CHAPTER 5

1. A two-stage cascade refrigeration system uses ammonia as the working substance.

The evaporator is at –35 C and the high-pressure condenser is at 1514.2 kPa. The
cascade condenser is a direct contact type. The refrigeration load is 90 tons.
Determine (a) the mass flow rate in the lower pressure loop, (b) the mass flow rate
in the high-pressure loop, (c) the power required, (d) the COP, and (e) the
quantity of the fluid entering the evaporator.

Solution:

For cascade condenser pressure

p5  p 6 p1
p6  1514.2 kPa
p1  psat at  35 C  93.5 kPa
p5  1514.2 93.5  376.3 kPa
 CHAPTER 5

Important properties

State points p , kPa h , kJ/kg

1 93.5 1415.2
2 376.3 1610
3 376.3 183.6
4 93.5 183.6
5 376.3 1457.8
6 1514.2 1670
7 1514.2 385.7
8 93.5 385.7

(a) m
 a = mass flow rate in the lower pressure loop.

a 
m
Q A

 90 3.516  0.257 kg s
h1  h4 1415.2  183.6

(b) m
 b = mass flow rate in the high pressure loop.

m b  h5  h8   m a  h2  h3 
 b 1457.8  385  0.2571610  183.6 
m
 a  0.342 kg s
m

(c) W T  W1  W 2  m a  h2  h1   mb  h6  h5 

W T  0.2571610  1415.2  0.3421670  1457.8  122.6 kW

Q  90 3.516
(d) COP   A   2.58
WT 122.6

(e) at 4, p  93.5 kPa , h  183.6 kJ kg

t  35 C
h f  41.2 kJ kg , h fg  1374.0 kJ kg
h  h f 183.6  41.2
x  100%  10.36%
h fg 1374.0

2. A two-stage cascade refrigeration system uses ammonia as the refrigerant. The

mass flow rate in the high-pressure loop is 0.10 kg/s. The condenser saturated
temperature is 38 C and the evaporator temperature is – 40 C. The cascade
condenser is a direct contact type. Determine (a) the refrigerating effect in tons,
(b) the power required, and (c) the COP.
 CHAPTER 5

Solution:
At 38 C, p  1472.4 kPa
At – 40 C, p  72.0 kPa

Therefore, cascade condenser pressure = 1472.4  72.0   325.6 kPa

t sat  7.25 C

Important properties
 CHAPTER 5

State points t,C h , kJ/kg

1 -40 1407.3
2 1621
3 -7.25 166.6
4 -40 166.6
5 -7.25 1453.5
6 1680
7 38 380.7
8 -7.25 380.7

 b  0.10 kg s
m

For m a,
m a  h2  h3   m
 b  h5  h8 
 a 1621  166.6   0.101453.5  380.7 
m
 a  0.074 kg s
m

 = refrigerating effect
(a) Q A

 a  h1  h4   0.0741407.3  166.6   91.81 kW

Q A  m

In tons,
  91.81  26.11 tons
Q A
3.516

(b)
 a  h2  h1   m
W  m  b  h6  h5   0.0741621  1407.3  0.101680  1453.5  38.5 kW

Q 91.81
(c) COP  A   2.38
W 38.5