BASIC VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION

CYCLE (With Heat Exchanger )

1.0

OBJECTIVE

Study the effect of variation in refrigeration load in a vapor compression

refrigeration cycle system to :
a) COP
b) Evaporating temperature
c) Condensing temperature
d) Refrigerant mass flow rate
e) The pressure ratio
f) The AU value of the condenser
g) Volumetric efficiency of compressor
h) Mechanical efficiency of compressor
2.0

EQUIPMENT
Hilton Refrigeration Laboratory Unit.
2.1

Refrigerant:
R- 12

2.2

Components:
1. Reciprocating Compressor:
No. of Cylinders = 2, Bore = 40 mm, Stroke = 30 mm, N = 460

RPM
Motor Speed = 1420 RPM, Dynamometer arm length = 150 mm
2. Evaporator: Tube type
3. Condenser: Tube type.
4. Expansion Valve: Thermostatic expansion valve (TXV)
1

5. Heat Exchanger : Liquid to vapor

Figure 1 : AXV and TXV

Automatic Expansion Valve (AXV): Capillary tube system is insensitive to
load changing condition. When load increased, the suction pressure went up
causing inefficient cooling and strain on the compressor. Therefore this system
can be used only when the load is approximately constant. For varying load
condition, a device sensible to load changes must be used. Automatic
expansive valve is one of these devices. AXV keeps the pressure in the
evaporator a constant and thus load on the compressor remain same. When
the load on the system increases, evaporation in the evaporator also increases
and hence suction pressure rises. In order to keep the suction pressure
constant, the automatic expansion valve restricts the refrigerant flow therefore
slowing down the evaporation and bringing the suction pressure back to its
original state.

Thermostatic expansion valve (TXV): The most popular type of expansion

device for moderate sized refrigeration systems is the thermostatic expansion
valve. Its forces a constant superheat in the evaporator. When there is an
increase of load the refrigerant will evaporate faster in the evaporator. This in
turn will cause a greater superheat at the evaporator outlet. This will cause
the TXV to let more refrigerant pass and drive the superheat down. The net
effect is then an increase in refrigeration when there is an increase in load. A
thermostatic expansion valve is shown in Fig. 1. The sensing bulb contains
fluid (normally it is the same refrigerant that is used for the refrigeration
system) either in a vapor or a liquid form. This bulb is usually placed after the
evaporation coil and near the suction line of the compressor. When the
temperature of the refrigerant rises, it causes temperature of the fluid within
the sensing bulb also to rise and forces the push rod downward which in turn
moves the needle or the ball from its seat allowing liquid refrigerant to flow
through and admit liquid to the evaporator coil. Because of this fresh charge
the temperature of the refrigerant drops which is again sensed by the bulb and
causing the pressure within it to drop. This reduces pressure against the
diaphragm and
the spring action from the bottom shuts the refrigerant passage. This
opening and closing of the valve provides automatic regulation of
refrigerant flow into the evaporator coil.

3.0

THEORY

Refrigeration works on the principle of heat absorption due to the evaporation of refrigerant. The
refrigerant is evaporated by passing from a region of high pressure to a region of low pressure, thus
reducing its saturation temperature below its actual temperature. The degree of cooling can then be
controlled by controlling the amount of refrigerant passing into the low pressure region. The
mechanism that controls the refrigerant flow into the low pressure region is called a metering
device.

