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International Journal of Refrigeration 30 (2007) 1329e1335

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Theoretical and experimental research on the working process

of screw refrigeration compressor under superfeed condition
Huagen Wu*, Jianfeng Li, Ziwen Xing
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

Received 1 September 2006; received in revised form 16 April 2007; accepted 16 April 2007
Available online 24 April 2007

Abstract
In order to increase the refrigeration capacity and improve the coefficient of performance (COP), an economizer arrangement
is used in the refrigeration system with screw refrigeration compressor. In this system, the mid-pressure refrigerant gas from the
economizer is injected in the screw refrigeration compressor. So it affects the performance of the compressor. In this paper, the
working process of a twin screw refrigeration compressor with economizer under different superfeed pressures is studied.
A mathematical model for simulating the working process of screw refrigeration compressor under superfeed condition with
the economizer is presented; especially the flow coefficient of superfeed is obtained by the experimental research. To verify
the model, the peV diagrams (pressureevolume diagrams) of screw refrigeration compressor under different superfeed pres-
sures with the economizer are recorded successfully by making use of a micro-type pressure sensor that embedded into the
groove at the root of the female rotor on the discharge side. The peV diagrams of theoretical calculation are in good agreement
with the results of experimental recorded, which lead to conclusion that the model can be used as a powerful tool for perfor-
mance prediction of screw refrigeration compressor, also, it is very helpful for refrigeration system design.
Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Refrigeration; Compression system; Screw compressor; Research; Thermodynamic cycle; Injection; Performance; COP

Recherches théorique et expérimentale sur le fonctionnement

du compresseur frigorifique à vis sous des conditions
de suralimentation
Mots clés : Réfrigération ; Système à compression ; Compresseur à vis ; Recherche ; Cycle thermodynamique ; Injection ; Performance ; COP

