MM 321 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

The University of the South Pacific

School of Engineering and Physics
MM 321 – Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

Lab 3: Study of a VCRS with a hermetic compressor, water cooled condenser and evaporator.

Lab Group: data set 1

Student Name: Shanil Sahai, Winji Tamata, Sahil Roshiv Sharma
Student ID#: S11173716, S11119842, S11171799

AIM
The reason for conducting this experiment is to examine the VCRS (Vapor-Compression Refrigeration
System) with a water-cooled condenser, hermetic compressor and evaporator to determine which cycle is
suitable for superheating

INTRODUCTION
This experiment was conducted using a vapor compression refrigeration system basically related hermetic
compressor and water-cooled condenser and evaporator. This paper presents the performance testing of a
refrigeration system for use as experimental apparatus for demonstrating vapour compression refrigeration
cycle for water.
According to Saha B (2012) in vapour compression systems, compressors activate the refrigerant by
compressing it to a higher pressure and higher temperature level after it has produced its refrigeration effect.
The compressed refrigerant transfers its heat to the sink and is condensed to liquid form. This liquid
refrigerant is then throttled to a low-pressure, low temperature vapour to produce refrigerating effect during
evaporation. Vapour compression systems are the most widely adopted refrigeration systems in both
comfort, such as portable air conditioning units, and process air conditioning
Vapor compression refrigeration system is the most popular and universally used system for the production
of low temperature. In this system a working fluid known as refrigerant. It condenses at high temperature
and pressure close to atmospheric condition. It evaporates at low temperature and pressure close to the
system which is to be cooled. During its condensation, it rejects heat to the surrounding and releases its
latent heat to the circulating water or air, i.e., to the atmosphere. The vapor compression refrigeration system
is nowadays used for all purposes. It is generally used for all industrial purposes, from a small domestic
refrigerator to large air conditioning plants.
 Illustrates schematically the parts which make up the vapor compression refrigeration system for water cool
and condenser.

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MM 321 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

A hermetic compressor is one in which both compressor and motor are confined in a single outer welded
steel shell. The motor and compressor are directly coupled on the same shaft, with the motor inside the
refrigeration circuit. Brand t (19920.  Hermetic compressors are ideal for small refrigeration systems, where
continuous maintenance (replenishing refrigerant and oil charge etc) cannot be ensured. Hence, they are
widely used in domestic refrigerators, room air conditioners etc. Since, the motor is in the refrigerant circuit,
the efficiency of hermetic compressor-based systems is lower as the heat dissipated by the motor and
compressor becomes a part of the system load. Also, material compatibility between the electrical windings,
refrigerant and oil must be ensured. Since the complete system is kept in a welded steel shell, the hermetic
compressors are not meant for servicing. A variation of hermetic compressor is a semi-hermetic compressor,
in which the bolted construction offers limited serviceability.
Moreover, water-cooled condenser uses water as a cooling medium to transfer heat at a higher rate. The
vapor refrigerant transfers heat to the cold circulating water. Slagle, R., (2017). The pressure of the liquid
refrigerant from the condenser has to be reduced so that the liquid refrigerant can vaporize at the desired low
pressure of evaporator. An expansion valve which is also known as throttle valve is a device to reduce the
pressure and temperature of the liquid refrigerant before it is supplied to the evaporator where refrigerant
gets evaporated.

Historically vapor-compression goes back to 1805 where Oliver Evans, an American inventor, described a
closed vapor-compression refrigeration cycle for producing ice (York Compressors, 2010). The first
working vapor-compression refrigeration system was built in 1834 by another American who was living in
the UK, Jacob Jenkins. However, it may be accomplished in a variety of ways over the course of history, but
(VCRS) have become the preferred option thanks to their efficiency and reliability and now days used for
all-purpose refrigeration.

EQUIPMENT
 VCRS unit.

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METHODOLOGY
First setup of the experiment was the initial inspection to make sure the setup had no issues. The knobs and
dials were set to the correct compressor, evaporator and condenser. For this specific lab, the hermetic
compressor and, water-cooled evaporator and compressor were chosen. After the selection, the front panel
of the unit was opened to check all the valves and to make sure that the ones that are only needed for the
experiment are in use. The panel was closed again, the unit was turned on, and the required temperature of
the cold box was entered into the display. As soon as the display showed that the cold box had reached the
anted temperature the temps inside the box gets verified and using an infrared thermometer, the suction
temperature, the discharge temperature. P1 and P3 were also observed and recorded alongside. The VCRS
unit was run three times in order to obtain three sets of data for groups 1, 2, and 3.