The heart of the vapor compression system is the compressor. The three most common types of
refrigeration compressors are the reciprocating, rotary and centrifugal. The reciprocating
compressor consists of a piston moving back and forth in a cylinder with suction and discharge
valves arranged to allow pumping to take place. The rotary and centrifugal compressors both have
rotating members, but the rotary compressor is a positive-displacement machine, whereas the
centrifugal compressor operates by centrifugal force.
Some actual refrigeration systems utilize a liquid-to-suction heat exchanger.
This heat exchanger sub-cools the liquid from condenser with suction vapor
coming from the evaporator. The arrangement and the corresponding ph
diagram are shown in the figures on last page of the handout.
3.1

Effect of Superheating

1. The compression work for the superheated cycle is more than that for the
saturated cycle.
2. The temperature of the discharged vapors (exit of the compressor) is
considerably higher for the superheated cycle.
3. Because of the higher outlet temperature of the compressed vapors,
greater quantity of heat must be rejected in the condenser. It means
load on the condenser increases.
4. Superheating of the vapors at the inlet to the compressor ensures no
liquid enters in the compressor.
3.2

Effect of sub-cooling

1. Sub-cools liquid enters in the evaporator and hence increases the

refrigeration effect of the cycle.
Compared with the standard vapor compression cycle, the system using the
heat exchanger may seen to have obvious advantages because of the
increases refrigerating effect. But on the other hand, compressor power also
increases because of the superheated vapors has to be compressed.
4

Therefore, the COP of the cycle, which is ratio of the refrigeration effect to the
compressor power of the cycle, not necessarily increases.
The heat exchanger is definitely justified, however in situations where the
vapor entering the compressor must be superheated to ensure that no
liquid enters the compressor.
Another practical reason for using the heat exchanger is to sub-cool the liquid
form the condenser to prevent bubbles of vapor from impending the flow of
refrigerant through the expansion valve.

Figure 2

Temperature

Figure 3 : Example of T-s Diagram for Steam

4.0

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Table 1 : Experimental data

Atmospheric pressure = 1.017 bar, Ambient air dry bulb temperature = 27.5
C
T1
T2
T4
T5
mr
pe
pc
Heater
Voltage
Heater
Current
Spring Force,

Unit
C
C
C
C
g/s
MPa
MPa

Run #1
1
62
27
-23
1.2
0.03
0.88

Run #2
2
66
27
-18
2
0.075
0.94

Run #3
3
68
28
-12
3
0.100
0.98

Run #4
6
69
29
-7
4.1
0.140
1.06

Run #5
9
69
30
-1
5.5
0.195
1.14

100

120

140

160

180

2.6

3.2

3.6

4.1

4.6

6.1
7
8
9.2
10.5
N
F
mw
28
28
28
28
28
g/s
T7
28
28
28
28
28
C
T8
C
31
32
33
35
37
Evaporator pressure, pe and condenser pressure, pc are gauge pressures.

5.0

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Table 2 : Experimental results

Refrigeration Load
COP
Evaporating
temperature, T6
Condensing
temperature,T3
Refrigerant mass flow
rate, r
Pressure ratio, rp
AU value of condenser
Volumetric efficiency of
compressor, v
Mechanical efficiency of

Unit
AV

Run #1 Run #2 Run #3 Run #4 Run #5

260
384
504
656
828
3.25
3.71
4.12
4.37
4.63

-23.53

-15.93

-12.38

-7.30

-1.25

59

62

63

62

69

g/s

1.2

4.1

5.5

Kw

29.33
0.188

12.53
0.295

9.8
0.430

7.57
0.572

5.85
0.746

28.57

34.29

45.71

51.43

57.14

30.88

46.79

62.92

72.20

80.77

compressor,

Figure 4 : Graph of Refrigeration Load versus COP

Figure 5 : Graph of Refrigeration Load versus Pressure Ratio

Figure 6 : Graph of Refrigeration Load versus AU Value of Condenser

10

Figure 7 : Graph of Refrigeration Load versus Volumetric Efficiency of Compressor

Figure 8 : Graph of Refrigeration Load versus Mechanical Efficiency of Compressor

