How Can This Be? {he '2"°= Voley The performance curve showin in Chart 1 models an advertisement Introduction In two previous Engineers Newsletters, headline proclaiming a particular chiler’s ‘we addressed the issue of chiler aly to consume 0:20 kWVfion at 60 crlormance under the ite "The Search — peteent of ts desig capacity and 0.26 Fer cer Efisency" The intpine of Kon at ul espacty. Clary, Wis is for Gite Effency” The inchpins of rational performance, But rea? physics and thermmodmemics ond how Sulriingy, the answer is yesl those lave offer epocte and defined Performance at 020 kWiton seems so limitations on maximum, real-world ‘much better than anything published chiller efficiency. and ARI-rated today. How can this be? Recent HVAC industry advertisements __Thete's some trickery involved, but ‘appear to contradict some of these there's how it's done. tarber-cited imitations. Were the OWS pack To The Basics of physic and thermodynamics recerty Fat, i's important to bulla foundation repeated? Are they being cf fac Overal chile efciency Imisinterpreted? Oris there someting Leck ONO ene ot only funny going on? so, exactly what is four, element the source of confusion? — ‘The objective ofthis newsletter is Wate-to-efrigerant heat transfer answer each of these questions and) provide substantive, fundamental ‘echnical background for thase systern designers who wish to go beyond the Power conversion and transmission claims and facts for themselves. . Centifugal compressor efficiency Retrigerantcyele thermodynamics Chart Effect of decreased condenser water temperature on chiller efficiency (ork’s claim) sewrton 100% Load Emerg Condenser Water Temperature (ea F) g z‘Table 1: Theoretical isentropic efficiencies for commonly used refrigerants at 40 F saturated suction and 100 F saturated condensing temperatures: Tati These tan Towa ior i eae ats 2 687 usr i 0679 st 723 638 ars Zz 066 oot ‘Table 2: Effect of “economizers” on refrigerant cycle efficiency (see Table 1) ‘Theoretical ton Thebiebical Mon Retigerant |" Simple [econ | 2aeon | Simpio_[ t-econ | Zeon vata [0679 | ose | — [0507 | aa? [0 2306s | ~onno | oso0 | —oa7a | oaea | a0 "No such compressor dosign is commacialy aveidble ‘While the differences from one Refrigeration-Cycle manufacturer's design to another aren't Thermodynamics {great in any of these four elements, they “Simple cycle” efficiencies based on are signicant enough to merit, alternative reftigaramts are a tie lower inspection, The Engineers Newsletter than their CFC predocessors in HVAC. focused on this twice in the past once centrifugal chiller applications, As Table 1 in 1981 and again in 1994. Good news! indicates, R-123 is about two percent The basis are unaltered and the laws less efficent than the F-11 i replaces, ‘of physics and thermodynamics remain while R-134a is about tee percent less ‘unchanged, so the fundamentals we all efficent than F-12. learned in our physical science classes stil hold true. Various alterations can be made to improve “simple-cycle” refrigeration That being the case, let's examine the performance. One of the most cornmon latest chiler performance claims in light compressor adaptations is the adton ‘of each of these elements, (of an economizer, also known as an interstage flash chamber. Since this ‘Heat Transfer device is physicaly placed between ‘Thanks to advanced technology, and the Stages of compression, ts use limited ‘addtional research and development ty mulistage compressors Of eaurse activity prompted by the advent of new multiple economizers can be used if alternative refrigerants, heat transfer more than two stages of compression Cantinues to improve in both ate invoived, Table 2 compares the cycle evaporators and condensers, The fruits Sficiencis for common compressor! Of this labor are evident, as we now economizer arrangements with the bserve refigeranttoawater “approach” “Simp eyele” values presented in temperatures in the 210 4F range. For japles ‘evaporators, this means i's now ‘economically feasibie to obtain retiigerant gas temperatures roughly 3 F lower than the chilled water temperature produced there. Likewise, saturatod condensed liquid in the condenser can aften be within 3 F of the leaving condenser water temperature, Twenty years ago, normal ‘approach temperatures were 7 to 10F.Liquid subeooting benefits some refrigerant cycles. Unfortunately, ts potential Benefits are insignificant in ‘water-cooled chiller applications because of the small temperature alfference between the heat sink (Condenser water) and saturated condensed Bquid. Heat transfer improvements further diminish this temperature differential, Not surprisingly, subcealing cycles are seldom employed with this kind of equipment {All commonly used refrigerants respond to changes in “thermodynamic head. {Ass the case for an ideal retigerant, less theoretical power is required when the pressure differential between the: ‘evaporator and the condenser is reduced, Charts 2 and 3 show the effect of different “heads” on the theoretical power consumption of R-123 and -134a cycies, respectively, Clearly head reduction affects each of these rwitigerants in a very sinar manner. Power Conversion And ‘Transmission Efficiency There is almost nothing new to report con these technotoges. (We say “simost” because well examine the effects of frequency variation later in ths article) Induction motor efficiencies remain in the 93 10 96 percent range for three phase, 60-Hz motors in the size ranges Used by centrifugal compressors. ‘This performance holds true for both hermetic and open motors; apart from the cooling system, ther designs are virtually identical. (The power sacritoed ‘by open motors to dive cooling;air fans ig minimal and unworthy of analysis here, although the effect on equiprment room cooling and ventilation can be significant) Both mator designs, for ‘example, use two journal bearings 19 support the rotor, Motor performance ratings reflect the frictional losses associated with these bearings (Editor's Note: The analysis presented in this issue is based on a motor wth an overal efficiency of 96 percent) Chart 2: Effect of reduced “head” on the refrigerant-cycle efficiency of R123 os. oa oa oz 100 0 20 70 60 ‘Satured Condensed Liquid Temperature (deg F) (Chart 3: Effect of reduced “head” on the refrigerant-cycle efficiency of R-134a os 0 os ‘Theoretical kWrTon 02 os 100 2 80 7 6 Saturated Condensed Liquid Temperature (deg F)