CH5 Refrigeration PDF

CHAPTER 6
Refrigeration Cycles
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
• Heat transfer usually experienced in direction of decreasing

temperature.
• Reversed process – need a mechanism.
• The purpose of refrigeration is to transfer heat from a chamber so
that the temperature inside is reduce to below that of its surrounding.
• The space inside the chamber is said to be cold and the machine
used to achieve this is called a refrigerator.
• Refrigeration process consists of:
– Continuous circulation of working fluid through a cycle of
processes.
– Used working fluid called refrigerant
• QL = magnitude of heat removed from refrigerated space at

temperature TL.
• QH = magnitude of heat rejected to the warm space at temperature TH.
• Refrigeration has many practical applications in this modern life:
– Domestic refrigerator for preserving food
– Freezer for making ice and extended storage of foods eg. Meat,
vegetable, ice-cream
– Air-conditioning for comfort and hygiene
– Cryogenics i.e very low temperature for purpose of gas liquefaction
and scientific research
CARNOT REFRIGERATION CYCLE
CARNOT REFRIGERATION CYCLE
• T-s diagram for Carnot vapor

refrigeration cycle
– ab41- heat added to refrigerant
from cold region
– ab32 – heat rejected from
refrigerant to warm region
– 1234 – net heat transfer from
refrigerant
= net work done on refrigerant
= WC – WT
CARNOT REFRIGERATION CYCLE - performance
• The value cycle efficiency is no more suitable to value

the working of refrigeration cycle.
• The parameter to expressed performance must related
the desired effect as compared to the work input.
• The term used is the criteria of performance or
Coefficient of Performance (COP)
CARNOT REFRIGERATION CYCLE - PERFORMANCE
• C.O.P for refrigeration

Desired Output
COPref =
Required Input
QL TL
= =
WC - WT TH - TC
• C.O.P for heat pump

Desired Output Heating Effect
COPhp = =
Required Input Work Input
QH TH
= =
WC - WT TH - TC
CARNOT REFRIGERATION CYCLE - EXAMPLE
A steady flow Carnot refrigeration cycle uses refrigerant

-134a as the working fluid. The refrigerant changes
from saturated vapor to saturated liquid at 30°C in the
condenser as it rejects heat. The evaporator pressure is
120 kPa. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram relative to
saturation lines, and determine;
i. the coefficient of performance

ii. the amount of heat absorbed from the refrigerated
space
iii. the net work input.
We have considered a perfect Carnot cycle. In

reality, vapour refrigeration systems differ in 3 main
ways;
1. In order to maintain the cold region at T , the C
refrigerant in the evaporator must be at a slightly lower

temperature, TC’. Similarly, the temperature in the
condenser must be at a temperature above TH, i.e. TH’.
The coefficient of performance becomes;

TC¢
COP =
TH¢ - TC¢
2. 1g2or 1’g2’ begins within the vapour dome with a

fluid-gas mixture for the compression. The fluid droplets in
this mixture can damage the compressor blades. Thus, this
wet compression is avoided by starting with 1 (or 1’)on
the saturation line (sat. vapour) to ensure dry compression.
3. The expansion through the turbine produces little WT

compared to WC . Therefore, to save on capital costs and
maintenance costs, the turbine is normally replaced by an
expansion valve
VAPOR-COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
• COMPRESSOR: Provide the driving force for the

entire system by drawing low pressure refrigerant in
and adding pressure such that it exits at a higher
temperature.
• CONDENSER: Exhaust heat from the system by virtue

of heat transfer across a temperature gradient. The
refrigerant in the condenser is at a higher
temperature than the ambient temperature.
• EXPANSION VALVE: Allow the refrigerant to expand

dramatically in a controlled process such that it exits
the valve at a low quality liquid-vapor mixture.
• EVAPORATOR: Absorb heat from the cold space by

virtue of a temperature gradient, similar to the
condenser.
VAPOR-COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM- SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
VAPOR-COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM- ANALYZING
• Thus, actual cycles more closely resemble the ideal vapour

compression cycle:
l 1 g 2s Isentropic compression
Starting with x1 = 1.0 (saturated vapour)
l 2s g3 heat transfer from refrigerant at constant P
in condenser
l 3 g 4 Throttling process to two-phase mixture
l 4 g 1 to refrigerant at constant P in
evaporator to saturated vapour state
• T-s diagram
• p-h Diagram
• Refrigeration effect qL (kJ/ kg) is the heat extracted by a

