Refrigeration Cycles

Content:

The ideal vaporvapor-compression refrigeration cycle

Actual VaporVapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
Heat Pump System for Heating and Cooling
Innovative VaporVapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
Gas Refrigeration Cycles
Absorption Refrigeration Systems
Refrigerants Selection

Refrigeration affects many areas of

your life

The obvious:

Refrigerator/Freezers allow food preservation

Air conditioning

Refrigerated fishing boats allow preservation of

catch
Refrigerated trucks are used to ship fruits/meats
Refrigeration makes possible medical procedures
that call for lowering body temperatures

Refrigerator and Heat Pump

The objective of a refrigerator is to remove heat (QL) from the
cold medium; the objective of a heat pump is to supply heat
(QH) to a warm medium.

Schematic diagram of the ideal vaporcompression refrigeration cycle

Compressor

Condenser
Evaporator

Simple view of household refrigerator

T-s Diagram of the Ideal Refrigeration Cycle

Process 1-2 Isentropic Compression Process

Process 2-3 P = const.
const. Heat Rejection Process
Process 3-4 Expansion under Throttling Process, h = const
Process 4-1 P = const.
const. Heat Addition Process

P-h Diagram of the Ideal Refrigeration Cycle

Process 1-2 Isentropic Compression Process

Process 2-3 P = const.
const. Heat Rejection Process
Process 3-4 Expansion under Throttling Process, h = const
Process 4-1 P = const.
const. Heat Addition Process

Coefficient of Performance in Refrigeration

Cycles
For Refrigerators and Air Conditioners:
Desired output Cooling effect
=
Required input
Work input
q
h h
COPR = L = 1 4
wnet,in h2 h1

COPR =

For Heat Pumps:

COPHP =

Desired output Heating effect

=
Required input
Work input

COPHP =

qH
h h
= 2 3
wnet,in h2 h1

Example 10-1 A refrigerator uses refrigerant-134a as the working fluid and

operates on an ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle between 0.14
and 0.8 MPa. The mass flow rate of the refrigerant is 0.05 kg/sec. Show the
cycle on a T-s diagram with respect to saturation lines. Determine (a) the
rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space and the power input to the
compressor, (b) the rate of heat rejection to the environment and (c) the
coefficient of performance.

Property of R-134a : Table A-11 A-13

State 1 Sat. vapor @ P1 = 0.14 MPa h1 = hg@0.14MPa = 236.04 kJ/kg,
s1 = sg@0.14MPa = 0.9322 kJ/kg-K
State 2 Superheated@ P2 = 0.8 MPa and s2 = s1 = 0.9322 kJ/kg-K, h2 = 272.05 kJ/kg
State 3 Sat.liquid @ P3 = P2= 0.8 MPa, h3 = hf@0.8MPa = 93.42 kJ/kg
State 4 Throttling, h4 = h3 = 93.42 kJ/kg

(a) Heat remove from refrigerated space and power input :

Evaporator 4 - 1, 1st law SSSF and w = 0
& = m& q = 0.05(236.04 93.42)
q = h h , Q
L

& = 7.13 kW
Q
L

Compressor 1 - 2, 1st law SSSF and q = 0

& = m& w = 0.05(272.05 236.04)
w = h h , W
1

in

in

(c) The coefficient of performance :

&
Q
7.13kW
COP = L =
= 3.96
&
W
1.80kW
in

in

& = 1.80 kW
W
in

(b) The rate of heat reject :

Condenser 2 - 3, 1st law SSSF and w = 0
& = m& q = 0.05( 272 .05 93.42)
q = h h , Q
H

& = 8.93 kW
Q
H

Actual Vapor-compression Refrigeration

Cycle

Example 10-2 Refrigerant-134a enter the compressor of a refrigerator as

superheated vapor at 0.14 MPa and -10oC at rate of 0.05 kg/sec and leave
at 0.8 MPa and 50oC. The refrigerant is cooled in the condenser to 26oC
and 0.72MPa and is throttled to 0.15MPa. Determine (a) the rate of heat
removal from the refrigerated space and the power input to the compressor,
(b) the isentropic efficiency of the compressor and (c) the coefficient of
performance.

