Refrigeration system with Refrigeration chamber

Introduction:
Identifying faults in refrigeration systems requires comprehensive knowledge. This knowledge
also includes the design and purpose of the individual components. This apparatus helps to
acquire this knowledge.
The components of a refrigeration circuit with refrigeration and refrigeration chambers are
arranged clearly in the trainer. Solenoid valves enable the individual or parallel operation of the
evaporators in the chamber. The circuit is equipped with a combined pressure switch for the
delivery and intake side of the compressor. The refrigeration chamber features an evaporation
pressure controller. The effect of the evaporation pressure controller on the overall process is
being examined. An inner heat exchanger in the inlet of the evaporator is used for super cooling
the refrigerant to increase the efficiency of the process. At the same time the intake gas is
superheated. An electric defrost heater is available to defrost the freezing chamber.
The simulation of 18 different faults, e.g. faulty solenoid valves or faulty relays, is provided for.
The process schematic at the trainer offers a quick overview. Signal lamps in the process
schematic indicate the operating state of selected components. Relevant measured values are
recorded by sensors. The measured values can be read on digital displays. At the same time, the
measured values can also be transmitted directly to a PC via USB. The data acquisition software
is included.
The most important pressures are additionally indicated with manometers directly at the trainer.
The software enables the representation of the cyclic process in the log p-h diagram.
The well-structured instructional material sets out the fundamentals and provides a step-by-step
guide through the experiments.

Fig. 1- Refrigeration System with Refrigeration Chamber

Refrigeration System

The basic 'refrigeration system components include compressor, condenser, evaporators,

expansion devices, filter/Drier, sight glass and check valve and a refrigerant gas filled in
the system.

Compressor
A hermetically sealed compressor, housing a motor and a reciprocating compressor
assembly in the same welded body, which is common in most of the small
refrigerators and air conditioners, has been used. The compressor receives the low
pressure gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator/s exit and compresses it to the desired
high pressure for feeding into the condenser inlet as superheated gas.

Condenser
The air cooled type condenser with a fan is made up of copper tubing with aluminum fins
for efficiently removing heat from the hot refrigerant at high pressure. The first part of
the condenser coil' removes superheat of the refrigerant gas and cools it to liquid phase,
while the second part connected to the first part; sub cools the liquid refrigerant to
discharge it as a high pressure sub cooled liquid. Specifications of the condenser used are:
Air cooled type with fan

Expansion Device
Capillary Tube expansion device/s, made up of a long minute bore capillary in the form of a
coil is used to reduce the liquid refrigerant pressure due to friction and area reduction. The
liquid refrigerant received from the condenser is expanded in the capillary coil/s to the
evaporator pressure for feeding into the evaporator/s as low pressure cold liquid.

Evaporator
Evaporator is made up of copper tubing with aluminum fins, which receives sub cooled
liquid refrigerant from the expansion device and heats it by absorbing heat from the cold
chamber of refrigerated space. The low pressure refrigerant, because of its low pressure boils
in the evaporator tubing and is vaporized to gaseous phase, leaving the evaporator as
superheated gas for feeding to the compressor. In the present system two evaporators, one for
the refrigerator compartment and the other for the freezer compartment have been used. The
refrigerant coming out from the second evaporator is delivered to the compressor suction line
through a check valve for avoiding backflow and maintaining appropriate pressures..

Liquid Receiver
A liquid receiver is fitted in the liquid refrigerant line to receive and store sufficient liquid
for supply to the capillary expansion device. It ensures that only liquid refrigerant shall
enter the capillary for proper expansion, and it also prevents the liquid accumulation in the
condenser for its efficient operation. Specifications of the liquid receiver used are: HFC
R134a
Filter/Drier
A capsule shaped filter/drier unit is installed in the liquid refrigerant line before the
expansion device inlet for reducing the water content of the refrigerant and straining the fine
debris of the drying agents included in the drier. Specifications of the filter/drier used are:

Sight Glass
A sight glass is fitted in the liquid refrigerant line, after the filter/drier, which gives a visual
indication of the presence of liquid refrigerant quantity. In normal system operation, the sight
glass shows only liquid. However if bubbles are seen in the sight glass, it is an indication
of the shortage of refrigerant in the system; due to leakage etc.