unit mass of refrigerant during the evaporating process in
the evaporator.
• Refrigerating load QL (kW) is the required rate of heat

extraction by the refrigerant in the evaporator.
• Refrigerating capacity, or cooling capacity, QRC (kW) is the

actual rate of heat extracted by the refrigerant in the
evaporator. In practice, the refrigeration capacity of the
equipment selected is often slightly higher than the
refrigerating load. This is because the manufacturer’s
specifications are a series of fixed capacities.
Occasionally, equipment can be selected so that its
capacity is just equal to the refrigeration load required.
• As the refrigerant passes through the evaporator, heat

transfer from the refrigerated space results in
vaporization of the refrigerant. For a control volume
enclosing the refrigerant side of the evaporator, the mass
and energy rate balances reduce to give the rate of heat
transfer per unit mass of refrigerant flowing as;
!
Q in
= h1 - h 4
m!
• Where m is the mass flow rate of the refrigerant.
• The heat transfer rate Qin is referred to as the

refrigeration capacity. The capacity is normally expressed
in kW.
• Another commonly used unit for the refrigeration

capacity is the ton of refrigeration, which is equal to or
about 211 kJ/min.
• The refrigerant leaving the evaporator is compressed to a

relatively high pressure and temperature by the
compressor. Assuming no heat transfer to or from the
compressor, the mass and energy rate balances for a
control volume enclosing the compressor give
!
W c
= h2 - h1
!
m
• Where W/m is the rate of power input per unit mass of

refrigerant flowing
• The refrigerant passes through the condenser, where the

refrigerant condenses and there is heat transfer from the
refrigerant to cooler the surroundings. For a control
volume enclosing the refrigerant side of the condenser,
the rate of heat transfer from the refrigerant per unit
mass of refrigerant flowing is
!
Q out
= h2 - h3
m!
• Finally, the refrigerant at state 3 enters the expansion

valve and expands to the evaporator pressure. This
process is usually modelled as throttling process for
which
h3 = h 4
• The refrigerant pressure decrease in the irreversible

adiabatic expansion and there is an accompanying
increase in specific entropy. The refrigerant exits the
valve at state 4 as two-phase liquid-vapour mixture.
• In the vapour-compression system, the net power input

is equal to the compressor power, since the expansion
valve involve no power input or output. Using the
quantities and expression introduce before, the
Coefficient Of Performance of the vapour compression
refrigeration system is
Cooling Effect !
Q h1 - h 4
COPref = = in
=
Work Input !
W h 2 - h1
c
• The refrigeration capacity decides the mass flow rate of a

given refrigerant when working under specified
conditions, i.e:
• Mass flow rate of refrigerant, m
Refrigeration capacity m! (h1 - h4 )

m! = =
Refrigerating effect per unit mass h1 -h 4
VAPOR-COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM- EXAMPLE 2
• A refrigerator uses R134a as the working fluid and

operates on an ideal vapour-compression refrigeration
cycle between 0.14Mpa and 0.8Mpa.If the mass flow rate
of refrigerant is 0.05 kg/s. Determine;
i. The rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space and

power input to the compressor.
ii. The rate of heat rejection to the environment
iii. The coefficient of performance.
ACTUAL CYCLE (IRREVERSIBLE)
• Adiabatic Irreversible Compression

ACTUAL CYCLE (IRREVERSIBLE)
• The effect of irreversible compression can be

accounted for by using the isentropic compressor
efficiency, which for states designated as in figure
above is given by
h2s - h1
hc =
h2 - h1
ACTUAL CYCLE (SUPERHEATED)
• The superheated condition at the evaporator exit

(state 1), which differs from the saturated vapour
condition shown in Figure below
ACTUAL CYCLE (SUBCOOLING)
• The subcooling of the condenser exit (state 3),

which differs from the saturated vapour condition
shown in Figure below
ACTUAL CYCLE (IRREVERSIBLE) – EXAMPLE 3
• A refrigerator uses R134a as the working fluid and

operates on an actual vapour-compression refrigeration
cycle between 0.14Mpa and -10 degree at a rate of
0.05kg/s and leaves at 0.8Mpa and 50 degree. The
refrigerant is cooled in the condenser to 26 degree and
0.72 Mpa and is throttled to 0.15 Mpa, determine;
i. The rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space and
power input to the compressor.
ii. The isentropic efficiency of the compressor
iii. The coefficient of performance for refrigerator and heat pump
EXAMPLE 4;
• Refrigerant-134a enters the compressor at 0.1 MPa and -

