MEC 2405:

THERMODYNAMICS

REFRIGERATION EXPERIMENT
REPORT

CHAN KYNG HON (28125177)

CHONG THERN CHANG (28095715)
CHUNG YING JIET (27740013)
SEAN CHAN CHI HOE (29407583)

1
Table of Contents

1.0 Objectives 3

2.0 Experimental procedure

2.1 Description and Diagram of Apparatus 3

2.2 Methodology 5

2.3 Safety Issues 6

2.4 Difficulties and Errors 6

3.0 Results and Data Representation

3.1 Experimental Results 7

3.2 Graphical Representation of Data 8

4.0 Discussion

4.1 Discussion on results obtained and the trends 11

4.2 Errors That Affect Experimental Results 12

5.0 Conclusion 13

6.0 References 13

Appendix 13

2
1.0 Objectives

The aim of this experiment is to use the vapor compression theory to find the coefficient of
performance (COP) of the Gunt ET 410 refrigeration demo model. The second objective of
this experiment is to use the coefficient of performance (COP) of the system to find out how
the volumetric flow rate of water affects the efficiency of the refrigeration system.The aim of
this experiment is to use the vapor compression theory to find the coefficient of performance
(COP) of the Gunt ET 410 refrigeration demo model. The second objective of this
experiment is to use the coefficient of performance (COP) of the system to find out how the
volumetric flow rate of water affects the efficiency of the refrigeration system.

2.0 Experimental procedure

2.1 Description and Diagram of Apparatus

The experiment employs the Gunt ET 410 Demo Model Refrigeration Technology to do the
vapor compression analyzing of the refrigeration system. The system was set-up as figure
2.1 below and the components are labeled in Table 2.1.

3
 Figure 2.1.1: Refrigeration Model System

1. Condenser with fan

2. Switch for fan

3. Manometer

4. Pressostat (Pressure monitor)

5. Exercise chart with graphical representation of refrigeration circuit

6. Compressor

7. Sight glass for refrigerant

8. Filter dryer

9. Refrigerant volumetric flowmeter

10. Expansion valve

11. Evaporator

12. Thermometer

13. Volumetric flowmeter: refrigerant circuit

14. Water drain valve

15. Switch for compressor

Table 2.1.1: Labelled components

4
2.2 Methodology
The refrigeration model system was switched on and the volumetric flow rate of water, Vw
was adjusted to 40.0 L/h by turning the volumetric meter adjuster. The system was left for 20
minutes to allow the system to achieve a stable condition before recording the data. Once
the refrigeration system reaches a steady state, the corresponding volumetric flow rate of the
refrigerant, Vk, the temperature value from thermometer T1, T2, T3, T4, Tin and Tout , and
pressure value from manometer P14, and P23 were recorded and tabulated in a table. Table
3.2 below describes the measurements made at the corresponding label points. The same
procedure was taken for another two different volumetric flow rate of water of 60.0 L/h and
80 L/h.

Label Description

T1 Temperature of refrigerant between evaporator and compressor

T2 Temperature of refrigerant between compressor and condenser

T3 Temperature of refrigerant between condenser and expansion valve

T4 Temperature of refrigerant between expansion valve and evaporator

Tin Temperature of water going into the system

Tout Temperature of water going out of the system

P14 Pressure of refrigerant between evaporator and compressor

P23 Pressure of refrigerant between compressor and condenser

Table 2.2.1: Description of the labelled measuring points

5
2.3 Safety Issues

Safety precautions should be taken when conducting the experiment to avoid getting hurt.
Direct contact with the components and apparatus of the refrigeration system should be
avoided throughout the experiment. This is because the condenser and evaporator has an
opposite extremely high and extremely low temperature which can hurt you during skin
contact. Gloves should be worn for direct handling of the components. Before commencing
the experiment, all the components and apparatus of the refrigeration system should be
checked for defections. The connections of the pipes must be secured to make sure no
leakage of refrigerant R134a occurs. Inhaling small amount of R134a exposure in the air
may not harm the lungs but acute inhalation of larger amounts becomes more worrisome,
causing symptoms including temporary nervous system depression, with accompanying
drowsiness, lethargy and insensitivity to pain. Prolonged breathing of vapors can cause
cardiac irregularities, unconsciousness and death. [1]

Besides, the compression of the refrigerant would result in high pressures occurring within
the refrigeration system. Hence, a pressure monitor was fixed to the apparatus to ensure
that the system would automatically shut off if the refrigerant pressure rises above a safety
threshold. The fan of the condenser should always be switch on as it cools the condenser to
prevent the device from overheating. Lastly, appropriate lab attire should be worn when
operating the refrigeration system.