Check Valve
Check valve or non-return valve allows only unidirectional flow of refrigerant from the
colder evaporator for maintaining the differential pressures in the two evaporators.

Refrigerant
Refrigerant is the working fluid used in vapor compression system, which is capable of
absorbing heat from the air or commodities stored in the refrigerator or freezer
compartments, while 'passing through the evaporator and rejecting the~ heat to the
atmosphere, while passing through the evaporator. The refrigerant boils at low temperature in
the evaporator coils because of the lowering · of its boiling point at low pressure
after expansion and after absorbing heat in the evaporator it turns into superheated
gas. The boiling point of the refrigerant is increased with the increase of pressure due to
compression, due to which it rejects heat during passage through condenser tubing and
'turns into liquid." Specifications of refrigerant used are:

Control System Components and Instruments

Thermostat
A thermostat is a device that monitors the temperature of a system component and at a preset
maximum or minimum value generates an electrical control signal to operate a switching
device. In the present system two thermostats have been used for monitoring the
temperatures of the refrigerator and freezer compartments, which selectively operate
switching devices at pre-set temperatures to stop refrigerant supply to the respective
evaporators by blocking the refrigerant path with a solenoid valve and shutting down
the compressor.

Temperature Gauge
A temperature gauge is a device that continuously monitors and measures the temperature of
a system component. In the present system a number of temperature gauges have been used
for monitoring and measuring temperature of various system components as shown in
the refrigeration circuit diagram.
Note:
Digital thermometer range is up to 70°C

Pressure Gauge
A pressure gauge is an instrument for continuously monitoring and measuring the pressure
of the working fluid in a fluid line. In the present system two pressure gauges have been
used, which measure the pressure of the refrigerant before entering the compressor
and after leaving the compressor.

Voltmeter
The volt meter is installed to monitor the electric circuit voltage during the system operation.

Ammeter
Ammeter is installed to monitor the circuit during the system operation.

Circuit Breaker
The circuit breaker is provided to shut down the system in case of a malfunctioning.

Caution
It is highly advisable to keep the switch panel locked and the switches should be operated
by the instructor/operator only in the prescribed manner. In no case the students
should be allowed to operate the switch.

Precautions

1. Compressor. Evaporator Fan and Condenser Fan should be ON at the time observations
are recorded.
2. Keep all hand shut OFF valves tight close until not required.
3. Do not touch the copper tubing because it may cause leakage of refrigerant from the
system.
4. Run the system quite some time before take reading.
5. The system should not switch OFF immediately after once switched ON.
6. If digital temperature gauge reading reaches 50 oC, note the reading.
7. The values of all observations are dependent on the ambient temperature and the fault
duration.
Refrigeration Circuit Diagram

Fig 1: Refrigeration Circuit Diagram

The coefficient of performance or COP (sometimes CP) of a heat pump is a ratio of heating or
cooling provided to work required. Higher COPs equate to lower operating costs. The COP may
exceed 1, because, instead of just converting work to heat (which, if 100% efficient, would be a
COP of 1), it pumps additional heat from a heat source to where the heat is required. For
complete systems, COP should include energy consumption of all auxiliaries. COP is highly
dependent on operating conditions, especially absolute temperature and relative temperature
between sink and system, and is often graphed or averaged against expected conditions.

The equation is:

Where

  is the heat supplied to or removed from the reservoir.

  is the work consumed by the heat pump.
The COP for heating and cooling are thus different, because the heat reservoir of interest is
different. When one is interested in how well a machine cools, the COP is the ratio of the heat
removed from the cold reservoir to input work. However, for heating, the COP is the ratio of the
heat removed from the cold reservoir plus the input work to the input work:

Where

  is the heat removed from the cold reservoir.

  is the heat supplied to the hot reservoir
 EXPERIMENT 5
Objective
To observe the effect of blocked evaporator Air path or fan failure on refrigeration process.

