Basic Refrigeration System Fundamentals - Fluids and

Pressure
Fluid is "any substance that can flow, liquid or gas." Refrigerant may be classified as
fluid, since, within the refrigeration cycle, it exists both as a liquid and as a vapor
or gas.

FLUID PRESSURE

The weight of a wood or any other solid material acts as a force downward on
whatever is supporting it. The force of this solid object is the overall weight of the
object, and the total weight is distributed over the area upon which it lies.

The weight of a given volume of water, however, acts not as a force downward on
the bottom of the container holding it, but also as a force laterally on the sides of
the container. If a hole is made in the side of the container below the water level,
the water above the hole will be forced out because of its acting downward and
sideways.

Fluid pressure is the force per unit area that is exerted by gas or a liquid. It is usually expressed in terms
ofPsi (pound per square inch). It varies directly with the density and the depth of the liquid, and, at the
same depth below the surface, the pressure is equal in all directions. Notice the difference between the
terms used: force and pressure. Force means the total weight of the substance; pressure means the unit
force or pressure per square inch.

(3-1)   Pressure = Force/Area        or        P = F/A

HEAD

Pressure and depth have a close relationship when a fluid is involved. In hydraulics, the depth of a body
of water is called the head of water. Water pressure varies directly with its depth. If there is a decrease or
increase in the head of a body of water, there will be a corresponding decrease or increase in the
pressure involved, as well as the weight of the water, providing the other dimensions stay the same. This
relationship can be expressed in the equation:

(3-2)   p = 0.433 x h

Where    p = pressure in psi;    h = head in feet of water.

With this relationship between pressure and depth established, we can transpose the equation so that the
depth of water in a tank can be found if we know the pressure reading at the bottom of the tank. If p =
0.433 x h, then h = p/0.433 is true, by transposition.

PASCAL'S PRINCIPLE

Pascal's principle, namely, that pressures applied to a confined liquid are transmitted equally
throughout the liquid, irrespective of the area over which the pressure is applied. The application of this
principle enabled Pascal to invent the hydraulic press, which is capable of large multiplication of force.
Fig. 3-3, illustrating this principle, shows a vessel containing fluid such as oil; the vessel has a small and
large cylinder connected by pipe or tubing, with a tight-fitting piston in each cylinder. If the cross-
section of the small piston is 1 square inch and the area of large piston is 30 square inches, a force of 1 lb
when applied to the smaller piston will support a weight of 30 lb on the large piston, because a pressure
of 1 psi throughout the fluid will be exerted.

DENSITY

From a scientific or physics viewpoint, density is the weight per unit volume of a

substance, and it may be expressed in any convenient combination of units of
weight and volume used, such as pounds per cubic inch or pounds per cubic foot. An
equation can be formulated which expresses this relationship:

(3-4)   D = W/V

Where:    D = density;    W = weight;    V = volume;

The weight, or density of water is approximately 62.4 lb per cu ft, and it can be
expressed as 0.0361 lb per cu in. (1 cu ft contains 1,728 cu in., and 62.4/1,728 =
0.0361). The densities of some other common substances are listed in Fig.3-5.

Substance Density, lb/cu ft Specific Gravity

Water (pure) 62.4 1.0

Ammonia (liq. 60 deg. F) 38.5 0.62

Aluminum 168 2.7

Brass 530 8.5

Brick (common) 112 1.8

Copper 560 8.98

Cork 15 0.24

Gasoline 41.2 0.66

Glass 175 2.8

Iron (cast) 448 7.2

Lead 705 11.3

Mercury 848 13.6

Oil (fuel) 448.6 0.78

Steel 486 7.8

Oak 50 0.8

Pine 34.2 0.55

Fig. 3-5: Density and specific gravity of some common substances.

The specific gravity of any substance is the ratio of weight of a given volume of the
substance to the weight of the same volume of a given substance. (Where solids
or liquids are concerned water is used as a basis for specific gravity calculations,
and air or hydrogen is used as a standard for gases).

Density (solid or liquid) = specific gravity x density of water (in lb/cubic foot).

Pressure within a fluid is directly proportional to the density of the fluid. This
relationship can be expressed as:    p = h x D

Where:    p = pressure in lb per square foot;    h = head or depth below the surface
in feet;    D = density in pounds per cubic foot.

SPECIFIC VOLUME

The specific volume of a substance is usually expressed as the number of cubic

feet occupied by 1 lb of the substance. In case of liquids, it will vary with
temperature and pressure. The volume of a liquid will be affected by a change in
its temperature; but, since it is practically impossible to compress liquids, the
volume is not affected by change in pressure.

The volume of gas or vapor is definitely affected by any change in either its
temperature or the pressure to which it is subjected. In refrigeration, the volume
of vapor under the varying conditions involved is most important in selection of
the proper refrigerant lines and refrigerant holding vessels.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

The earth is surrounded by a blanket of air called the atmosphere, which extends
80 or more kilometers from the surface of the earth. Air has weight and also
exerts pressure known as atmospheric pressure. It has been computed that a column
of air, with a cross-sectional area of one square inch and extending from the
earth's surface at sea level to the limits of the atmosphere, would weigh
approximately 14.7 lb. force means also the weight of a substance, and pressure
means unit force per square inch; therefore standard atmospheric pressure is
considered to be 14.7 psi. at sea level.

This pressure is not constant; it will vary with altitude or elevation above sea
level, and there will be variations due to changes in temperature as well as water
vapor content of the air.

PRESSURE OF GAS

The volume of gas is affected by a change in either the pressure or temperature,

or both. There are laws that govern the mathematical calculation in computing
these variables.

Boyle's Law states that volume of a gas varies inversely to its pressure if the temperature of
the gas remains constant. This means that the product of the pressure times the volume
remains constant, or that if the pressure of the gas doubles the new volume will be one-half
of the original volume. Or it may be considered that, if the volume is doubled, the absolute
pressure will be reduced by one-half.

This concept may be expressed as:    p1V1 = p2V2

Where:    p1 = original pressure;    V1 = original volume;    p2 = new pressure;    V2 =

new volume.

It must be remembered that p1 and p2 have to be expressed in the absolute

pressure terms for the above equation to be used correctly.

EXPANSION OF GAS

Most gases will expand in volume at practically the same rate with an increase in
temperature, providing that the pressure does not change. And, if the gas is
confined so that its volume will remain the same, the pressure in the container
will increase at about the same rate as an increase in temperature.

Theoretically, if the pressure remains constant, a gas vapor will expand or

contract at the rate of 1/492 for each degree of temperature change. The result of
this theory would be a zero volume at a temperature of -460 deg. F, or at 0 deg.
Absolute.

Charles' Law states that the volume of gas is in direct proportion to its absolute
temperature, providing that the pressure is kept constant; and the absolute pressure of gas
is in direct proportion to its absolute temperature, providing the volume is kept constant.
That is:

(3-6)   V1/V2 = T1/T2
And

(3-7)   P1/P2 = T1/T2

Where: T = absolute temperature;    P = absolute pressure

Or these may be expressed also as:    V1T2 = V2T1     and    P1T2 = P2T1 

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