20°C at a rate of 0.05 kg/s, and it leaves at 1.2 MPa and
80°C. The refrigerant is cooled in the condenser to 40°C.
Determine
i. The rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space
and power input to the compressor.
ii. The rate of heat rejection to the environment
iii. The coefficient of performance
iv. The compressor efficiency
SELECTION OF REFRIGERANT;
• Ammonia – commercially used for industrial – low cost,

higher COP, good heat transfer coefficient but toxic.
• Sulfur dioxide, ethyl chloride – toxic
• CFC – freon – Low cost – R11 (chiller), R12 (fridge), R22
(commercial building), R502 (supermarket) – ozone
effect.
• Considerations
i) The temperature of refrigerated space and surroundings
ii) Nontoxic, noncorrossive, chemically stable,
nonflammable, low cost.
VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM;
Cascade Refrigeration system.
• Due to large temperature different and to avoid large single vapor
compression, modification for two or more refrigeration system
are needed.
• Usually used counter flow heat exchanger in the middle, act as
evaporator for the topping cycle (cycle A) and the condenser for
bottoming cycle (cycle B).
m A h2 - h3
m A (h5 - h8 ) = mB (h2 - h3 ) = =
mB h5 - h8

• As the result
QL mB (h1 - h4 )
COPR ,cascade = =
WIN , NET m A (h6 - h5 ) + mB (h2 - h1 )
VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM (EXAMPLE 6);
Consider a two-stage cascade refrigeration system operating between

pressure limits of 0.8 MPa and 0.14MPa. Each stage operates on an ideal
vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with R134a as the working fluid. Heat
rejection from the lower cycle to the upper cycle takes place in an adiabatic
counterflow heat exchanger where both streams enter at about 0.32 MPa. If
mass flow rate of the refrigeration through the upper cycle is 0.05kg/s,
determine;
i) The mass flow rate of the refrigerant through the lower cycle (kg/s)
ii) The rate of heat removal from refrigerated surface & power input to the
compressor (kW)
iii) COPHP and COPRef
Multistage compression refrigeration system.
Multistage compression refrigeration system.
• Better heat transfer characteristics, lead to change the

heat exchanger to the flash chamber / mixing chamber.
• Refrigerant expand at first expansion valve, enter the
flash chamber. Part of the liquid vaporized during this
process than will mixed with superheated vapor exit
from low pressure compressor, entered the high
pressure compressor.
VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM (EXAMPLE 7);
Consider a two-stage cascade refrigeration system operating between pressure
limits of 0.8 MPa and 0.14MPa with R134a as the working fluid. The refrigerant
leaves condenser as a saturated liquid and is throttled to a flash chamber
operating at 0.32 MPa. Part of the refrigerant evaporates during this flashing
process, and this vapor mixed with the refrigerant leaving the low pressure
compressor. This mixture than compressed to high pressure compressor. The
liquid in flash chamber than throttled to the evaporator pressure and cools the
refrigerated space as it vaporized in the evaporator. Assume refrigerant leaves the
evaporator as saturated vapor. If mass flow rate of the refrigeration through the
upper stage is 0.05kg/s, determine
i) The fraction of the refrigerant that evaporates as it is throttled to the flash
chamber
ii) The rate of heat removed from refrigerated surface & the compressor work per
unit mass of refrigerant flowing to the condenser.
iii) COPref
VAPOR ABSORPTION;
l Inexpensive thermal energy source (1000C – 2000C) such