Apparatus

Refrigeration system with Refrigeration Chamber

Theory
An evaporator is used in an air-conditioning system to allow a compressed cooling chemical,
such as R-22 (Freon) or R-410A, to evaporate from liquid to gas while absorbing heat in the
process. It can also be used to remove water or other liquids from mixtures. The process of
evaporation is widely used to concentrate foods and chemicals as well as salvage solvents. In the
concentration process, the goal of evaporation is to vaporize most of the water from a solution
which contains the desired product. In the case of desalination of sea water or in Zero Liquid
Discharge plants, the reverse purpose applies; evaporation removes the desirable drinking water
from the undesired product, salt.
One of the most important applications of evaporation is in the food and beverage industry.
Foods or beverages that need to last for a considerable amount of time or need to have certain
consistency, like coffee, go through an evaporation step during processing.
Types of Evaporators
Natural/forced circulation evaporator:
Natural circulation evaporators are based on the natural circulation of the product caused by
the density differences that arise from heating. In an evaporator using tubing, after the water
begins to boil, bubbles will rise and cause circulation, facilitating the separation of the liquid and
the vapor at the top of the heating tubes. The amount of evaporation that takes place depends on
the temperature difference between the steam and the solution.
Problems can arise if the tubes are not well-immersed in the solution. If this occurs, the system
will be dried out and circulation compromised. In order to avoid this, forced circulation can be
used by inserting a pump to increase pressure and circulation. Forced circulation occurs when
hydrostatic head prevents boiling at the heating surface. A pump can also be used to avoid
fouling that is caused by the boiling of liquid on the tubes; the pump suppresses bubble
formation. Other problems are that the residing time is undefined and the consumption of steam
is very high, but at high temperatures, good circulation is easily achieved.
Falling film evaporator:
This type of evaporator is generally made of 4–8 m (13–26 ft) tubes enclosed by steam jackets.
The uniform distribution of the solution is important when using this type of evaporator. The
solution enters and gains velocity as it flows downward. This gain in velocity is attributed to the
vapor being evolved against the heating medium, which flows downward as well. This
evaporator is usually applied to highly viscous solutions, so it is frequently used in the chemical,
food, and fermentation industries.
Rising film (Long Tube Vertical) evaporator:
In this type of evaporator, boiling takes place inside the tubes, due to heating made (usually by
steam) outside the same. Submergence is therefore not desired; the creation of water vapor
bubbles inside the tube creates an accessional flow enhancing the heat transfer coefficient. This
type of evaporator is therefore quite efficient, the disadvantage being to be prone to quick scaling
of the internal surface of the tubes. This design is then usually applied to clear, non-salting
solutions. Tubes are usually quite long, typically 4+ meters (13+ ft). Sometimes a small recycle
is provided. Sizing this type of evaporator is usually a delicate task, since it requires a precise
evaluation of the actual level of the process liquor inside the tubes. Recent applications tend to
favor the falling-film pattern rather than rising-film.
Climbing and falling-film plate evaporator:
Climbing and falling-film plate evaporators have a relatively large surface area. The plates are
usually corrugated and are supported by frame. During evaporation, steam flows through the
channels formed by the free spaces between the plates. The steam alternately climbs and falls
parallel to the concentrated liquid. The steam follows a co-current, counter-current path in
relation to the liquid. The concentrate and the vapor are both fed into the separation stage where
the vapor is sent to a condenser. This type of plate evaporator is frequently applied in the dairy
and fermentation industries since they have spatial flexibility. A negative point of this type of
evaporator is that it is limited in its ability to treat viscous or solid-containing products. There are
other types of plate evaporators, which work with only climbing film.

Procedure
1. Turn the main power supply including Compressor, Condenser Fan and Evaporator Fan ON.
2. After 15 minutes take the readings of temperatures and pressures.
3. Then OFF the Evaporator Fan or block the way of air to the Evaporator
4. After 5 minutes take the readings of temperatures and pressures.
5. Then compare the results by calculating COP.
Readings and Calculations:

Normal Faulty Normal Faulty

Conditions Condition Conditions Condition
Ambient Temp (oC) 21.5 23.1 21.5 21.2
Chamber Temp. (oC) 11.6 17 12.2 13
Pressure before
1.2 1.5 2 1.6
Compression (bar)
Pressure after Compression
8 9.5 9.8 9
(bar)
Pressure before expansion
7.5 6.5 6.2 5.6
(bar)
Pressure after Expansion (bar) 2.6 2.2 2.4 2
Temp after Compression (oC) 32 38 38.5 36
Temp before Compression (oC) -22 -12 -10 -15
Temp before expansion (oC) 31 25 24.5 20
Temp after Expansion (oC) -5 -7 -5 -10
C.O.P 5.5 4 3.27 5.5
Comments and Conclusions:
 EXPERIMENT 6
Objective
To observe the effect of blocked condenser Air path or Condenser fan failure on refrigeration
process.

