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PDH Course M244

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The refrigerant swings between two pressures P 1 and P 2. At lower pressure P 1, the heat is absorbed whereas at higher pressure P 2 heat is rejected. By adjusting the high and low pressures, the condensing and evaporating temperatures can be selected as required. The high pressure is determined: by the available cooling-water temperature, by the cost of this cooling water and by the cost of condensing equipment. The evaporating pressure is determined by either the low temperature that is required for the product or by the rate of cooling or freezing that has to be provided. Low evaporating temperatures mean higher power requirements for compression and greater volumes of low-pressure vapors to be handled therefore larger compressors, so that the compression is more expensive. It must also be remembered that, in actual operation, temperature differences must be provided to operate both the evaporator a nd the condenser. There must be lower pressures than those that correspond to the evaporating coil temperature in the compressor suction line, and higher pressures in the compressor discharge than those that correspond to the condenser temperature. Using the P-h diagram, we can measure the amount of heat rejected by the condenser, the amount of heat absorbed by the evaporator and the amount of work required by the compressor as the enthalpy difference. Heat Picked by Evaporator (Q C ) The amount of heat picked by the evaporator per pound of refrigerant is given by the evaporator process 4-1. The heat absorption (Q C) is given by the enthalpy difference (h 1 h 4). This is a constant pressure (and temperature) process where the refrigerant gains in heat content or enthalpy.

Where m is the mass flow rate of the refrigerant. The heat transfer rate to the refrigerant in the evaporator

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