9.

Cascade Systems

1. Example. A two-stage cascade refrigeration system uses R12 as the working substance. The evaporator is at 30 C and the high-pressure condenser is at 1400 kPa. The cascade condenser is a direct-contact type. The cooling load is 100 tons. Determine (a) the optimum cascade condenser pressure; (b) the mass flow rate in the high-pressure loop; (c) the mass flow rate in the low-pressure loop; (d) the COP; (e) the power required; (f) the quality of the fluid entering the evaporator. Solution:

ph = 1400 kPa pl = psat at -30 C = 0.1004 MPa = 100.4 kPa pi = ph pl = (1400 )(100.4 ) = 375 kPa Low-pressure loop At state 2, -30 C, sat. h2 = 174.08 kJ/kg s2 = 0.7165 kJ/kg-K At state 3, pi = 375 kPa, s3 = s2 h3 = 196.53 kJ/kg At state 4, pi = 375 kPa h4 = 41.61 kJ/kg At state 1, h1 = h4 =41.61 kJ/kg At -30 C, hf = 8.85 kJ/kg and hfg = 165.22 kJ/kg High-pressure loop At state 6, pi = 375 kPa, sat.

h6 = 189.94 kJ/kg s6 = 0.6933 kJ/kg-K At state 7, ph = 1400 kPa, s7 = s6 h7 = 213.39 kJ/kg At state 8, ph = 1400 kPa, sat h8 = 91.35 kJ/kg At state 5, h5 = h8 = 91.35 kJ/kg

QA 100(3.516) = = 2.6542 kg s h2 h1 174.08 41.61 Heat balance at the Cascade condenser mh (h6 h5 ) = ml (h3 h4 ) mh (189.94 91.35) = 2.6542(196.53 41.61) mh = 4.1707 kg s ml = (a) Optimum cascade condenser pressure pi = 375 kPa (b) Mass flow rate in the high-pressure loop mh = 4.1707 kg s (c) Mass flow rate in the low-pressure loop ml = 2.6542 kg s (d) COP ml (h2 h1 ) COP = mh (h7 h6 ) + ml (h3 h2 ) 2.6542(174.08 41.61) COP = 4.1707(213.39 189.94) + 2.6542(196.53 174.08) COP = 2.234 (e) Power required W = mh (h7 h6 ) + ml (h3 h2 ) W = 4.1707(213.39 189.94 ) + 2.6542(196.53 174.08) W = 157.4 kW (f) Quality of the fluid entering the evaporator h1 h f x= h fg

x=

41.61 8.85 = 0.1983 = 19.83% 165.22

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