1. Introduction

The refrigeration equipments are widely employed in

* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ86 29 82664845; fax: þ86 29
82668724.
E-mail address: hgwu@mail.xjtu.edu.cn (H. Wu).
0140-7007/$35.00 Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2007.04.005
both commerce and industry. To give rise to an increase in
the cooling capacity and COP of the refrigeration system,
an economizer is usually arranged in the refrigeration plants.
Due to the advantages of twin screw refrigeration
1330 H. Wu et al. / International Journal of Refrigeration 30 (2007) 1329e1335
Nomenclature
A effective area of superfeed port (m2)
C flow coefficient
h specific enthalpy (kJ kg1)
m mass of gas (kg)
p pressure (MPa)
R gas constant (kJ K1 kg1)
T temperature (K)
W shaft power (kW)
Wad isentropic power (kW)
We motor power (kW)
Wi indicated power (kW)
3 pressure ratio
had the isentropic efficiency
compressor, such as high efficiency, stable operation, high
reliability, and so on, especially the superfeed process is
achieved easily in twin screw compressor, the twin screw re-
frigeration compressors are broadly used in various refriger-
ation systems, which have gradually substituted for the
reciprocating refrigeration system employed in small cool-
ing capacity and part of centrifugal refrigeration system em-
ployed in large cooling capacity.
In refrigeration system, the twin screw refrigeration com-
pressor with an economizer arrangement is the key equip-
ment. The performance of twin screw refrigeration
compressor is very sensitive to a number of design parame-
ters governing the thermodynamic and flow process, espe-
cially when the compressor is working under superfeed
condition. With the help of the simulation model and the ex-
perimental recording of peV diagrams, the effects of the
process of superfeed with an economizer on the compres-
sor’s performance can be described clearly.
Until now, a lot of research has been done on the behav-
ior of twin screw compressor. In 1992, to study the working
process and performance of screw compressor, many math-
ematical models were presented [1,2]. Stosic et al. [3]
presented some results of the influence of oil injection
upon the screw compressor working process by the theoret-
ical and experimental investigation. The oil flow rate, inlet
temperature, droplet atomization, positions in the casing at
which the oil was injected, oil jet speed and angle, and so
on, were taken into account in his model. In 1995, Fujiwara
and Osada [4] proposed a computer model for an oil-
injected screw compressor, in which the flow and heat
transfer characteristics are analyzed in detail. Fleming
and Tang [5] analyzed the influence of the internal gas leak-
ages on the performance of twin screw compressor in
detail, and presented that six separate types of leakage
path were existed in the twin screw compressor. In 1997,
Hanjalic and Stosic [6] presented a numerical model for
simulation of the thermodynamic and fluid flow processes
in screw compressor and expander, in which the equations
he the electric efficiency of motor
hi the isentropic indicated efficiency
k adiabatic index
v specific volume (m3 kg1)
Subscripts
com compressor
con condenser
cr critical ratio
eva evaporator
number state point
se economizer or superfeed
of conservation of mass and energy, fluid leakage, oil or
other fluid injection, heat transfer and the assumption of
real fluid properties are included. In 1998, Fleming et al.
[7] described a mathematical model for simulating the
working process of the helical screw compressor. In his
model, the internal leakage through six paths, gaseoil
heat transfer, injected liquid refrigerant flashing, dissolved
refrigerant flashing are taken into account. In 2003, Stosic
et al. [8] proposed a suitable program for optimization of
twin screw compressor shape, dimension and operating pa-
rameters. Vimmr [9] studied the fluid flow through a sealing
gap in the screw compressor, and proposed a mathematical
model for describing the compressible inviscid flow by the
Euler equations. In 2004, Wu et al. [10] proposed a new
mathematical model for simulating the peV indicator dia-
gram describing the thermodynamic working process inside
twin screw refrigeration compressor, which was verified
with the experimental data.
In 1991, Sven [11] presented a computer program to
simulate the performance of twin screw refrigeration com-
pressor with an economizer; also, the comparisons of econ-
omizer performance for different arrangements had been
carried out by the computer program. In 1998, Fleming
et al. [7] presented the sub-model for describing the super-
feed process of the screw compressor. In 2005, Michael
Taras [12] evaluated the advantages offered by the econo-
mizer cycle for air conditioning and heat pump applications
and suggested that such an approach to enhance system
performance has significant potential.
In this paper, the influence of mid-pressure refrigerant
gas superfed into the compression chamber from econo-
mizer on the performance of twin screw refrigeration com-
pressor is studied by the peV diagrams recorded.
Furthermore, on the basis of the model presented in 2004
[10] and the experimental research on the peV indicator
diagrams, a sub-model describing the superfeed process
within the working process of twin screw compressor is
proposed.
 H. Wu et al. / International Journal of Refrigeration 30 (2007) 1329e1335
2. General overview of the mathematical model
2.1. The working process
The working process of twin screw refrigeration com-
pressor has four parts, suction, superfeed, compression and
discharge. The mathematical model describing the suction,
compression and discharge processes had been presented
by equations in ref. [6]. In this paper, the model for simulat-
ing the superfeed process is proposed in detail.
2.2. The geometrical parameters
In this simulation model, the geometrical parameters of
compressor are calculated by computer programs and the re-
sults are input to the simulation program as functions of the
male rotor angle of rotation, such as volume curve, inlet port
area, outlet port area, superfeed port area, oil port area, slide
valve by-pass port area, and all at-rest clearance areas (con-
tact line, rotor tips, cusp blow hole, and rotor end faces).
Thus, this means that the model can be used for all types
of lob profiles of twin screw compressor. In this model,
the superfeed port flow area versus the male rotor rotation
angle is shown in Fig. 1.
2.3. The superfeed process
In the refrigeration system, the capacity and COP can be
improved by use of the economizer. On the other hand, the
performance of twin screw compressor is affected by the su-
perfeed gas injection into compression chamber from the
economizer. The one-stage compression from suction to dis-
charge in the compressor becomes the quasi-two-stage com-
pression. A superfeed process is added in the compression
process originally.
The superfeed process in the control process of the com-
pressor is shown in Fig. 2. When the control volume is
70
60
Superfeed port area (mm2)
50
40
30
20
10
0 pcom
-10
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Rotation angle of male rotor (degree)
Fig. 1. Superfeed port flow area curve.
1331
connected with the superfeed port, the superfeed process is
beginning. If this control volume is disconnected with the
superfeed port, the superfeed process is finished. As the
refrigerant gas is added in this control volume, the pressure
of the refrigerant gas is increased too.
In this paper, the rotation angle of the superfeed process
occurring in the control volume is 72 , owing to the male
rotor is five lobes and the female rotor is six lobes.
Due to the superfeed mid-pressure refrigerant gas injection
into the compressor, the refrigeration circle is changed, so the
peh diagram is changed as shown in Fig. 3. In this figure, the
point 9 stands for the beginning of the superfeed process and
the point 3 stands for the end of the superfeed process. The
superfeed gas mixes with the gas in the control volume, which
results in the increase in pressure of gas in the control volume
from point 2 to point 3. And then, the mixed gas in the control
volume is compressed to point 4 in the compressor.
As shown in Fig. 3, it can be seen that the liquid refrig-
erant from the condenser is throttled two times. After the
first throttling action, the intermediate pressure saturated
gas is drawn into the compressor and the superfeed process
occurs, the rest of the liquid is throttled again and then it is
evaporated in the evaporator. In this way, the evaporator is
provided with a larger percentage of refrigerant liquid,
which gives an increased cooling capacity.
3. The mathematical model
The primary equations describing the suction, compres-
sion and discharge processes, and some sub-models, such
as leakage model, gas state equation, oil injection model,
heat exchange model, and so on, have been reported early
[10]. In these models, the superfeed gas should be taken
into account as the new gas injected into the control volume.
In this paper, the sub-model for describing the superfeed
process is proposed in detail. The total mass of gas injection
into the control volume is depended on the pressure of the
superfeed gas and the pressure of the gas in the control vol-
ume. If the superfeed pressure and the superfeed port are
confirmed, the total mass of gas injection into the control
volume from economizer can be calculated by the nozzle
(
model which is expressed as follows:
rffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
Ase 2k
m_ se ¼ Cse RTse ð3ð2=kÞ  3ððkþ1Þ=kÞ Þ
vse k  1
 ðk=ðk  1ÞÞ
2
3cr ¼
kþ1
pcom pcom ð1Þ
 3cr /3 ¼
pse pse
 3cr /3 ¼ 3cr
pse
700 800
In the superfeed process, the flow in the superfeed port is
taken to be compressible since the velocities are high.
1332 H. Wu et al. / International Journal of Refrigeration 30 (2007) 1329e1335