2.4 Difficulties and errors

Only three sets of data could be recorded due to limited time given to conduct the
experiment. The relationship between the volumetric flow rate of water and the performance
of the system concluded may not be accurate. Besides, small intervals between different
settings of volumetric flowrate of water shows almost the same results with only small
differences. However, varying the water volumetric flow by very large intervals could also
give poor results as the system did not have enough time to achieve steady state before
measurements were made. Systemic errors could also occurred when taking measurements
of the system. Wearing out of the measurement devices and gauges due to extensive usage
throughout long periods of time maybe be the main cause that leads to inaccurate or

6
inconsistent results. Other than that, human errors are also a possibility such as misreading
or setting up the experiment wrong.

3.0 Results and Data Representation

3.1 Experimental Results

Table 3.1.1 Raw data collected in lab

Table 3.1.2 Entropy values for refrigerant and mass flow rates

The values of entropy are obtained using the P-h diagram of refrigerant R134a by using the
raw data collected during the experiment. The mass flow rate is calculated using a formula
that takes the product of the density and volume flow rate.

Table 3.1.3 Coefficient of Performance (COP) values for actual and ideal case

7
3.2 Graphical Representation of Data

Fig 3.2.1 Graph of coefficient of performance against Volumetric flow rate of water

Fig 3.2.2 Graph of Rate of heat Transfer against Volumetric flow rate of water

8
Fig 3.2.3 P-h diagram for water volumetric flow rate of 40 L/h

9
Fig 3.2.4 P-h diagram for water volumetric flow rate of 60 L/h

Fig 3.2.5 P-h diagram for water volumetric flow rate of 80 L/h

10
4.0 Discussion

4.1 Discussion on results obtained and the trends

From Fig 3.2.1, the trend of COP value versus the volumetric flow rate of water can be seen
from the graph. It can be seen clearly that the COP values decreases slightly with the
increase of volumetric flow rate. For the actual COP values, it can be seen that the COP
value of 4.20838 decrease to 3.44322. For the ideal COP values, there is not much
significant change in the COP values. By comparing the ideal COP values with the actual
COP values, it can be said that the actual COP values has a more significant change in COP
values when the volumetric flow rate increase compare to the ideal COP values.

Next, from Fig 3.2.2 shows that the Rate of heat transfer increases when the volumetric flow
rate of water increases for the actual and ideal cases. The rate of heat transfer for both ideal
and actual increases from 0.6819 KJ/s to 0.8399 KJ/s and 0.57016 KJ/s to 0.6969 KJ/s. The
trend of both actual and ideal rate of heat transfer can be seen to have a similar increase as
the volumetric flow rate of water increases.

The COP value has a relationship with the rate of heat transferred and the power supplied to
the compressor. The value for the ideal COP values can be clearly seen to be much higher
than the actual COP values from Table 3.1.3. This makes sense as actual cases will have
irreversibilities that will cause the COP values to be lower compared to the ideal case. The
rate of heat transfer plays a part in manipulating the COP values as well the work input of
the compressor.

Fig 4.1.1 Ideal T-S diagram and ideal P-h diagram

Fig 4.1.2 Actual T-S diagram

11
Now, the enthalpy values for the refrigerant are obtained by plotting 4 points on the P-h
diagram of refrigerant R134. The state of the refrigerant at each point can be compared with
the ideal and actual cycle.

By carefully identifying the points on the P-h diagram and plotting them on the graph as
shown in Fig 3.2.3, Fig 3.2.4 and Fig 3.2.5, it shows that from point 1 to point 2 in the actual
vapor compression refrigeration cycle is in the super-heated vapor state. This due to the
work done to compress the refrigerant that will cause the temperature and pressure to
increase. However, this is not the case for the ideal case as show in the ideal P-h diagram
as the refrigerant enters the compressor at point 1 in a saturated vapor state. The actual
entropy for the actual cycle increases from point 1 to point 2 due to the friction by fluid when
flowing in the compressor while the ideal cycle undergoes isentropic process that is
adiabatic and reversible which means that from point 1 to point 2 the entropy will remain the
same. Next, the high temperature and pressure of the refrigerant then passes through the
condenser whereby heat will be rejected from the refrigerant. For the actual cycle, there will
be a pressure drop in the condenser due to fluid friction but for the ideal cycle there is no
pressure drop during this process. Since during the experiment, there is no form of way to
identify the pressure drop of the condenser, the pressure of the inlet and outlet are assumed
to be the same.