RESULTS
Given data from the experiment for set 1:
 Compressor Type: Hermetic
 Condenser Type: Water-cooled
 Evaporator type: Water-cooled
 P1-P4= 300kPa
 P2-P3= 900kPa
 T1= 23°C
 T2= 52°C
 Mass flow rate= 8.48g/s
Solution reading form the R-134a for h1, h2, h3=h4, h2s.
h 1=423 kJ /kg
h 2=441 kJ /kg
h 3=h 4=252 kJ /kg

Sample Calculation :
Q L=ṁ(h1−h4 )
Q L=8.48(423−252)=1.45 kW

Q H =ṁ(h 2−h3 )
Q H =8.48(441−252)=1.60 kW

W C =ṁ(h2 −h1)
W C =8.48( 441−223)=152.6 W

Q L 1.45 kW
Cop= = =9.49 %
w c 152.6 W
Table of raw and calculated results:

Values

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MM 321 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

h1 423 kJ /kg
h2 441 kJ /kg
h 3=h 4 252 kJ /kg
QL 1.45 kW
Qh 1.60 kW
wc 152.6 W
COP 9.49 %

DISCUSSION

A hermetic compressor is a compressor in which both compressor and motor are confined in a single outer
welded steel shell. The motor and compressor are directly coupled on the same shaft, with the motor inside
the refrigeration circuit. Hermetic compressors are ideal for small refrigeration systems, where continuous
maintenance (replenishing refrigerant and oil charge etc.) cannot be ensured. Hence, they are widely used in
domestic refrigerators, room air conditioners etc. The difference between the hermetic and semi-hermetic, is
that the hermetic uses a one-piece welded steel casing that cannot be opened for repair; if the hermetic fails
it is simply replaced with an entire new unit.
Using the temperature and pressures given, the enthalpies of the 4 main processes of the vapor compression
refrigeration system were found from the R134a P-h chart. Upon calculation the cooling capacity of the
water-cooled evaporator was 1.60 Kw and the systems coefficient of performance was 9.49. The input
power by the hermetic compressor was 152.6W.
The results from the previous laboratory exercise shows a clear difference between the two settings. The
results from a semi- hermetic compressor and air-cooled condenser and evaporator were as follows, cooling
capacity of 1.58Kw and compressor power of 1.38Kw while the semi-hermetic compressor was 0.18kw.
Data obtained from the two experiments proves that water cooled system working on a hermetic compressor
has higher coefficient of performance compared to air cooled semi- hermetic system. Thus, water cooled
compressor shows greater cooling capacity then the air-cooled condenser on hermetic compressor requires a
much lower power then the semi-hermetic compressor.
Finally, the most probable factor that causes the water-cooled hermetic compressor system to have a better
COP than the air cooled semi-hermetic system was the difference between how well water absorbs and
dissipates heat compared to air.

CONCLUSION

This experiment mainly focused on water cooling using the vapor compression refrigeration system which
was carried out by a hermetic compressor. After the conclusion of this experiment, it can be stated that the
overall system gives a slightly higher value of COP when compared to the normal refrigeration units. This is
because the compressor did less work when compared to the other components therefore the COP value is
significantly higher. also, the employing of 2 compressors; condensers and evaporators made it possible to
give higher value of COP.

REFERENCE

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 2021. [online] Available at:

<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269622386_COOLING_SYSTEM_FOR_HERMETIC_COMPRESSOR>
[Accessed 21 September 2021].
 Berg Chilling Systems Inc. 2021. Refrigeration Principles and how a Refrigeration System Works | Berg Chilling
Systems. [online] Available at: <https://berg-group.com/engineered-solutions/the-science-behind-
refrigeration/> [Accessed 21 September 2021].
 Achrnews.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.achrnews.com/articles/103546-methods-for-
compressor-cooling> [Accessed 21 September 2021].
  Slagle, R., 2021. How Vapor-Compression Cooling Works | Electronics Cooling. [online] Electronics Cooling.
Available at: <https://www.electronics-cooling.com/2017/07/vapor-compression-cooling-works/> [Accessed
14 September 2021].

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