Based on graph of Refrigeration Load versus COP, the results show that the COP value of the
refrigeration unit is increasing when the refrigeration load is increase. It means that, the
performance of the refrigeration system depends on the desired refrigeration load. This is
because of the increasing refrigeration load will increased the work done of the compressor.
Based on graph of Refrigeration Load versus Pressure Ratio, the experimental results show that
the Pressure Ratio decreased when the refrigeration load is increase. Therefore, the effects of
refrigeration load some how very significance to pressure ratio of the refrigeration system.
Based on graph of Refrigeration Load versus AU values of condenser, it shows that the
refrigeration load is proportional to the AU values of condenser. The results show that when we
increase the refrigeration load, the AU values of condenser also increase proportionally. This
results also same with the volumetric and mechanical efficiency of the compressor. It means
that changing the refrigeration load will give a significance effect to the AU value of condenser,
volumetric and mechanical efficiency of the compressor.
11

5.1

Sample Calculation

Run #1:

0.9817Mpa

0.317Mpa
2
3
4

1
5

s
Figure 9 : Temperature-entropy diagram of the system.

0.9817Mpa

0.317Mpa
6

h
12

Figure 10 : Pressure-enthalpy diagram of the system.

Given data:
pe = 0.3 + 1.017 = 1.317 bar
pc = 8.8 + 1.017 = 9.817 bar
T5 = -23C, T7 = 28C, T8 = 31C,
r = 1.2 g/s
To find T3:
T = T8 - T7 = 3C
Given data: T2 = 62C
therefore, TH = T3 = 62 3 = 59C
To find T6 and enthalpies at significance states using properties table for R 12
at pe = 1.317 bar , T1 = 1C (superheated)
by interpolation, => Ts = T6 = -23.53C
therefore, T - Ts = 1 (-23.53) = 24.53 K
at 15K, Ts = -23.53C and Pe = 1.317 bar, by interpolation => h = 186.04
KJ/Kg
at 30K, Ts = -23.53C and Pe = 1.317 bar, by interpolation => h =195.08
KJ/Kg
by interpolation, => h1 = 191.78 KJ/Kg
at 15K, Ts = -23.53C and Pe = 1.317 bar, by interpolation => s = 0.7461
KJ/Kg.K
at 30K, Ts = -23.53C and Pe = 1.317 bar, by interpolation => s = 0.7793
KJ/Kg.K
by interpolation, => s1 = 0.7672 KJ/Kg.K
s2 = s1 = 0.7373 KJ/Kg.K
Given data: pc = 9.817 bar , T2 = 62C
by interpolation => Ts = 40.85C
therefore, T - Ts = 62 40.85 = 21.15K
at Ts = 40C, s2 = 0.7672 KJ/Kg.K (superheated), by interpolation => h =
231.13 KJ/Kg
at Ts = Ts = 40C, s2 = 0.7672 KJ/Kg.K (superheated), by interpolation => h =
233.66 KJ/Kg
13

by interpolation => h2 = 232.17 KJ/Kg

h4 hf at T = T4 = 27C and pe = 1.317 bar
by interpolation, => h4 = 61.66 KJ/Kg
h5 = h4 = 61.66 KJ/Kg
at Pc = 9.817 bar => by interpolation, h3 =75.462 KJ/Kg

To find the rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space, QL

QL = r (h1 h5)
= (1.2/1000)(191.78 61.66)
= 0.156 kw
To find the power input to the compressor, Win
in = r (h2 h1)
= (1.2/1000)(232.17 191.78)
= 0.048 kw
To find the coefficient of performance, COP
COP = (QL/in)
= 3.25
To find refrigeration load
Refrigeration Load

=AXV
= 2.6 X 100
= 260 AV

To find pressure ratio, rp

Pressure ratio, rp = (Pc/ Pe)
= 0.88/0.03
= 29.33
To find AU value of condenser
14

AU value of condenser = r (h2 - h3)