Working volume
for superfeeding

The beginning The end of

of superfeed superfeed

Working volume
for superfeeding

Fig. 2. Schematic plan for superfeed process.

In Eq. (1), Cse is the flow coefficient, it cannot be treated pse

3se ¼  k ð5Þ
as a simple constant. It should vary with the superfeed pres- vs
ps
sure. In this paper, the value of Cse is gained by the experi- vsf
mental research. pcom is the pressure of the gas in the control
volume of the compressor during the superfeed process, vsf is the specific volume of the refrigerant gas in the control
which is a variant. Along with the gas superfed into the com- volume at the beginning of the superfeed process.
pressor, this value will increase. The comparison of the calculation data and test results of
In the economizer system, the energy should be con- the mass of superfeed gas is shown in Fig. 4. In this refrig-
served. So the energy and mass conservation equations are eration system, the refrigerant is R22. The suction pressure
written as follow: and the discharge pressure are 0.347 MPa and 2.08 MPa,
  respectively, when the economizer is not operating in this
_ 5 ¼ m_  m_ se h7 þ m_ se h9
mh ð2Þ system.

The mass of superfeed gas can be expressed as:
h5  h7
m_ se ¼ m_
h9  h7
So the mass of the superfeed gas injection into the compres-
sor can be obtained under different superfeed pressures.
With the help of the mass of the superfeed gas and Eq. (1),
the flow coefficient can be written as follows:
Cse ¼ 0:2866 þ 0:247223se  0:039132se
4. Experimental study of the superfeed process
ð3Þ In order to record the indicator diagrams of the superfeed
process, a semi-hermetic twin screw refrigeration compres-
sor has been modified and changed into the open type by tak-
ing the built-in oilegas separator away from the housing. A
micro-type pressure sensor is embedded into the bottom of
the female rotor at the discharge side, and the signal wire
of the sensor can be led out to connect with the slip ring
ð4Þ

3se stands for the pressure ratio of superfeed pressure and the
pressure of gas in the control volume at the beginning of the 0.09
superfeed process. Also, it can be expressed as a function of Calculation
Mass of Superfeed Gas (kg/s)

0.08
superfeed pressure and suction pressure, as shown in Eq. (5): Measured
0.07

0.06
p pcon
5 0.05
4
0.04

pse 9 0.03
7 3
6
0.02
peva 2

8 1 0.01

0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3

h Superfeed Pressure (MPa)

