Unit-1

Introduction to Refrigeration
Definition of refrigeration:
Literal meaning of refrigeration is the production of cold confinement relative to
its surroundings.
(or)
Refrigeration is defined as Artificial Withdrawal of Heat, Producing a
Temperature Lower than That Which Would Exist.
(or)
Refrigeration is defined as Science of Providing & Maintaining temperatures
below that of Surroundings (atmosphere).
Necessity of refrigeration:
Applications of refrigeration
1. Food processing, preservation and distribution
2. Chemical and process industries
3. Special Applications such as cold treatment of metals, medical,
Construction, ice skating etc.
4. Comfort air-conditioning
Storage of Raw Fruits and Vegetables
It is well-known that some bacteria are responsible for Degradation of food, and
enzymatic processing cause ripening of the fruits and vegetables.
 The growth of bacteria and the rate of enzymatic processes are reduced
 In case of fruits and vegetables, the use of refrigeration starts right after
harvesting to remove the postharvest heat, transport in refrigerated
transport to the cold storage or the processing plant.
 Meat and poultry
 Dairy Products
Bulk milk cooler is a large refrigerated tank that cools it between 10 to
15oC. Then it is transported to dairy farms, where it is pasteurized.
Pasteurization involves heating it to 73oC and holding it at this
temperature for 20 seconds. Thereafter, it is cooled to 3 to 4oC.
 Beverages
Production of beer, wine and concentrated fruit juices required
Refrigeration. The taste of many drinks can be improved by
Serving them cold or by adding ice to them.
 Candy
Use of chocolate in candy or its coating with chocolate requires Setting at
5-10oC otherwise it becomes sticky Processing and distribution of frozen
food –25 to -20oC

Chemical & process industries

 Separation of gases: In petrochemical plant, temperatures as Low as –

150oC with refrigeration capacities as high as 10,000 Tons of Refrigeration
(TR) are used for separation of gases by Fractional distillation.
 Condensation of Gases: Ease in transportation like ammonia,LPG
 Dehumidification of Air: Low humidity air is required in many
Pharmaceutical industries. It is also required for air liquefaction plants.
This is also required to prevent static electricity and prevents short circuits
in places where high voltages are used.
 Storage as liquid at low pressure: Liquid occupies less space than gases.
 Cooling for preservation: Many compounds decompose at room
temperature or these evaporate at a veryfastrate.Certaindrugs, explosives
and natural rubber can be stored for long periods at lower temperatures.

Industrial applications

 Laboratories
 Printing
 Manufacture of Precision Parts
 Textile Industry
 Pharmaceutical Industries
 Photographic Material
 Farm Animals
 Vehicular Air-conditioning
Differences between heat engine, refrigeration and heat
pump
 Heat engine

Refrigerator

Heat pump
Classification of Refrigerators

Refrigeration implies the cooling of a system. It may be obtained by adopting

the following methods.

1. Natural methods.
2. Artificial or mechanical methods
Mechanical refrigerators found wide industrial applications.
They may be further classified as
1. Air refrigerators
(a) Reversed Carnot cycle
(b) Bell Coleman cycle
2. Vapour refrigerators.
(a) Vapour compression refrigerator
(b) Vapour absorption refrigerator
Methods of Refrigeration
The refrigeration effect may be produced by bringing the substance to be cooled
in direct or indirect contact with cooling medium such as ice. The common
methods of refrigeration are as follows.
1. Ice refrigeration
2. Dry Ice refrigeration
3. Air expansion Refrigeration
4. Evaporative refrigeration
5. Gas throttling refrigeration
6. Steam jet refrigeration
7. Liquid gas refrigeration
8. Vapour compression refrigeration
9. Vapour absorption refrigeration.

Unit of refrigeration

Ideal cycles of refrigeration

1. Reversed Carnot cycle
2. Vapour compression cycle
3. Vapour absorption cycle
4. Gas cycle
5. Stirling cycle
Mechanical Refrigeration System or vapour Compression
Refrigeration System.
Principle: The ability of a substance to change from a liquid to avapour under
certain pressure and temperature conditions is physical phenomenon called
refrigeration cycle. In order for substance to boil from liquid to a vapour or gas,
it must absorb heat in the absorption of the heat ,the vaopourising substance
cools the material, whether it be air or water from which the heat is absorbed.
Components
Basic components parts of a mechanical refrigeration system are common both
for refrigeration and air –conditioning systems.
They are
1. Compression
2. Condersation
3. Expansion
4. Evaporation

Compression: The low pressure vapour refrigerant in dry state is drawn from
the evaporator during the suction stroke of the compressor. During compression
stroke pressure and temperature of the refrigerant increases.
Condensation:
The high pressure and high temperature vapour refrigerant enters in to the
condenser through the discharge line Heat will be rejected in to the cooling
medium and the refrigerant change its state from vapour to liquid.
Expansion
After condenser, the liquid refrigerant is stored in the liquid receiver Until it
passes through expansion valve. The function of the expansion is to allow the
liquid refrigerant under controlled pressure in to the low pressure path of the
system.
Evaporation
The low pressure liquid refrigerant after expansion in the expansion device
enters the Evaporator or Refrigerated space and absorbs its heat. Due to this
heat, the refrigerant changes its state from liquid to vapour and then sucked
back by the compressor during its suction stroke.

Air refrigeration:

Advantages and dis advantages of air refrigeration:

Advantages

Disadvantages
Reversed Carnot cycle
Open and closed air refrigeration systems

Open air refrigeration cycle:

When cooled air from the turbine enters the cabin and comes in physical contact
with the occupants. It is not much in use because of moisture added to air in
the cabin.
Closed air refrigeration cycle OR dense cycle:
When cooled air from the turbine passes through the coil and a fan circulates
and recirculates cabin air over it. The pressure of cooled air in such systems is
much higher than in the open system. Because of high pressure, volume is less
and hence density of air is high. It is therefore also called a dense system.