VCR System for

Low temperature applications

(Cascaded VCRS)

MEL 405
Refrigeration & Air conditioning
Amit Arora
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
ITM University, Gurgaon

Low Temperature Refrigeration

Phrase Low temperature is a relative term
As per ASHRAE (1978), temperature in the range from 0 to 173 K (-273 oC to
-100 oC) should be referred as low temperature
Refrigeration for Low temperature applications is also called as Cryogenics
The Greek work Kryos means very cold

Some applications that require creation of Low temperature are

1.

Cold treatment of metals and alloys

2.

Liquefaction and separation of gases

3.

Testing of products and processes meant for low temperature applications

Limitations of VCR system for

Low temperature creation
Recall, a VCRS uses a refrigerant whose temperature in the evaporator
determines the refrigeration temperature (Tevap)
Thus, thermo-physical properties of the refrigerant strongly limits the
suitability of the refrigeration system for a given application
Notable limitations of a VCRS for Low temperature applications are:
1. Refrigerant must have a freezing point much below the desired
temperature to be created
Most obvious limitation
Freezing point of popular refrigerants are (at stand. atm. pressure):
R-11 (-111 oC), R-12 (-158 oC), R-13 (-181 oC), R-21 (-135 oC), R-22 (-160 oC),
R-113 (-35 oC), R-717 (-78 oC), R-744 (-57 oC)
Refrigerants R-113, R-717 and R-744 are unsuitable for Low temperature
refrigeration

2. Refrigerants with high boiling point incur large compressor power

Why ?
Bcoz it requires very low evaporator pressure to create a desired evaporator
temperature, hence larger suction volume (specific volume at compressor
suction)

3. Refrigerants with low boiling point also incur large compressor power
Why ?
Bcoz it requires higher pressure rise (dp) by the compressor to create a
desired condenser temperature

4. COP reduces with increasing pressure ratio (pcond/pevap) COPR , Carnot

Recall, COP of the Carnot refrigerator

1
Thot
Tcold

COPR, carnot reduces with increasing temperature ratio (Tcond/Tevap), which is

due to higher pressure ratio (pcond/pevap)
High mean temperature of heat rejection (Tcond) is attributed to high
condenser pressure
Low mean temperature of heat absorption (Tevap) is attributed to low
evaporator pressure

 Conclusion:
Creation of low temperature implicitly means high temperature ratio,
hence pressure ratio
But we also know that COP falls sharply with increasing pressure ratio

Thus, conventional VCRS proves to be highly uneconomical for low

temperature refrigeration
What is the way out ?
Cascaded VCRS

Cascade Refrigeration System

A cascaded VCRS combines two or
more vapour compression circuits
in series

Each subsequent VCR circuit uses a

refrigerant with progressively
reducing boiling temperature
A two stage cascaded VCRS is
shown
The two circuits are coupled by the
cascade HX
A combine condenser-evaporator

 Cascade HX serves as an evaporator

for the high temperature cascade and
as a condenser for the low
temperature cascade
A two stage cascade VCRS has two
evaporators
But it is important to notice that it is
evaporator of the low temperature
cascade which produces useful
refrigeration

Evaporator & condenser temperatures

of low temperature cascade are
Tevap,1 & Tcond, 1

Evaporator & condenser temperatures

of high temperature cascade are
Tevap, 2 & Tcond, 2

 In a limiting condition,
condenser temperature of low
temperature cascade is equal to
the evaporator temperature of
low temperature cascade
This requires a HX with infinite
thermal conductance
A hypothetical scenario

In practice, a small temperature

overlap is provided
That means Tcond, 1 > Tevap, 2
Generally, an overlap of 5 oC is
recommended

 Lets draw the thermodynamic

cycle for a two stage cascade
VCRS with a temperature
overlap in the cascade HX on
the p-h diagram

 Thermodynamic analysis of two stage cascade VCRS

Mass flow rate in the low temperature cascade

m LT

Q ref ,1
h1 h 4

What will be the mass flow rate in the high temperature cascade ?
It will depend on the refrigeration load on the high temperature cascade

m HT

Qcond ,1
h5 h8

m LT .(h 2 h 3 )
h 5 h8

Refrigeration capacity is
Qref

m LT .(h1 h 4 )

Compressor power is
Wcomp.

mLT .(h 2 h1 ) m HT .(h 6 h 5 )

COP of two stage cascade VCRS is

COP

Q ref .
Wcomp.

m LT .(h 2

210 x TR
h1 ) m HT .(h 6 h 5 )