Fig. 3. The peh diagram of refrigeration circle with economizer. Fig. 4. The comparison of mass of superfeed gas.
 H. Wu et al. / International Journal of Refrigeration 30 (2007) 1329e1335 1333

by the central hole of the shaft of female rotor and an auxil- 2.4
iary shaft, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, the signal of the pressure 2.2
Measured
can be recorded and analyzed. 2.0 Calculation
The pressure sensor is made by Kulite Group and its 1.8
model is XT-140(M). It is a piezo-resistive pressure sensor. 1.6
The overall error of the sensor is less than 0:3% and its re-

P (MPa)
1.4
sponse frequency is as high as 500 kHz. The maximum 1.2
working pressure is 3.5 MPa and the range of working tem-
1.0
perature is from 55  C to 204  C.
0.8
In this experimental study, the superfeed pressure of
0.6
economizer is set to be 0.7 MPa, 0.8 MPa, 1.0 MPa and
0.4
1.2 MPa, respectively. The superfeed port is located on the
end plate of the compressor at the discharge side, having a di- 0.2

ameter of 9 mm. The peV indicator diagrams of the working 0.0

process under superfeed condition were addressed early by
Wu et al. [13]. Also, the geometrical parameters of the com-
pressor and the method of diagrams recorded were expati-
ated. The lobe number of male rotor and female rotor is
the combination of 5 and 6. The diameter of the male rotor
and female rotor is 138.5 mm and 109.8 mm, respectively.
The wrap angle is 300 and 250 , respectively. The length
of the rotor is 152 mm.
5. Model output compared with test data
The results obtained by experimental investigations and
mathematical modeling of the influence of the superfeed
gas on the twin screw refrigeration compressor working
process will be compared and discussed in two different
contexts: first, comparison of the experimental and mathe-
matical computed peV diagrams, second, discussion of
the overall performance parameters, such as compressor
power and various efficiencies.
The peV diagram is indicating the working process of
twin screw compressor, especially the change of the instan-
taneous parameters, such as the pressure. The pressure is
greatly important since it is the key parameters to construct
a peV indicator diagram in twin screw compressor.
The peV diagram of the twin screw refrigeration com-
pressor running without economizer is recorded as shown
in Fig. 6. In this figure, the superfeed process cannot be
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V/ Vo
Fig. 6. The peV diagram without superfeed process.
shown in the pressure curve, since there was no mid-pressure
refrigerant gas injection in the working chamber of the
compressor.
The effects of the refrigerant gas fed in the compressor
with the economizer on the peV diagrams are recorded
and modeled as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.
From Figs. 7 and 8, it can be observed that the pressure in
the working volume has a drastic change within the super-
feed process. Along with the superfeed port opening and
the refrigerant gas fed in compressor, the pressure in the
working volume ascends quickly at the beginning of the su-
perfeed process, but increases much slowly at the end of the
superfeed process, and even a slight fall occurs. This can be
explained by the fact that the dynamic effect of the refriger-
ant gas flowing from the economizer to compressor. At the
beginning of the superfeed process, the superfeed port on
the outlet end plate is just connected with the working vol-
ume, the mid-pressure refrigerant gas enters the working
2.4
2.2
Measured
2.0 Calculation
1.8
1.6
p (MPa)

1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V/ Vo

Fig. 5. The system of peV diagram recorded. Fig. 7. The peV diagram under 0.8 MPa superfeed pressure.
1334 H. Wu et al. / International Journal of Refrigeration 30 (2007) 1329e1335

2.6 The shaft power is indicating the total power consump-

2.4 Measured tion of the compressor, not the motor power. It is gained
2.2 Calculation
by the motor power and electric efficiency of motor. It can
2.0 be expressed as Eq. (6). The indicated power is denoting
1.8 the integral of the peV diagram which is measured.
1.6
p (MPa)

