May 2006

A collection of short
pointed topical papers.

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Refrigeration

Calculations
by: Garth Denison
Senior Application Engineer

The Sporlan Division of Parker Hannifin assumes no obligation or liability for any advice furnished or for any
results obtained with respect to this information. All such advice is given and accepted at users risk. This dis-
closure of information herein is not a license to operate under, or a recommendation to infringe any patent of
Sporlan Division of Parker Hannifin or others.

27
Registered trademark of Sporlan Division of Parker Hannifin, Washington, MO 63090 USA
Copyright 2003 by Sporlan Division of Parker Hannifin, Washington, MO 63090 USA

This document may be copied and distributed for educational purposes only.

Cold W.A.R. Issue 027

Page 2 - Cold W.A.R. Issue 27

Refrigeration Calculations
Pressure-enthalpy charts are tools to use in better understanding refrigeration cycles, for judging
whether the operation is normal, and for estimating the effect of change in operation. Learning
how to read the charts and to do the calculations involved will pay rich dividends in all phases of
refrigeration work.

Examples of various refrigeration calculations are shown below.

Heat content of Heat content of

1. Net Refrigeration vapor leaving liquid entering
Effect, Btu/lb evaporator, Btu/lb evaporator, Btu/lb

2. Net Refrigerating Latent heat of Change in heat content

vaporization, of liquid from condensing
Effect, Btu/lb Btu/lb to evaporator temperature, Btu/lb

3. Net refrigerating Capacity, Btu/min

Effect, Btu/lb Refrigerant circulated, lb/min

4. Refrigerant Circulated, Load or capacity, Btu/min

lb/min Net refrigeration effect, Btu/lb

5. Compressor Refrigerant Volume of gas

Displacement, cu ft/min
6. Compressor
Displacement, cu ft/min
circulated, lb/min X entering compressor, cu ft/lb
Capacity Volume of gas
Btu/min X entering compressor, cu ft/lb
Net refrigerating effect, Btu/lb

7. Heat of Compression, Heat content of Heat content of

Vapor leaving Vapor entering
Btu/lb Compressor, Btu/lb Compressor, Btu/lb

8. Heat of Compression (42.41 Btu/min - hp) (compression horsepower)

Btu/lb Refrigerant circulated, lb/min

9. Compression Work, Heat of compression, Refrigerant circulated,

X
Btu/min Btu/lb lb/min

10. Compression Compression work, Btu/min

or
Btu/hr
Horsepower Conversion factor, 42.41 Btu/min - hp 2546 Btu/hr - hp
 Cold W.A.R. Issue 27 - Page 3

Refrigeration Calculations

11. Compression Heat of compression,Btu/lb X Capacity, Btu/min

Horsepower (42.41 Btu/min - hp) X Net refrigeration effect, Btu/lb

12. Compression Capacity, Btu/min

Horsepower (42.41 Btu/min - hp) X Coefficient of performance

13. Compression 4.716 200

= 4.716
Horsepower per Ton Coefficient of performance 42.41

14. Power, watts Compression horsepower per Ton X 745.7 w - ton/hp

15. Coefficient of Net refrigeration effect, Btu/lb

Performance Heat of compression, Btu/lb

16. Capacity,
Refrigerant circulated, lb/min X Net refrigerating effect, Btu/lb
Btu/min

17. Capacity, Compressor displacement, cu ft/min X Net refrigerating effect, Btu/lb

Btu/min Volume of gas entering compressor, cu ft/lb

18. Capacity, Compression 42.41

X Btu/min - hp X Effect, Btu/lb
Net refrigerating
horsepower
Btu/min
Heat of compression, Btu/lb

Reference: Fluorocarbon Refrigerants Handbook

Example of # 15

Net refrigeration effect 63.7 R-134a

COP = = = 6.61 100 F SCT
Heat of compression 10.1 139.0

40 F
108.8 118.9 49.8
SST
NRE is - 45.1 H of C is -108.8
Pressure

63.7 10.1
(p s i a )

SCT is Saturated Condensing Temperature

SST is Saturated Suction Temperature Enthalpy
118.9
108.8
45.1

(Btu/lb)