57087 M.E.

Laboratory 3 ME512L
1st Semester S.Y. 2022-2023

Experiment No. 7

“Testing of a Vapor-Compression Refrigeration System with Thermostatic Expansion Valve”

Name: Sabado, Renzo Isaiah A. Date Performed: Oct. 12, 2022

S.N.: 201811409 Date Submitted: Oct. 18, 2022
Mode (On-Site/Online): Onsite Batch No. 4 Submitted to: Engr. D.L. Sabusap

Instructions:
1. Edit the above personal and experiment information.
2. This experiment is to be done by batch.
3. Edit this file to put in your Experimental Set-Up, Results which includes calculations (if any),
Discussions, and Conclusion. Make sure to change everything into black font color.
4. Students from the same batch will have the same data, but different presentation of Experiment
Set-Up, Results, Discussions and Conclusions.
5. When you upload this experiment report in Word format to Blackboard, copy this format for the file
name: Dela Cruz Juan – Experiment 1
6. When inserting figures in this report, make sure that it does not go outside the 1-inch margin on all
sides of the paper.

Learning Objectives

 To be able to evaluate the performance of a simple vapor-compression refrigeration system

(VCRS) that uses a thermostatic expansion valve.

I. Theory
Vapor-Compression Refrigeration
A vapor-compression refrigeration system (VCRS) is a form of mechanical refrigeration wherein a
substance with low boiling temperature called a refrigerant is used as the working medium. Figure 1
shows a schematic of a VCRS. The main components of a VCRS are the following:

 A compressor which raises the pressure and temperature of the vapor refrigerant by compressing it.
 The condenser that facilitates the movement of heat (at constant pressure) from the working medium
to the high-temperature reservoir. During this heat rejection process, the vapor refrigerant undergoes
phase change from vapor to liquid.
 An expansion valve which throttles (constant enthalpy process) the high-pressure liquid refrigerant
into a low-pressure, wet-vapor refrigerant.
 An evaporator that facilitates the evaporation of the refrigerant as it absorbs heat from a low-
temperature source.
Figure 1. Schematic of a vapor-compression refrigeration system (VCRS) that uses a capillary tube as
expansion device. Reproduced from Bolaji et al. (2021). DOI: 10.2478/rtuect-2021-0002

Figure 2. P-h diagram of an ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle. Reproduced from Bolaji et al.
(2021). DOI: 10.2478/rtuect-2021-0002
Ideal Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
An ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle follows the processes indicated in the P-h diagram
shown in Figure 2. The processes included are:

 1-2: Isentropic compression to the final compression temperature

 2-2’: Isobaric cooling to the condenser temperature
 2’-3: Isobaric condensation, releasing of latent heat of condensation
 3-4: isenthalpic expansion in the wet vapor region
 4-1: Isobaric evaporation, absorption of latent heat of vaporization
The key difference between the real and the ideal cyclic process is that the compression is not
isentropic. Therefore, more work must be expended at the compressor to achieve the same final
pressure. However, in this and the subsequent experiments, an ideal vapor compression cycle is
assumed.

o Refrigerating Capacity per unit mass, Q E – amount of heat absorbed out of the refrigerated space per
unit mass of the refrigerant.

Q E ( kJ /kg )=h1−h 4
o Heat Rejected per unit mass, Q R – amount of heat rejected in the condenser per unit mass of
refrigerant.

Q R ( kJ /kg )=h 2−h3

where it is assumed that h 4=h 3.

o Compressor Work per unit mass, W – the amount of work by the compressor to increase the
refrigerant pressure to the condensing pressure.

W ( kJ /kg )=h2−h1
o Coefficient of Performance, COP

COP=QE /W
o Compressor Power Input, EP

EP (W )=I × V
where I is the current in amperes (A), and V is the voltage in volts (V).

Thermostatic Expansion Valve

The thermostatic expansion valve (abbreviated as TEV or TXV) is another kind of expansion
device that is able to control the amount of refrigerant charge that enters evaporator. It does so by
sensing the temperature of the vapor refrigerant at the outlet of the evaporator. The TEV has a separate
sensing capillary tube with a bulb at its end which senses the evaporator exit temperature. When the
evaporator exit temperature increases, the refrigerant inside the sensing capillary expands which pushes
a diaphragm that is connected to a spring-loaded valve, and thereby increasing the charge. The working
mechanism of TEV is illustrated in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Mechanism of a thermostatic expansion valve. Reproduced from www.electricalworkbook.com.

II. Materials
The following equipment and tools will be used for this experiment:
1. Refrigeration Trainer Unit (RTU)
 The RTU has four (4) shut-off valves that allow you to choose which expansion device to use:
 Valve A: Capillary Tube with a Counter-flow Heat Exchanger for Subcooling and
Superheating
 Valve B: Long Capillary Tube without Subcooling
 Valve C: Short Capillary Tube without Subcooling
 Valve D: Thermostatic Expansion Valve
2. Camera
III. Experimental Set-up

IV. Procedure
1. Plug the RTU to a 230-V, 60-Hz power supply.
2. Start the RTU by turning on the circuit breaker.
3. Open the refrigerator cabinet and take note of the ambient temperature indicated on the temperature
control unit (TCU). The TCU has a temperature probe inside the cabinet which measures the air
temperature.
4. Close the cabinet. Make sure it is completely closed.
5. Turn on the evaporator fan and the condenser fan.
6. Open Valve D and make sure the other valves are closed.
7. Check the pressure gauges. Make sure both gauges have the same reading and are stable.
8. Set the desired air temperature in the cabinet to 5°C using the TCU.
9. Turn on the temperature monitor (press and hold for 3 seconds).
10. Once the pressure is stable (Step 7), turn on the compressor.
11. At temperatures 20°C, 15°C, 10°C, and 5°C (if time permits for the last temperature), record the
following data:
 Current, A
  Voltage, V
 High and Low Side Pressures, psi
 Evaporator Exit Temperature, °C
 Compressor Exit Temperature, °C
 Condenser Exit Temperature, °C
 Expansion Device Exit Temperature, °C
SUGGESTION: You can use your camera to quickly record all the measurements.
12. Once through, switch off the compressor, and then the fans.
13. Open the cabinet to let the air temperature to return to room air temperature.

V. Data and Results

Refrigerant: R134A
Ambient Temperature: ____°C

Air Temp. Temperature (°C) Abs. Pressure (psi)

(°C) Evap. Exit Comp. Exit Cond. Exit E.V. Exit Low High
25 16.3 50.8 37.4 20.1 36 215
20 15.3 49.5 35.4 11.7 20 210
15 16.3 50.8 37.4 20.1 19 175

Enthalpy (kJ/kg) Elec. Power Supply

Air Temp.
(°C) Evap. Exit Comp. Exit Cond. Exit E.V. Exit Current (A) Voltage (V)

25 4.279 235.2
21 3.948 235.6
17 3.879 235.6

Refrigerating Elec. Power

Air Temp. Ideal Work Heat Rejected Ideal
Capacity Input
(°C) (kJ/kg) (kJ/kg) COP
(kJ/kg) (W)

25
21
17

Calculations:
(Insert here all of your calculations)
VI. Discussion
(Explain here your observations as the air temperature inside the cabinet becomes lower.)

VII. Conclusion
(Summarize what you did and state your major findings about the performance of a VCRS with
thermostatic expansion valve.)