as geothermal energy, solar energy, natural gas etc.
• Involve the absorption of a refrigerant by a transport
medium – widely used ammonia (refrigerant) – water
(transport) system, water-lithium bromide, water-lithium
chloride system.
• The system are almost same with refrigeration except
the compressor section seem more complicated –
consist an absorber, a generator, a pump, a regenerator,
a valve and a rectifier.
VAPOR ABSORPTION;
l Inexpensive thermal energy source (1000C – 2000C) such as geothermal energy,
solar energy, natural gas etc.
• Involve the absorption of a refrigerant by a transport medium – widely used
ammonia (refrigerant) – water (transport) system, water-lithium bromide, water-
lithium chloride system.
• The system are almost same with refrigeration except the compressor section
seem more complicated – consist an absorber, a generator, a pump, a
regenerator, a valve and a rectifier.
• Process inside ‘the box’:-
a) Ammonia vapor leaves the evaporator and enter the absorber to form
NH3.H2O. The absorber need to maintain cooled in order to maximize NH3
dissolved in water.
b) Then this NH3 will pump to the generator. In generator, heat is transfer from
the vapor source, than this vapor will through rectifier where discharge the
water.
VAPOR ABSORPTION;
VAPOR ABSORPTION;
b) Then this NH3 will pump to the generator. In generator, heat is

transfer from the vapor source, than this vapor will through
rectifier where discharge the water.
c) The high pressure pure NH3 will continue to the rest of the system,
and the hot NH3+H2O passes through regenerator, throttled back to
the absorber pressure.
q Advantage; work input to the absorber relatively small.
q Drawback; expensive, complex, space consumed, require larger cooling
tower to discharge heat.
Desired Output QL QL
COPabsorption = = =
Required Input QGEN + WIN , PUMP QGEN
VAPOR ABSORPTION;
q By assuming all the process is reversible, the maximum COP will

generate. This possible by Qgen were transferred to a Carnot heat
engine, and work output supplies to a Carnot refrigerator.
Output Work, W = hTH , REV xQGEN
QL = WxCOPR , rev = hTH , REV QGEN COPR , rev
QL æ T0 öæ TL ö
COPrev , absorption = = hTH , rev COPR , rev = çç1 - ÷÷çç ÷÷
QGEN è TS øè T0 - TS ø

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CHAPTER 6

• Heat transfer usually experienced in direction of decreasing

• QL = magnitude of heat removed from refrigerated space at

• T-s diagram for Carnot vapor

• The value cycle efficiency is no more suitable to value

• C.O.P for refrigeration

• C.O.P for heat pump

A steady flow Carnot refrigeration cycle uses refrigerant

i. the coefficient of performance

We have considered a perfect Carnot cycle. In

1. In order to maintain the cold region at T , the C

refrigerant in the evaporator must be at a slightly lower

The coefficient of performance becomes;

2. 1g2or 1’g2’ begins within the vapour dome with a

3. The expansion through the turbine produces little WT

• COMPRESSOR: Provide the driving force for the

• CONDENSER: Exhaust heat from the system by virtue

• EXPANSION VALVE: Allow the refrigerant to expand

• EVAPORATOR: Absorb heat from the cold space by

• Thus, actual cycles more closely resemble the ideal vapour

• Refrigeration effect qL (kJ/ kg) is the heat extracted by a

• Refrigerating load QL (kW) is the required rate of heat

• Refrigerating capacity, or cooling capacity, QRC (kW) is the

• As the refrigerant passes through the evaporator, heat

• Where m is the mass flow rate of the refrigerant.

• The heat transfer rate Qin is referred to as the

• Another commonly used unit for the refrigeration

• The refrigerant leaving the evaporator is compressed to a

• Where W/m is the rate of power input per unit mass of

• The refrigerant passes through the condenser, where the

• Finally, the refrigerant at state 3 enters the expansion

• The refrigerant pressure decrease in the irreversible

• In the vapour-compression system, the net power input

• The refrigeration capacity decides the mass flow rate of a

Refrigeration capacity m! (h1 - h4 )

• A refrigerator uses R134a as the working fluid and

i. The rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space and

• Adiabatic Irreversible Compression

• The effect of irreversible compression can be

• The superheated condition at the evaporator exit

• The subcooling of the condenser exit (state 3),

• A refrigerator uses R134a as the working fluid and

• Refrigerant-134a enters the compressor at 0.1 MPa and -

• Ammonia – commercially used for industrial – low cost,

Cascade Refrigeration system.

Consider a two-stage cascade refrigeration system operating between

Multistage compression refrigeration system.

• Better heat transfer characteristics, lead to change the

l Inexpensive thermal energy source (1000C – 2000C) such

b) Then this NH3 will pump to the generator. In generator, heat is

q By assuming all the process is reversible, the maximum COP will

Output Work, W = hTH , REV xQGEN

QL = WxCOPR , rev = hTH , REV QGEN COPR , rev

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