1.4 W ¼ We he ð6Þ
1.2
1.0
The isentropic efficiency is the ratio of the isentropic
0.8 power and the shaft power of compressor, as shown in
0.6 Eq. (7):
0.4
Wad
0.2 had ¼ ð7Þ
W
0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 The isentropic indicated efficiency is the ratio of the isen-
V/Vo tropic power and the indicated power of compressor, as
Fig. 8. The peV diagram under 1.2 MPa superfeed pressure. shown in Eq. (8):
Wad
hi ¼ ð8Þ
Wi

volume and mixes with the low-pressure refrigerant gas very
quickly, so the gas pressure gets an increase immediately.
Then the pressure will be balanced gradually so that the
pressure becomes uniform within the working volume, re-
sulting in a slightly slow increase even a drop in the pressure.
Along with the increase of the superfeed pressure, this trend
of the pressure changing is much more distinct during the
superfeed process.
It can also be seen from Figs. 6e8 that the pressure of gas
in the working volume has a great increase during the whole
compression process, when the superfeed process occurs and
gas fed into the working volume. This can be explained by
the fact that the mass flow rate of the refrigerant to be com-
pressed becomes larger when a small quantity of refrigerant
gas is fed into the working volume of the compressor from
the economizer. It also leads to the increase of the power
consumption.
In general, it can be observed clearly that the peV dia-
grams obtained by mathematical model agree well with
the data of experimental recorded by the pressure sensor
from Figs. 6e8, especially in suction process, superfeed pro-
cess and compression process. However, in Fig. 8, the model
output of the change in pressure during the superfeed pro-
cess cannot agree exactly with the experimental result, be-
The effect of the superfeed process on the power con-
sumption of the compressor is shown in Fig. 9. With the in-
crease of superfeed pressure, the shaft power and the
indicated power are rising, since the mass of gas fed into
the working volume and the mass of gas compressed in
the working volume are increasing.
The isentropic efficiency and the isentropic indicated
efficiency of the compressor under superfeed condition
are shown in Fig. 10. It is shown that the isentropic ef-
ficiency and the isentropic indicated efficiency increase at
first, and then have a drop, as the superfeed pressure in-
creases. According to this figure, it can be concluded that
an optimal superfeed pressure exists for the efficiency of
compressor.
The comparison of overall performance of compressor
between the experimental research and the model output is
shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The comparison confirms that the
60
55
Power (kW)

cause the dynamic effect of gas flow cannot be taken into

account in the model. In the discharge process, owing to
the discharge pressure pulsation existing when gaseoil mix-
ture flows through the outlet port, the results of mathemati- 50
cal model cannot agree exactly with the real change of the
discharge pressure, although the under-compression dis-
charge at the beginning of discharge process can be Shaft Power Calculation Measured
Indicated Power Calculation Measured
described well by the model.
45
The superfeed process not only affects the peV diagram 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2
of the working process, but also affects the overall perfor-
Superfeed Pressure (MPa)
mance parameters of the twin screw refrigeration compres-
sor, such as power consumption and efficiency. Fig. 9. The power consumption versus superfeed pressure.
 H. Wu et al. / International Journal of Refrigeration 30 (2007) 1329e1335 1335

0.80 References

0.75
[1] J.H. Alday, J.A. Hood, Program for mathematical modeling
and analysis of rotary screw compressor performance, in:
Proceedings of the International Compressor Engineering
Efficiency

0.70 Conference, 1992, pp. 249e258.

0.65
Isentropic indicated Calculation
0.60
efficiency
Isentropic efficiency Calculation
0.55
0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Superfeed Pressure (MPa)
Fig. 10. The efficiency versus superfeed pressure.
mathematical model adequately describes the process
modeled.
6. Conclusions
After a comprehensive analysis of the influence of the su-
perfeed process upon the working process and performance
of twin screw refrigeration compressor, a mathematical
model for describing the superfeed process has been pro-
posed. The peV indicator diagram calculated by the model
in this paper shows a good agreement with that recorded by
a small pressure sensor in the twin screw refrigeration
compressor.
From the theoretical and experimental research, it can be
concluded that the gas pressure has a dramatic change during
the superfeed process, which experiences a rapid increase at
the beginning of the superfeed process and then a slow rise
and even a slight drop at the end of superfeed process. The
pressure of gas in the working volume during the compres-
sion process will get an increase, owing to the refrigerant gas
is fed into the compressor. Furthermore, there exists an op-
timal superfeed pressure for the performance of compressor
under superfeed condition.
Acknowledgement
The authors wish to thank to the Special Research Fund
of High Schools’ Doctorial Subject of The People’s Repub-
lic of China for funding this study and publishing this paper.
The Fund number is 20050698022.
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