Apparatus
Refrigeration system with Refrigeration Chamber
Theory
A condenser is a device or unit used to condense a substance from its gaseous to its liquid state,
by cooling it. In so doing, the latent heat is given up by the substance, and will transfer to the
condenser coolant. Condensers are typically heat exchangers which have various designs and
come in many sizes ranging from rather small (hand-held) to very large industrial-scale units
used in plant processes. For example, a refrigerator uses a condenser to get rid of heat extracted
from the interior of the unit to the outside air. Condensers are used in air conditioning,
industrial chemical processes such as distillation, steam power plants and other heat-exchange
systems. Use of cooling water or surrounding air as the coolant is common in many condensers.
There are four main parts of refrigerating and air-conditioning systems,
 Compressor
 Condenser
 Throttling or expansion valve
 Evaporator.
The refrigerant leaving the compressor is in the gaseous state and at a high pressure and
temperature. This refrigerant then enters the condenser where it loses the heat to the coolant,
which can be air or water. After passing through the condenser the refrigerant gets condensed
but still remains at high pressure. It comes out in a partially liquid and gaseous state and then
enters the throttling or expansion valve.
There are three types of condensers: air cooled, water cooled and evaporative. These have
been described below.

Air Cooled Condensers

Air cooled condensers are used in small units like household refrigerators, deep freezers,
water coolers, window air-conditioners, split air-conditioners, small packaged air-
conditioners etc. These are used in plants where the cooling load is small and the total
quantity of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle is small. Air cooled condensers are
also called coil condensers as they are usually made of copper or aluminum coil. Air
cooled condensers occupy a comparatively larger space than water cooled condensers.
Air cooled condensers are of two types: natural convection and forced convection.
In the natural convection type, the air flows over it in natural a way depending upon the
temperature of the condenser coil. In the forced air type, a fan operated by a motor blows air
over the condenser coil.
Water Cooled Condensers
Water cooled condensers are used for large refrigerating plants, big packaged air- conditioners,
central air-conditioning plants, etc. These are used in plants where cooling loads are excessively
high and a large quantity of refrigerant flows through the condenser. There are three types of
water cooled condensers: tube-in-tube or double pipe type, shell and coil type and shell and tube
type. In all these condensers the refrigerant flows through one side of the piping while the water
flows through the other piping, cooling the refrigerant and condensing it.

Evaporative Condensers
Evaporative condensers are usually used in ice plants. They are a combination of water cooled
and air cooled condensers. In these condensers the hot refrigerant flows through the coils. Water
is sprayed over these coils. At the same time the fan draws air from the bottom side of the
condenser and discharges it from the top side of the condenser. The spray water that comes in
contact with the condenser coil gets evaporated in the air and it absorbs the heat from the
condenser, cools the refrigerant and condenses it.
Evaporative condensers have the benefits of water cooled as well as air cooled condenser, hence
it occupies less space. However, keeping the evaporative condenser clean and free of scale is
very difficult and requires lots of maintenance. Hence they are not favored by HVAC designers.

Procedure
1. Turn the main power supply including Compressor, Condenser Fan and Evaporator Fan ON.
2. After 5 minutes take the readings of temperatures and pressures.
3. Then OFF the Condenser Fan or block the way of air to the Condenser
4. After 5 minutes take the readings of temperatures and pressures.
5. Then compare the results with normal operation by calculating COP.
Readings and Calculations:

Normal Faulty Normal Faulty

Conditions Conditions Conditions Conditions
Ambient Temp (oC) 22 22 22.9 25.2
Chamber Temp. (oC) 14.5 18.7 17.1 18.9
Pressure before
2.2 3.2 2.1 3.3
Compression (bar)
Pressure after Compression
10 17 9.8 17
(bar)
Pressure Before Expansion
6.2 8.5 6 13
(bar)
Pressure after Expansion
2.6 3.6 2.5 4
(bar)
Temp after Compression
40 60 38.5 61
(oC)
Temp before Compression
-8 3 -8.5 4
(oC)
Temp before Expansion
25 35 21.5 51
(oC)
Temp after Expansion (oC) -4 6 -4 9
C.O.P 5.5 4.28 6.2 4.5
Observations and Conclusions: