the evaporator by determination of the following:

a. Water flow rate

b. Temperature difference between entering and leaving water

The heat removed from the chilled water is equal to the product of the chilled water flow rate,
the water temperature difference, and the specific heat of the water is defined as follows The net
refrigeration capacity in tons shall be obtained by the following equation:

Methods of measuring the flow

In the absence of an on-line flow meter the chilled water flow can be measured by the
following methods:

• In case where hot well and cold well are available, the flow can be measured from the tank
level dip or rise by switching off the secondary pump.

• Noninvasive method would require a well calibrated ultrasonic flow meter using which the flow
can be measured without disturbing the system

• If the waterside pressure drops are close to the design values, it can be assumed that the
water flow of pump is same as the design rated flow.
Measurement of compressor power

The compressor power can be measured by a portable power analyser which would give
reading directly in kW.

If not, the ampere has to be measured by the available on-line ammeter or by using a
tong tester. The power can then be calculated by assuming a power factor of 0.9.

Power (kW) = √3 x V x I x cosφ

Performance calculations

The energy efficiency of a chiller is commonly expressed in one of the three following
ratios:
First calculate the kW/ton rating from the measured parameters.

Refrigeration Test Rig

The Refrigeration test rig works on simple vapor compression refrigeration cycle. It is
environment friendly. The system is fabricated such that students can observe and study vapor
compression cycle, its component principle & working. The arrangement of parts such that, all
the parts are visible and working can be easily understood.
 Refrigeration test rig consists of a hermetically sealed compressor, air –cooled
condenser, capillary and an evaporator. The evaporator cools the water in a calorimeter. A
heater is provided in the calorimeter, whose output can be varied by a dimmer stat. Separate
pressure gauges are provided to measure temperature at various locations (refer the Layout).
Two energy meters are provided to measure energy supplied to compressor and heater.
Suitable H.P.L.P. cutout, Voltmeter and ammeter are provided in the unit.

Performance Study of a Refrigeration System

The net energy input includes the energy used by the compressor, the fan and/or pump.
The useful refrigerating effect is the heat removed by the evaporator. The larger the COP, the
better the system.

The COP of a system depends on the operating conditions. The refrigeration capacity
changes with both evaporating saturation temperature and condensing saturation temperature
because a change in either saturation temperature changes the refrigerant pressure. A higher
pressure ratio across the compressor results in a lower volumetric efficiency, a lower mass flow
rate of refrigerant, and thus less refrigerating capacity for the system and vice versa when the
pressure ratio is reduced. This phenomenon is observed when the evaporator temperature is
reduced in the second portion of the walk-in cooler experiments.

Thus the COP of a given refrigeration system depends on its operating conditions. `For
this reason, organizations such as ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air
Conditioning Engineers), ARI (American Refrigeration Institute) and ANSI (American National
Standards Institute) have established standard test methods for determining the capacity and
other performance parameters of equipment under specified operating conditions.

For example, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-1988, “Methods of Testing for Rating Unitary
Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Equipment”, lists several approved methods to test the piece of
equipment. Each method gives a detailed sketch of the test facility requirements and locations
and specifications on all measured parameters such as flow rate and temperature. Acceptable
types of instrumentation are given for each measured variable.

General

Refrigeration system shall be carried out by the skilled and experienced persons
preferably assigned by the original manufacturer. Normally the refrigeration systems are
categorized by the following species (not exhaustive).

(a) Reciprocating Compressor Systems

(b) Centrifugal Compressor Systems (Including Oil Free Compressor)

(c) Absorption Systems

(d) Screw Compressor Systems

 (e) Scroll Compressor Systems (Details should be referred to Manufacturer’s
recommendation.); and

(f) Split Units and VRV System

The following points are common to all systems and require careful handling:

System Cleanliness

(a) The chilled water and condenser water systems should be flushed thoroughly by following
the procedures and the precautions below:

(i) isolate or bypass items which are particularly sensitive to dirts, including the shell and
tube evaporators, condensers, pumps, spray nozzles and automatic water valves, and so on;
and

(ii) Where appropriate, remove the strainer screens, cooling tower basins, tanks and
other equipment which may have accumulated deposits during manufacturing or installation,
and shall also be isolated and flushed independently.

(b) Check the following items for cleanliness:

(i) air intake screens;

(ii) fan chambers of condensers and cooling towers;

(iii) fan internals;

(iv) external heat exchanger surfaces of air-cooled condensers, evaporative condensers

and cooling towers;

(v) sensing elements;

(vi) cooling tower basins, evaporative condenser tanks and chilled water tanks;

(vii) compressor, motor and drive;

(viii) safety and control devices; and

(ix) drains and overflows.

