Refrigeration Cycles

Content:
„ The ideal vapor-
vapor-compression refrigeration cycle
„ Actual Vapor-
Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
„ Heat Pump System for Heating and Cooling
„ Innovative Vapor-
Vapor-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

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 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 vapor-

compression refrigeration cycle

Compressor

Condenser

Evaporator

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 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

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 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
COPR = =
Required input Work input
q h −h
COPR = L = 1 4
wnet,in h2 − h1
For Heat Pumps:
Desired output Heating effect
COPHP = =
Required input Work input
qH h −h
COPHP = = 2 3
wnet,in h2 − h1

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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 Æ 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
(c) The coefficient of performance :
q = h −h , Q & = m& q = 0.05(236.04 − 93.42)
L 1 4 L L &
Q 7.13kW
& = 7.13 kW
Q COP = L = = 3.96
L
W& 1.80kW
in
Compressor 1 - 2, 1st law SSSF and q = 0
w = h −h , W & = m& w = 0.05(272.05 − 236.04)
in 1 2 in in
& = 1.80 kW
Win

(b) The rate of heat reject :

Condenser 2 - 3, 1st law SSSF and w = 0
q = h −h , Q & = m& q = 0.05( 272 .05 − 93.42)
H 3 2 H H
& = −8.93 kW
Q H

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 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.

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Property of R-134a : Table A-11 – A-13
State 1 Superheated@P1 = 0.14 MPa and T1=-10oC Æ h1 = 243.40 kJ/kg,
State 2 Superheated@ P2 = 0.8 MPa and T2=50oC Æ h2 = 284.39 kJ/kg
State 3 Sat.liquid @ = 0.72 MPa and T3=26oC Æ 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 = 0 281.05 − 243.40
ηc ≅ = 0.919
& = m& q = 0.05(243.40 − 85.75) 284.39 − 243.40
q = h −h , Q
L 1 4 L L = 91.9%
& = 7.88 kW
Q L
(c) The coefficient of performance :
Compressor 1 - 2, 1st law SSSF and q = 0
&
Q 7.88 kW
w = h −h , W & = m& w = 0.05(284.39 − 243.40) COP = L = = 3.84
in 1 2 in in
W& 2.05 kW
in
& = 2.05 kW
Win

(b) The isentropic efficiency of compressor :

h −h
ηc ≅ 2s 1
h2 − h1
State 2s Superheated@ P2 = 0.8 MPa and s2s=s1
=0.9606kJ/kgKÆ h2s = 281.05 kJ/kg

Heat Pump System for Heating and Cooling

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 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

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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)

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 Gas Refrigeration Cycles

Application:
• Simple and lighter components
Process 1-2 Isentropic Compression Process
• Refrigerate in the aircraft
Process 2-3 P = const.
const. Heat Rejection Process
Process 3-4 Isentropic Expansion,
Expansion, s = const
Process 4-1 P = const.
const. Heat Addition Process

An Open-Cycle Aircraft Cooling System

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 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

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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,

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

™ Common refrigerants in this group are R-

R-11, R-
R-12, R-
R-13 and
R-22.

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 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 R-
R-12 and 26.2 per cent R-
R-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 R-
R-12 they produced is called Freon-
Freon-12 and
Genetron-
Genetron- 12.

™ The digits related to number of fluorine, hydrogen and carbon

atoms in the molecule.

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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.

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