Chapter 3

Refrigeration Cycles

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 3.1 Concept of refrigeration

• Refrigeration is the process of energy transfer from a

low temperature heat source to a high temperature
heat sink.

• A work input is required, as heat can not flow from

low temperature region to high temperature region
automatically according to the Laws of
Thermodynamics.

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 3.1 Concept of refrigeration
• Refrigeration cycle is used to keep a low temperature
region cool by removing heat from it continuously,
and is normally achieved by circulating a special
working fluid known as refrigerant through an
expansion device from a high-pressure (i.e. hence
high-temperature) side containing a condenser, to a
low-pressure (i.e. and hence low temperature) side
containing an evaporator.
• Refrigeration system is not just useful in process
cooling (i.e. a refrigerator), but also used as the
central core of an air conditioning system (i.e. the
chiller).
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 The Second Law of Thermodynamics:
Clausius Statement
It is impossible to construct a device that
operates in a cycle and produces no effect other
than the transfer of heat from a lower-
temperature body to a higher-temperature body.

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Refrigerator

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Thermal Efficiency performance is not appropriate for a refrigeration system. Instead,
it should be assessed by its Coefficient of Performance (rate of heat removed from
the low temperature heat source by a unit rate of work input).

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 3.2 Refrigerants
• Working fluid of a refrigeration system is usually
known as refrigerant.

• The choice of refrigerant used for a given application

is usually made according to the following
considerations:

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 3.2 Refrigerants
a) High Heat of Vaporization: It is normally preferred to
use refrigerant with a high heat of vaporization. The
higher the heat of vaporization, the greater the
refrigeration effect per unit mass of refrigerant.

b) Low Specific Heat of Liquid Refrigerant: Specific heat

of the liquid refrigerant should be as low as possible.
The lower the specific heat of the liquid, the less heat
will be picked up for a given temperature change
either during the throttling process or when it is
flowing through the piping, consequently, the greater
the refrigeration effect per unit mass of refrigerant.
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 3.2 Refrigerants
c) Equipment Size: Capacity of the compressor, which is
an essential component of the mechanical
refrigerator, may need to be varied because of the
use of different refrigerants. It is normally preferred
to use a refrigerant with a low specific volume, in
order to minimize the work required to circulate the
same mass of refrigerant.

d) Equipment Type: Different refrigerants should be

used for different types of equipment, for example,
reciprocating compressor, centrifugal compressor,
screw compressor or absorption machine.
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 3.2 Refrigerants
e) Type of Application: Different refrigerants may be
used for comfort air conditioning or process cooling.

f) Economics: Firstly, costs of refrigerant and equipment

are considered. Secondly, running cost of the
refrigeration system should also be assessed.

g) Ease of Handling and Safety Consideration: It is

important to consider toxicity, corrosiveness, viscosity,
thermal conductivity, explosiveness, effect on foods,
environmental impact and stability of the refrigerant.
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Physical and thermal characteristics of
some refrigerants

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 3.3 Refrigeration Cycles
• Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle
• Gas Refrigeration Cycle
• Absorption Refrigeration Cycle
• Thermoelectric Refrigeration Cycle

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Mechanical vapor compression cycles
Ideal non-ideal

Two stage in series

 3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

• The cycle consists of four steady-flow

components: compressor, condenser, expansion
valve and evaporator.

• The refrigerant flows through these components

and brings heat from the low temperature heat
source to the high temperature heat sink, with a
work input at the compressor.

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3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

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3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

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3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

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3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

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3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

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3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

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3.3.1 Mechanical Vapor Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

Components of a Mechanical
Vapor Compression Cycle with
Addition of a Flash Chamber

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Multistage Compression
Refrigeration Systems

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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3.3.2 Modifications of Mechanical Vapor
Compression Cycle

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Cascade Refrigeration Cycles

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3.4 Pressure–Enthalpy Diagrams of Refrigerant

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3.5 Gas Refrigeration Cycle

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3.6 Absorption Refrigeration Cycle

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3.6 Absorption Refrigeration Cycle

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 3.7 Thermoelectric Refrigeration Cycle
A refrigeration effect can also be achieved without using any moving parts by simply
passing a small current through a closed circuit made up of two dissimilar materials. This
effect is called the Peltier effect, and a refrigerator that works on this principle is called a
thermoelectric refrigerator.

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Mechanical vapor compression cycles
Ideal non-ideal

Two stage in series

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 Q#1
An ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with refrigerant-
134a as the working fluid is considered. The rate of heat removal
from the refrigerated space, the power input to the compressor,
the rate of heat rejection to the environment, and the COP are to
be determined.
m=0.05 kg/s

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S#1

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 Q#2
An ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with refrigerant-
134a as the working fluid is considered. The rate of heat removal
from the refrigerated space, the power input to the compressor,
the rate of heat rejection to the environment, and the COP are to
be determined.
m=0.05 kg/s

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S#2

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 Q#3
An ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with refrigerant-
134a as the working fluid is considered. The quality of the
refrigerant at the end of the throttling process, the COP, and the
power input to the compressor are to be determined.

QL= 300 kJ/min

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S#3

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 Q#4
A non-ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with
refrigerant-134a as the working fluid is considered. The quality
of the refrigerant at the end of the throttling process, the COP,
and the power input to the compressor are to be determined.

85%

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S#4

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 Q#5
A refrigerator with refrigerant-134a as the working fluid is
considered. The rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space,
the power input to the compressor, the isentropic efficiency of
the compressor, and the COP of the refrigerator are to be
determined.
m=0.12 kg/s

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S#5

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 Q#6
A refrigerator with refrigerant-134a as the working fluid is
considered. The power input to the compressor, the rate of heat
removal from the refrigerated space, and the pressure drop and
the rate of heat gain in the line between the evaporator and the
compressor are to be determined.
V=0.3 m3/min

= 78%

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S#6

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 Q#7
A two-stage compression refrigeration system with refrigerant-
134a as the working fluid is considered. The fraction of the
refrigerant that evaporates as it is throttled to the flash chamber,
the rate of heat removed from the refrigerated space, and the
COP are to be determined.

mA=0.25 kg/s

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S#7

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S#7

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 Q#8
A two-stage compression refrigeration system with refrigerant-
134a as the working fluid is considered. The fraction of the
refrigerant that evaporates as it is throttled to the flash chamber,
the rate of heat removed from the refrigerated space, and the
COP are to be determined.

mA=0.25 kg/s

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S#8

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S#8

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 Q#9
A two-stage cascade refrigeration system is considered. Each
stage operates on the ideal vapor compression cycle with
refrigerant-134a as the working fluid. The mass flow rate of
refrigerant through the lower cycle, the rate of heat removal
from the refrigerated space, the power input to the compressor,
and the COP of this cascade refrigerator are to be determined.

mA=0.24 kg/s

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S#9

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 Q#10
A two-stage cascade refrigeration system is considered. Each
stage operates on the ideal vapor compression cycle with
refrigerant-134a as the working fluid. The mass flow rate of
refrigerant through the lower cycle, the rate of heat removal
from the refrigerated space, the power input to the compressor,
and the COP of this cascade refrigerator are to be determined.

mA=0.24 kg/s

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S#10

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