State of the Systems

(a) Water System

For chilled water and condenser water systems, carry out the T&C procedures as in
addition to the following.

Check:

(i) that the cooling tower fill is complete and secured;

 (ii) that where chilled water tank is provided the tank lid is fitted and secured;

(iii) the valve connection (where specified) for blow-down from cooling towers and
evaporative condensers; and

(iv) that any splash guards for cooling towers and evaporative condensers are fitted
properly.

Mechanical Checks

(a) Fans

(b) Compressors

Check :

(i) external cleanliness;

(ii) that all components, bolts, fixings, etc., are properly secured;

(iii) that the compressor shaft is free to rotate (applicable to open type compressor only);

(iv) level and plumb of compressor and motor shaft and slide rails (applicable to open
type compressor only);

(v) anti-vibration mountings for correct deflection;

(vi) to secure and align the pulleys and couplings (if applicable);

(vii) belt tension and match of pulleys (if applicable);

(viii) that drive guards are fitted, the access for speed measurement is provided and
nipple extension for motor lubrication is provided (if applicable);

(ix) correct oil level in compressor;

(x) that the compressor unloading gear is fitted (if specified);

(xi) any special arrangements for motor cooling; oil cooling where appropriate; and

(xii) that vibration eliminator and muffler are fitted.

Drives

For gear boxes and special mechanical drives pulley/belt, direct or flexible couplings for
compressor or large cooling tower fans.

Check :

(i) that the lubrication and pre-lubrication are in order before starting;

(ii) that drive mountings are secured;

 (iii) that all shafts are correctly aligned; and

(iv) for free rotation.

Electrical Checks

(a) With all electrical supplies isolated

Check :

(i) local isolation of motors and control circuits;

(ii) that there are no unshrouded live components within the panels;

(iii) that panels and switchgear are clean;

(iv) that motors and surrounding areas are clean and dry;

(v) that transit packing has been removed from contactors and other equipment;

(vi) that there is no mechanical damage to switchgear, anti-condensation heaters and

that their thermostats are of a suitable range to operate at ambient temperature;

(vii) that all connections are tight on busbars and wirings;

(viii) that internal links on the starter are correct;

(ix) that all power and control wirings have been completed in accordance with the
approved circuit diagrams;

(x) that all fuse/circuit breaker ratings are correct;

(xi) that all starter overloads are set correctly in relation to the motor name-plate full load
current;

(xii) that dashpots are charged with the correct fluid and the time adjustments and levels
are identical;

(xiii) that insulation tests on the motor have been performed satisfactorily;

(xiv) that adjustable thermal cut-outs are set correctly (check manufacturers’ test
certificates);

(xv) that all the cover plates are fitted;

(xvi) that wirings from all safety devices and liquid line solenoid valve are completed; and

(xvii) that compressor crankcase heater(s) is/are fitted and the wiring is completed.

(b) With electrical supplies connected

Check :
 (i) the declared voltage range is correct on all supply phases;

(ii) where motor powers are substantial or reduced voltage starting or complex interlocks
are involved:

- the control circuit logic and the starter operation shall be tested before the motor is rotated;

- the supply should first be isolated; then by the withdrawal of 2 power fuses or disconnection of
cables followed by reinstatement of supply to the control circuit alone, the control circuit shall be
activated and starter operation observed; and

- check for satisfactory operation of any electrical controls associated with compressor starter
operation such as liquid line solenoid valve, electrical timing heater on the oil failure control (in
this case, check for satisfactory operation and then temporarily disconnect it), and capacity
unloading if initiated electrically;

(iii) where automatic sequencing starting for the whole refrigeration plant and associated
chilled water and condenser water pumps is specified:

- check that the sequence is correct in order and timing;

- adjust timers, check for clean operation of all contactors, relays and interlocks; and

- finally open the isolators, reset or reconnect any device as appropriate, reinstate power
connections and close isolators;

(iv) where small motors are of direct on-line starting and simple control circuits, the starter
operation, etc., should be checked when first starting the motor.
REFERENCES

[1] Refrigeration and Air Conditioning by Richard C.Jordan & Gayle B.Priester - Prentice
Hall of India pvt.ltd.

[2] Modern Air Conditioning Practice by Norman C.Harris - McGraw-Hill International

Edition.

[3] Lesson 1 History of refrigeration, version 1 ME, IIT Kharagpur,

http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/cources/Webcoursecontents/IITKharagpur/Ref and Air Cond /pdf/
RACLecture1.pdf

[4] Monohar Prashad, ―Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Data Book‖, New Age
International Publishers.

[5] Andrew D. Althouse, Carl H. Turnquist and Alfred F. Braccino‖, Modern Refrigeration
and Air Conditioning‖,