KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

PROJECT REPORT ON

STUDY AND DESIGN OF CASCADE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical

Engineering

ABHISHEK NEUPANE 016139

ASHIM LAMICHANAE 31138
GAURAV TANDUKAR 31146
KOKISH KARAN BHUSAL 31123
SAGAR DHAKAL 31331

April 2020

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 AUTHORIZATION

We hereby declare that we are the author of the project.

We authorize the Kathmandu University to lend this thesis to other institutions or

individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. We further authorize the
Kathmandu University to reproduce the thesis by photocopying or by other means,
in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of
scholarly research.

Abishek Neupane Ashim Lamichhane Gaurav Tandukar

Kokish Karan Bhusal Sagar Dhakal

April 2020

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to express our gratitude towards Kathmandu University, School of

Engineering for providing us with this opportunity to implement ideas practically.

Our project would not have been completed without the guidance and supervision of
our supervisor DR. Bibek Baral, and our project coordinator Dr. Sunil Prashad
Lohani.

We are indebted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering for providing us

the platform to robust our knowledge even more.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to countless reader of this project report, who is the
most important critic and commentator. We welcome constructive comments and
suggestions which will help us to do better one.

At last we would like to thank those people who gave their helping hands directly or
indirectly for this project.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................................6

LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................7

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.........................................................................................8

LIST OF SYMBOLS......................................................................................................9

ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................10

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................11

1.1 Background........................................................................................................11

1.2 Objectives...........................................................................................................15

1.3 Significance.........................................................................................................15

1.4 Limitations..........................................................................................................15

CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY.................................................................................16

2.1 Theoretical Framework.......................................................................................16

2.2 Study Design.......................................................................................................19

2.2.1 Literature Review.......................................................................................19

2.2.2 Basic Design and Calculations...................................................................24

2.2.3 Modeling and Drafting the System............................................................27

2.2.4 Market Survey and Material Collection...................................................27

2.2.5 Recalibrating design and calculation based on Material Availability.......27

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 2.2.6 Fabrication.................................................................................................27

2.2.7 Testing Under Cases..................................................................................28

2.2.8 Recalibration..............................................................................................28

2.2.9 Documentation...........................................................................................28

2.3 Gantt Chart..........................................................................................................29

CHAPTER 3 BUDGET ESTIMATION.......................................................................31

EXPECTED OUTCOME.............................................................................................32

REFRENCES................................................................................................................33

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Flow Chart of Procedure in Study Design....................................................19

Table 2 Process of Fabrication..................................................................................28

Table 3 Gantt Chart for Design Section....................................................................29

Table 4 Gantt Chart for Fabrication Section.............................................................30

Table 5 Budget Estimation Table..............................................................................31

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Vertical-axis windmill for milling grains, Afghanistan..............................12

Figure 2 Wind Flow World-wide..............................................................................13

Figure 3 Wind Flow Rate Atlas Nepal......................................................................14

Figure 4 Basic Design of Rotor.................................................................................25

Figure 5 Basic Design of Base..................................................................................26

Figure 6 Basic Design of the Setup...........................................................................26

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 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

HAWT Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

NRs. Nepalese Currency
WECS Wind Energy Conversion System
WPP Wind Power Plant
WTG Wind Turbine Generator
VAWT Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

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 LIST OF SYMBOLS

M Mass flow rate [kg/s]

A Swept area of rotor [m2]
P Wind Power [W]
Pkin Wind power from Kinetic Energy [W]
V Velocity of wind [m/s]
V1 Initial wind velocity [m/s]
V2 Final Wind Velocity [m/s]
v Velocity of the rotor [m/s]
Cp Betz Coefficient []
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Ρ Density of wind [m /kg]
Pa Actual Power Available [W]
η Efficiency []
MW Mega Watt [J/s]

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 ABSTRACT

In this study a comparative analysis on the basis of energy of cascade refrigeration

system using different refrigerant pair, R13 for low temperature cycle (LTC) and
R134a, R290 and R717 for high temperature cycle has been done by mathematical
simulation using Engineering Equation Solver (EES). The analysis of cascade
refrigeration system has been carried out at different operating condition
and result has been compared with effect of various operating parameters. The
range of evaporator temperature
of LTC is taken from -53oC to -70oC, which represents the most common
operating condition in commercial
applications. The range of condenser temperature of LTC is from -11oC to -2oC
and evaporator temperature of
HTC from -19oC to -10oC.

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 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Cascade refrigeration system is the combination of more than one refrigeration

system that works independently.

The low LTC provides the desired refrigeration effect at relatively low temperature.
The condenser in the low temperature cycle is thermally coupled to the evaporator in
the HTCThus,
the evaporator in the high temperature cycle only serves to extract the heat released
by the condenser in the low
temperature cycle. Then this heat is rejected to the ambient air or water stream in the
condenser of the high
temperature cycle. A cascade refrigeration system can operate with a low
evaporating temperature, lower
compression ratio and high compressor volumetric efficiency in comparison with a
single-stage refrigeration
system.