= (1.2/1000)(232.17 75.462)
= 0.188 kw

To find volumetric efficiency of the compressor, v

Given data:
Compressor is reciprocating-type, single-acting twin cylinders. For each cylinders:
Bore = 40 mm, Stroke = 30 mm, N = 460 rpm
Volumetric efficiency, v = (actual volume, Va / theoritical displacement of
compressor, Vp)
Theoritical displacement of compressor, Vp = A x S x n x N = {( x 0.04) /
4} x 0.03 x 2 x 460
= 0.035 m/min
From Properties Table for R 12 (Superheated):
At inlet compressor; T1 = 1C, Pe = 131.7 Kpa
At T = 0 C, by interpolation => = 0.1379 m/Kg
At T = 5 C, by interpolation => = 0.1408 m/Kg
Therefore, at T = 1C, by interpolation => 1 = 0.1385 m/Kg
Actual volume, Va = r 1 = {1.2 x 60)/100} Kg/min x 0.1385 m/Kg
= 0.010 m/min
Therefore, volumetric efficiency, v = 28.57 %
To find mechanical efficiency of the compressor, m
Given data:
Motor speed = 1420 rpm, Dynamometer arm length, r = 150 mm
No. of cylinder of compressor, n = 2, Spring force, F = 6.1 N

15

Mechanical efficiency, m = indicated power, Pi

shaft power, P
Torque, = F x r = 6.1 N x 0.15 m
= 0.915 Nm
shaft power, P = = (2N / 60)
= {(2 x 1420) / 60} x 0.915
= 0.136 kw
Indicated power, Pi =

n
r R (T2 T1) = 2 x 0.0012 x 0.287 x (335 274)
n-1
= 0.042 kw

Therefore, mechanical efficiency, m = 30.88 %

6.0

CONCLUSION

This experiment studied the effect of variation in refrigeration load to some significance
parameters in a vapor compression refrigeration cycle system. Experiment data were collected
by using the refrigeration device which is Hilton Refrigeration Laboratory Unit. As mentioned
earlier, this experiment will focus on the effect of variation in refrigeration load to COP,
evaporating temperature, condensing temperature, refrigerant mass flow rate, pressure ratio,
AU value of condenser, volumetric efficiency and mechanical efficiency of the compressor.
The following conclusion can be drawn from the experiment. The results of this experiment has
shown that refrigerant is sub cooled before its enter the throttling valve, since the refrigerant in
this case enter the evaporator with a lower enthalpy and thus can absorb more heat from the
refrigerated space. The throttling valve and the evaporator are usually located very close to
each other, so the pressure drop in the connecting line is small. In addition, the refrigerant is
superheated before it enters the compressor which increases the enthalpy.
7.0

RECOMMENDATION

Based on the findings and conclusions of the experiments, here are several recommendations to
be considered to improve the experimental works:
1. Clearance volume and compression ratio should be optimum because both factors affect
the volume of re expansion gas trapped in the clearance volume.
2. Heating effect should be maximizing. It is because when vapor refrigerant enters the
compressor, heat absorbed by the vapor results in heating effect that increases the

16

specific volume of the refrigerant and therefore the actual induced volume of suction
vapor at suction pressure, Va value.
3. Leakage in compressor should be minimizing. Refrigerant leaks through the gap and the
clearance across the high and low pressure side of compressor, such as the clearance
between the piston ring and the cylinder in reciprocating compressor.
4. Using the Innovative Vapour Compression Refrigeration System such as Cascade and
Multi-stages system. These system can reduce work done by the compressor and
increase the refrigeration effect. In this system, we can also used the compressor with
low compression ratio in series.

REFERENCES
1.

Cengel, Y.A and Boles, M.A, Thermodynamics An Engineering Approach, 4th Edition,
McGraw Hill, 2002.

2.

Eastop, T.D and McConkey, A, Applied Thermodynamics for Engineering Technologist,

5th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, 1993.

3.

Wang, S.K, Handbook of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill,
2000.

4.

Azlir Darisun, Pemampat Salingan, Cetakan Pertama, Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka,
1992.

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