Property of R-134a : Table A-11 A-13

State 1 Superheated@P1 = 0.14 MPa and T1=-10oC h1 = 243.40 kJ/kg,
State 2 Superheated@ P2 = 0.8 MPa and T2=50oC h2 = 284.39 kJ/kg
State 3 Sat.liquid @ = 0.72 MPa and T3=26oC h3 = hf@26C = 85.75 kJ/kg
State 4 Throttling, h4 = h3 = 85.75 kJ/kg

(a) Heat remove from refrigerated space and power input :

Evaporator 4 - 1, 1st law SSSF and w = 0
& = m& q = 0.05(243.40 85.75)
q = h h , Q
L

& = 7.88 kW
Q
L

Compressor 1 - 2, 1st law SSSF and q = 0

& = m& w = 0.05(284.39 243.40)
w = h h , W
in

in

in

& = 2.05 kW
W
in

281.05 243.40
= 0.919
284.39 243.40
= 91.9%

(c) The coefficient of performance :

&
Q
7.88 kW
COP = L =
= 3.84
&
W
2.05 kW
in

(b) The isentropic efficiency of compressor :

h h
c 2s 1
h2 h1
State 2s Superheated@ P2 = 0.8 MPa and s2s=s1
=0.9606kJ/kgK h2s = 281.05 kJ/kg

Heat Pump System for Heating and Cooling

Cascade Refrigeration Systems

Improve COP
of the system
Two cycles
connected
through HX.

Application:
Moderately low temperature (TL)
Large pressure range in cycle

Multistage Compression Refrigeration

Systems

Better heat
transfer
than HX.

Application:
Moderately low temperature (TL)
Large pressure range in cycle

Multipurpose Refrigeration Systems with

a Single Compressor

Application:
Refrigeration at more than
one temperature

Liquefaction of Gases

Desire product

Application:
Operate at cryogenic temperatures
(below -100oC)

Gas Refrigeration Cycles

Process 1-2 Isentropic Compression Process

Process 2-3 P = const.
const. Heat Rejection Process

Application:
Simple and lighter components
Refrigerate in the aircraft

Process 3-4 Isentropic Expansion,

Expansion, s = const
Process 4-1 P = const.
const. Heat Addition Process

An Open-Cycle Aircraft Cooling System

10

Absorption Refrigeration Systems

Heat-driven
system

Definitions of Refrigerants
A refrigerant is a fluid used for heat transfer in a
refrigeration system. Most refrigerants absorb heat during
evaporation at low temperature and low pressure and reject
heat during condensation at a higher temperature and
higher pressure.

Classification of Refrigerants
Refrigerants most commonly used refrigeration systems can
be classified into four groups:

halocarbons,
azeotropes,
hydrocarbons, and
inorganic compounds

11

Hydrocarbons
Refrigerants belonging to the hydrocarbon group are ethane,
propane, butane and isobutane.
isobutane.
They are produced from petroleum in an oil refinery.
This group of refrigerants is used in the refrigeration systems in oil
refineries and the petrochemical industry due to their low cost and
ready availablility.
availablility.
Hydrocarbons are flammable and so safety precautions are of
utmost importance in the petrochemical industry.
Inorganic compounds
Inorganic compounds were refrigerants used in refrigerant this group
group
are ammonia NH3

Halocarbons

Refrigerants belonging to the halocarbon group are derivatives

of the hydrocarbons obtained by substituting chlorine or fluorine
fluorine
for the hydrogen atoms in methane and ethane.

As chlorine and fluorine are both halogens, this group of

refrigerants is called the halogenated hydrocarbons or
halocarbons.

They are sometimes referred to freons which are colourless,

nonnon-inflammable, nonnon-corrodent to most metals and generally
nonnon-toxic

Common refrigerants in this group are RR-11, RR-12, RR-13 and

R-22.

12

Azeotropes
An azeotrope is a mixture of two substances which cannot be
separated into its components by distillation.
It evaporates and condenses as a single substance and Its
properties are completely different from its constituents.
For example, azeotrope R-500 is a mixture composed of 73.8
per cent RR-12 and 26.2 per cent RR-152.

Terminology of Refrigerants

In the early days of refrigeration, refrigerants were called by their

chemical names.

However, a numbering system has been developed.

Each kind of refrigerant is represented by a number, and in front

front
of this number is a prefix `R
`R which represent 'Refrigerant'.

Before 'R' is used as the prefix, 'Freon' & 'Genetron

'Genetron',', the trade
names of refrigerants produced by two companies.

For example, the RR-12 they produced is called FreonFreon-12 and

Genetron12.
Genetron

The digits related to number of fluorine, hydrogen and carbon

atoms in the molecule.

13

Selection of a suitable refrigerant

It depends on many factors, such as the evaporating temperature
required during operation, the coefficient of performance COP, safety
safety
requirements, and the size and location of the refrigeration plant.
plant.
In order to select a suitable refrigerant for a refrigeration system
system of
known size and evaporating temperature, the following factors must
must be
considered:

The volume flow rate required per kW of refrigeration capacity

The coefficient of performance COP
Safety requirements
Physical properties
Operating properties
Cost.

14