After that, the refrigerant which has a lower temperature but high pressure will enter an
expansion valve and will exit the valve with a lower entropy value while having the enthalpy
values to remains the same for the ideal case. This process occurs between point 3 to point
4. However, this is not the case for the actual cycle as it can be seen from the P-h diagram
that is plotted for the experiment. The value of enthalpy for the outlet is much smaller
compare to the value of enthalpy at the inlet of the expansion valve. The reason for this to
occur because the expansion valve is not fully adiabatic and because the temperature of the
inlet of the expansion valve is higher than the outlet, there is a possibility that heat is release
to the surrounding which then causes the decrease in enthalpy from point 3 to 4.

Lastly, the low pressure and low temperature refrigerant enters the evaporator and then
receives heat for the evaporation process. This is the final step of the cycle where it is
between point 4 to point 1 and the pressure are to be assume constant for the ideal cycles
but not for the actual cycles as the actual case will have a lower pressure at the outlet of the
compressor compared to the inlet. As Fig 4.1.1 portrayed, the refrigerant for the ideal cycle
exits the evaporator as saturated vapor state while for the actual case the refrigerant exits
the evaporators as in a superheated state.

4.2 Errors that affect the experimental results

Firstly, the reading of the volumetric flow rate of water and refrigerant as the reading
fluctuates while the cycle is running which causes the accuracy of data to drop. This error
can be reduced by taking multiple readings and taking the average of them. Next, the
significant source of error that can be found in this experiment is the piping system are not
well insulated which will cause heat loss to the surrounding. Lastly, parallax error also does
contribute to the error in the results as it may occur when obtaining the readings.

12
5.0 Conclusion

To conclude, the aim of the experiment was met. The vapor compression refrigeration cycle
theory was applied in studying the model refrigerator. Through the experiment, it is found
that the highest Coefficient of Performance (COP) for the ideal case is 20.909 at a
volumetric flow rate of 60 l/h, whereas the highest COP for the actual case is 4.208 at a
volumetric low rate of 40 l/h. However, it is also found that the ideal COP values are
consistently much greater than the actual COP values across all volumetric flow rates. This
is most likely due to the fact that the vapor compression cycle theory does not take into
account irreversibilities that exist in the real world, such as friction due to pipe flow, as well
as heat loss and dissipation through the pipes. Human errors also contribute to the disparity
in COP values between the actual and ideal cases. However, this contribution is relatively
small compared to the effects of irreversibilities.

6.0 References
[1] ​Wilson, K. (2018). ​What Are the Dangers of R134?​. [online] Itstillruns.com. Available at:
https://itstillruns.com/dangers-r134-7380383.html

Appendix

Sample calculations of the results

Assumptions made
- No heat loss in the piping throughout the cycle of the vapor compression.
- The kinetic and potential energy is negligible and no heat loss to the surrounding.
- No pressure drop in the refrigerant due to fluid friction in the pipes.
- The flow of the refrigerant is assumed to be in steady flow condition.

1. Mass flow rate of water

From the property tables, density of water is 997

ṁw = ρw V˙ w
= 997 x 40 x 1 m3 1 hour
× 3600
1000 litre s

= 0.0110778 kg/s

​2​. ​Mass flow rate of refrigerant

From property tables, @ 700kPA the specific volume is 0.0008331

13
 V˙ k
​m˙​ k ​ = v

9× 0.001
3600
m˙​ k ​= 0.0008395
= 0.00300008 kg/s

​3. Rate of heat removed from water

​The Cp is assume to be 4.18 J/kg.K

˙ ​
ΔQ​ = m˙ ​w × Cp × (ΔT)

˙​ ˙ ​
Q​ in​ = ΔQ​ = m˙ ​w​ Cp (T ​in −
​ T ​out​)

= 0.0110778 kg/s × 4.18 × (25 – 22)

= 0.13891533 KJ/s

​4. Rate of heat absorbed by the refrigerant

˙​ ˙ ​
Q​ L​ = ΔQ​ = m˙ ​k​ × Δh

= m˙ ​k​ × (h​1 −
​ h​4​)

= 0.0030008 × (429–200)

= 0.687192 KJ/s

5. Work done by compressor

​W​compressor​ = m˙ ​k × (h​2 −
​ h​1​)
= 0.0030008 × (440–429)
= 0.033009 KJ/s

6. Rate of heat loss from the refrigerant at condenser

Q˙​ =​
​ ​condenser​ ​ m˙ ​k × (h​
​ 2−​ h​3​)

= 0.0030008 × (440– 250)

14
 = 0.570159645 KJ/s

7. Coefficient of Performance

˙​
COP​actual =​ Q​ w / W​
​ compressor

0.13891533
= 0.033009

= 4.208
˙​ 0.687192
- COP​ideal =​ Q​ L / W​
​ compressor​ = 0.033009

= 20.81818

15