VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION

Simple VCR Cycle

Effect of operating parameters
Irreversible cycle – pressure losses
Course: 17ME4705A

Faculty: Dr B. Raghava Rao

VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION

• Most commonly used among all Refrigeration systems (few watts to MW)

• Vapor Cycle – Refrigerant undergoing phase change

• Refrigeration is achieved as refrigerant evaporates at low Temperature

• Wide variety of refrigerants used to suit different applications

• VCR Cycle is based on Evans-Perkins Cycle (Reverse Rankine)

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 Carnot Cycle - VCR

Carnot cycle on T-S plot

Difficulties with Carnot cycle

1. Wet compression (1 – 2 )
2. Expansion work not economical Effect of Evp & Cond. Temp

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

Simple VCR cycle - Saturated
Modifications to Carnot Cycle
1. Using Dry Compression & replacing Isentropic heat
rejection with Isobaric heat rejection
2. Using Isenthalpic expansion replacing Isentropic
Evans-Perkins Cycle (Reverse Rankine)

Standard, Saturated, Single stage Vapor

Compression System

Assumptions:
Flow is steady
4’ 1’
Negligible ∆KE and ∆PE across each component
Negligible HT in connecting pipelines

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 COP – VCR Cycle (SSS)

VCR cycle on T-S plot VCR cycle on P-h plot

How to find ‘h1 to h4’

* Property tables

* P-h chart (Mollier diagram)

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 Data from Properties Table
h1 = hg at Tevp (Pevp)
h3 = hf at Tcond (Pcond)
h4 = h3
h2 = h’2 + Cpv (T2 – T2’)

To find T2
S2 = S1 ( Isentropic Process)
S1 = Sg at Tevp (Pevp)
𝑇2
S2 = S2’ + Cp ln
𝑇2′
MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao
 P-h Chart – Mollier Diagram

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

Modifications to SSS Cycle (Superheating & Sub cooling)

Suction Superheating

Liquid Sub cooling

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 Use of Liquid - Suction
Heat Exchanger (LSHX)

Cp,l > Cp,v

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao
 Types of Compression Processes

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

Effect of operating parameters

Superheating Sub cooling Condenser Pr. Evaporator Pr.

Effect Superheating Sub Cooling Condenser Pr. ↑ Evaporator Pr. ↓

[N] increases increases decreases decreases
[W] increases no change increases increases
C.O.P Increase/decrease increases decreases decreases
V1 increases no change no change increases

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 Actual VCR Cycle – Pressure Losses & HT

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 Reversible cycle

Irreversible cycle

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 Actual VCR Cycle – Pressure Losses & HT

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

 VCR Test Rig

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao

Vapor Compression Vs Air Refrigeration

MECH – VRSEC Dr B. Raghava Rao