Learning Objectives: Florencio L. Vargas College, Inc College of Engineering Instructional Module

FLORENCIO L. VARGAS COLLEGE, INC IM No.
03
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING CN: ME 16
Instructional Module AY2021-2022
DEGREE BS in Mechanical YEAR 4-NonSTEM MODULE 03

PROGRAM Engineering LEVEL NUMBER
COURSE Refrigeration & COURSE Mech 16 CREDIT 3
TITLE AirConditioning Systems CODE UNITS
TOPIC Air-Cycle Refrigeration TIME 4 Hours/Week WEEK NO.
FRAME
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After the lesson, you will be able to:
1. Differentiate air-cycle to simple vapor compression syste;
2. Show cycles in T-s, P-h, and P-v diagrams; and
3. Perform various calculations cycle calculations.
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The air-cycle refrigeration is a system in which a gaseous
refrigerant is used through out the cycle. Compression is accomplished
by reciprocating or centrifugal compressor as in the vapor-compression
cycle, but condensation and evaporation are replaced by a sensible
cooling and heating of the gas. An air cooler is used in place of the
condenser and a refrigerator in place of an evaporator. The expansion
valve is replaced by an expansion engine or turbine.
The air-cycle system is ideally suited for use in air-craft because
it is light weight and requires less space than the vapor-compression
cycle. One disadvantage however, of the air-cycle is that it is not as
efficient as the vapor-compression cycle.
Air cycle refrigeration may be designed and operated either as an
open or closed system. In the closed or dense-air system, the air
refrigerant is contained within the piping or component parts of the
system at all times and with the refrigerator usually maintained at
pressures above atmospheric level. In the open system, the refrigerator
is replaced by an actual space to be cooled with the air espanded to
atmospheric pressure, circulated through the cold room and then
compressed to the cooler pressure. Such system is inherently limited to
operation at atmospheric pressure in the refrigerator.
Refrigeration Systems
Figure 3.1 (a)Closed or Figure 3.1 (b)Open Air

Dense-Air System System
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FLORENCIO L. VARGAS COLLEGE, INC IM No. 03
3.2 AIR-STANDARD CYCLE ANALYSIS

Air cycle refrigeration system analysis is considerably simplified if one
makes the following assumptions:
i. The working fluid is a fixed mass of air that behaves as an ideal

gas
ii. The cycle is assumed to be a closed loop cycle with all inlet and
exhaust processes of open loop cycles being replaced by heat
transfer processes to or from the environment
iii. All the processes within the cycle are reversible, i.e., the cycle is
internally reversible
iv. The specific heat of air remains constant throughout the cycle An
analysis with the above assumptions is called as cold Air Standard
Cycle (ASC) analysis.
This analysis yields reasonably accurate results for most of the

cycles and processes encountered in air cycle refrigeration systems.
However, the analysis fails when one considers a cycle consisting of a
throttling process, as the temperature drop during throttling is zero for
an ideal gas, whereas the actual cycles depend exclusively on the real
gas behavior to produce refrigeration during throttling.
3.3 BASIC CONCEPTS

The temperature of an ideal gas can be reduced either by making the
gas to do work in an isentropic process or by sensible heat exchange
with a cooler environment. When the gas does adiabatic work in a
closed system by say, expanding against a piston, its internal energy
drops. Since the internal energy of the ideal gas depends only on its
temperature, the temperature of the gas also drops during the process,
W = m(u1 – u2) = mcv(T1 – T2) (3.1)
where m is the mass of the gas, u1 and u2 are the initial and final
internal energies of the gas, T1 and T2 are the initial and final
temperatures and cv is the specific heat at constant volume. If the
expansion is reversible and adiabatic, by using the ideal gas equation
pv = RT and the equation for isentropic process p1v1k = p2v2k the final
temperature (T2) is related to the initial temperature (T1) and initial
and final pressures (P1 and P2) by the equation:
𝒌−𝟏
𝑷𝟐 𝒌
T2 = T1( ) (3.2)
𝑷𝟏
Also, the final temperature (T2) is related to the initial temperature

(T1) and initial and final volumes (V1 and V2) by the equation,
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𝑽𝟏 𝒌−𝟏
T2 = T1( ) (3.3)
𝑽𝟐
Isentropic expansion of the gas can also be carried out in a steady flow
in a turbine which gives a net work output. Neglecting potential and
kinetic energy changes, the work output of the turbine is given by:
W = m(h1 – h2) = mcp(T1 – T2) (3.4)
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3.4 ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEMS
3.4.1 An air refrigeration system operating on a closed cycle is

required to produce 50 kW of refrigeration with a cooler
pressure of 1550 kPa and a refrigerator pressure of 448 kPa.
Leaving-air temperature are 25℃ for cooler and 5℃ for
refrigerator. Assuming a theoretical cycle with isentropic
compression and expansion, no clearance and no losses,
determine (a) the mass flow rate, (b) the compressor
displacement, (c) the expander displacement, and (d) the COP.
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3.4.2 A 35-kW refrigeration load is to be carried by an air

refrigerating system with a discharge [ressure of 1370 kPa and
a refrigerator pressure of 345 kPa. Compression and expansion
processes are polytropic with n = 1.37. The pressure at the
start of expansion is 1344 kPa and the temperature is 32℃. Air
temperature leaving the refrigerator is 0℃ and entering the
compressor is 5℃. Clearance for both compressor and expander
is 5%. Determine (a) the piston displacement of the
compressor and expander, (b) the net work and, (c) the COP.
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FLORENCIO L. VARGAS COLLEGE, INC IM No.

DEGREE BS in Mechanical YEAR 4-NonSTEM MODULE 03

Figure 3.1 (a)Closed or Figure 3.1 (b)Open Air

3.2 AIR-STANDARD CYCLE ANALYSIS

i. The working fluid is a fixed mass of air that behaves as an ideal

This analysis yields reasonably accurate results for most of the

3.3 BASIC CONCEPTS

W = m(u1 – u2) = mcv(T1 – T2) (3.1)

Also, the final temperature (T2) is related to the initial temperature

W = m(h1 – h2) = mcp(T1 – T2) (3.4)

3.4 ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEMS

3.4.1 An air refrigeration system operating on a closed cycle is

3.4.2 A 35-kW refrigeration load is to be carried by an air

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