Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

Introduction
 Types of Units

Ice plant Cold storage

Deep Window A/c

Freezer

Water Split A/c

cooler

Fridge Centralize A/c

 Food Preservation
⚫ Microbiological Theory – agents responsible for
spoilage of various perishable products
 Enzymes and Micro-organisms
⚫ Enzymes converts the food ingredients into
digestible elements which cannot remain intact
for long.
⚫ Enzyme growth can be checked or reduced by
keeping the food stuff in very cold environment
⚫ Micro-organisms are divided among three groups
⚫ Bacteria, Yeast and Molds
 Food Preservation ….contd
⚫ Bacteria – two categories – those causing
spoilage and those employed for preservation
⚫ Yeast – Micro-organisms of size about 10-4 mm
⚫ Food stuff exposed to environment – likely to be
spoiled by yeast.
⚫ Yeast require air, food and moderately warm
temperature for their growth but are killed when
exposed to high temperature
⚫ Molds – class of plants that thrive in a damp and
dark environment – enhanced by stagnant air.
Oxygen is essential for the growth of molds
 Methods of Food Freezing
⚫ Employed to keep the perishable food stuff,
vegetables, meat, eggs, fish, etc for longer period
⚫ Methods
⚫ Sharp Freezing
 Insulated rooms maintained at temperatures varying from
-15oC to -30oC. Products cooled by free convection
⚫ Quick Freezing
 Direct immersion type of freezing – immersion of
commodity in a cold bath
 Employed to send Fish far from shore, poultry products,
Fresh Juice
 Methods of Food Freezing …contd
⚫ Freezing by indirect contact
 Engaging the product with a metal surface cooled by
refrigerant
 Contact Plate Freezing – most commonly employed
method used to freezing packed food stuff.
 Classification - batch, semiautomatic & automatic
 Eg – Packed fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, etc are fed
directly from wrapping machine by abet conveyor, through
an opening in the wall of the refrigerated enclosure into
the required number of loading stations in front of the
freezer. Usually employed for large amount of products of
the order 1000 to 7000 kgs
⚫ Air blast Freezing
 Used to produce a great variety of quick frozen food
 Refrigerators
⚫ Rated with internal gross volume & freezer volume
 In India – 90, 100, 140, 165, 200, 250, etc ….. litres
 Freezer normally provided at top portion – occupying
1/10th – 1/3rd volume – arrangement based on heat
transfer consideration
 Single door, Two door and Side by side door
 Freezer space meant to preserve – fish, meat, chicken,
etc and to produce ice, ice cream
 Refrigeration systems operate either on R – 12 or R – 22
 Compressor capacity – 75 W, 92 W, 125 W, 180 W, …
⚫ Commercial Freezers
 Reach-in, Walk-in type and Display case
 Ice and Dry Ice
⚫ Ice Plant
 Ice box having heavy insulation
 Tank – size depends upon capacity
 Sufficient number of cans for ice harvest
 Water level in can around 20 to 30 mm below brine level
 Size of ice block normally – 140 to 180 Kgs
 Cooling achieved by brine circulation
 Brine prepared from calcium chloride
 Brine cooled in chiller before being pumped
 Refrigeration systems with Ammonia, R-12 or R-22
 Compressed refrigerant vapour – cooled in water cooled
condenser before throttling
⚫ Dry Ice
 Frozen carbon dioxide is referred to as dry ice
 Water Cooler
⚫ Storage type
 Cooling coil is wrapped round water tank
 Reservoir of cold water available all the time
⚫ Instantaneous type
 Cooling coil wrapped around the pipe line
 Classification – Bottle, Pressure & Self contained type
 Bottle is employed for storing water, provided with faucet
for filling glasses
 Pressure cooler projects stream of water from a bubbler,
controlled by valve
 In self contained type – water cooled from the remote
cooler is supplied to desired drinking place
 Air Conditioning
⚫ Comfort Air conditioning is control of following
factors
 Temperature
 Humidity
 Air Movement
 Purity of Air
 Noise
⚫ Temperature and Humidity controlled by means
of air conditioning equipment & refrigeration
system
⚫ Air movement is maintained at a desirable
velocity of 8 m/min using appropriate distribution
systems and grilles
 Air Conditioning …..contd
⚫ Purity of air is met by proper ventilation i.e.
 Appropriate supply of air
 Freedom from Odour, Noxious fumes, Bacteria, Dust
 Maintenance of level of Oxygen
⚫ Air is cleaned by passing through air washers
and filters.
⚫ Mechanical filters remove particles
⚫ Electrostatic separators are used to remove
particles above 0.3 micron
⚫ Tobacco smoke – Electrostatic – high DC volt
⚫ Odour – cleaned using activated charcoal
⚫ Air washer cleans air by spray of water
 Air Conditioning Systems
⚫ Central Air Conditioning
 Cooling plant located at a central place
 Chilled water is supplied
 Air is cooled over cooling coil in duct
 Return air together with fresh air enters through air filter
 Water droplets separated by Eliminators
 Economical for large tonnage if buildings are scattered in
a limited distance
 Easy maintenance
 Absence of sound and vibration
 Easy control
 Less power consumption
 Centralized cooling pond
 Air Conditioning System …..contd
⚫ Unitary Systems
 Supplies the conditioned air directly to buildings
 Whole system mounted on a frame – packed units
 Available around 20 ton capacity
 Condenser – air or water cooled
⚫ Window Air Conditioners – normally available
upto 2 ton capacity
⚫ Consists – compressor, condenser, filter, drier,
capillary tube and evaporator
⚫ An electric motor drives the fan to circulate air
through condenser coil and runs the blower to
suck air and force it through evaporator coil
 Split Air Conditioner
⚫ Implies bifurcation in to two parts
 Evaporator coil having a motor and fan mounted in a
cabinet and placed inside the room
 Compressor, condenser and motor with fan mounted in a
cabinet and placed outside the room
 Cooling coil – Floor, Ceiling or Wall mounted
 Distance between evaporator and condenser normally
between 5 to 15 mts
Other Applications
1. Automobile and Train Air Conditioning
2. Metal Manufacture
3. Premature Baby Clinic
4. Beverage Processing
5. Bakery Products
6. Textile Industry
7. Photographic Processing
8. Diary Refrigeration
9. Libraries and Museums
10. Restaurants