Refrigerant in Low temperature cycle enters the compressor as a saturated vapour,

after extracting the
heat from the space to be cooled and as it gets compressed, the temperature and
pressure increases. After exiting
from the compressor, the refrigerant passes through the cascade condenser where
heat is transferred to the
evaporator of the high temperature cycle. Finally, the refrigerant enters the throttling
valve, gets expanded and the
cycle repeats itself.

1.2 Objectives

 To design a cascade refrigeration system.

 To simulate the design using different refrigerant.

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1.3 Significance

 It can be used to fabricate high efficiency cascade refrigerator for

freezing the food and other commodities.

1.4 Limitations

 The operating cost of the system is higher.

 The desired temperature difference requires large pressure difference.

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 CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY

2.1 Theoretical Framework

In many industrial and medical applications, we need temperature below -40°C for
that, a single stage vapour compressor cannot be used. There are some natural
refrigerants like NH3 and CO2, which are being widely used in many industrial
refrigeration system. Energy analysis gives more accurate results which provide
recommendations for refrigeration system improvement.

In the literature, there is a significant part of studies that investigate the CO2 Cascade
refrigeration. The majority of the studies investigate systems with CO2 in the low-
temperature circuit and NH3 in the high-temperature circuit. CO2 is a refrigerant with
low critical temperature (~31◦C), which leads to transcritical refrigeration cycles,
especially in warm climates during the summer period. The transcritical operation is
associated with a reduced coefficient of performance (COP) and thus the CO2 faces
limitations on this domain. It requires high operating pressure of 10 MPA for larger
temperature difference.

Another promising configuration in the cascade system with CO 2in the low-
temperature circuit and other refrigerants in the high-temperature circuit. This
system seems to be more efficient than the others, especial for the warm climates.
The use of CO2 in the low stage solves the problem of the low critical point which
leads to the transcritical operation and also makes the system to operate with lower
pressure levels. In the high-temperature circuit, usually, natural refrigerants are used
with NH3 to be the most usual selection, as well as R290 R717 and R134a can also
be used.

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2.2 System description

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2.2.1 Literature Review

Cascade refrigeration is a term you will hear more and more over the coming years,
and while some of the systems may be very complex, the concept is actually pretty
simple.
Some refrigerants are well suited for high and medium temperature applications, and
some are better suited and for a lower temperature applications. In a cascade
system the high/medium temp refrigerant circuit is used to cool the condenser of the
low temp circuit by way of a heat exchanger.
In essence, the condenser for the low temp system is also the evaporator or part of
the evaporator of the high/medium temp system.

Methodology
 In this analysis a set of equations or energy balance is prepared.
 EES software is used to solve these equations.
 The result is compared by using different refrigerant pair for cascade
refrigeration system.

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General Assumptions

 The system operates at steady state condition.

 The kinetic and potential energy changes are negligible.
 Pressure and heat loss in pipe network or system components are neglected.
 The mechanical efficiency of each compressor is assumed to be 0.85
 The cooling demand of refrigeration system is 70kW.
 The ambient temperature is 30°C.

Governing Equations for Mathematical Modelling.

The mass, energy and exergy balance equation are applied for all the components in proposed
system.

Mass balance equation

∑¿ m=∑ m
out

Where m is mass flow rate

Energy balance equation

Q+ ∑ mh=W +∑ mh
¿ out

where Q is, heat transfer rate and W is work transfer rate and h is specific enthalpy

For high temperature circuit

1. Compressor
Mass balance:
m 5=m 6

Energy Balance:

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 m 5 (h6 s−h5 )
W HTC=
ηm , HTC

whereW HTC is work rate and ηm ,HTC is mechanical efficiency of compressor of high
temperature cycle.
2. Expansion valve
Mass balance
m 8=m7

Energy balance
h7 =h8
3. Condenser
Mass balance
m 6=m7

Energy Balance
Q HTC ,con =m7 (h6−h7 )

Where Q HTC ,con is the heat rate of condenser of high temperature cycle.
4. Cascade Condenser
Mass balance
m5=m8
m 3=m 2

Energy Balance
Q LTC , con=m5 (h5 −h8 ) = m3 (h3 −h2)

Where Q LTC , con is the heat rate of condenser of low temperature cycle.

For low temperature circuit

5. Compresser

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 Mass balance
m 1=m 2

Energy balance
m1 (h 2 s−h1 )
W LTC =
ηm ,L TC

Where W LTC is work transfer rate of compressor of low temperature circuit.

6. Expansion valve
Mass balance
m 4 =m 3

Energy balance
h 4=h 3
7. Evaporator
Mass balance
m 4 =m 1

Energy balance
Q LTC , evap=m1 (h1 −h4 )
where Q LTC , evap is heat transfer rate of evaporator of low temperature cycle.

The COP of high temperature cycle has been calculated by following

equations
Q HTC ,evap
COP HTC=
W HTC

And for low temperature cycle

Q LTC ,evap
COP LTC =
W LTC

The cascade system total COP is calculated by the following equation:

Q L TC , evap
COPtotal =
W HTC +W LTC

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And the Carnot COP is calculated by
TE
COPcarnot =
T C+ T E

Second law efficiency is calculated by

COPtotal
η II =
COPcarnot

Results:

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