Class One Motor Engineering

Refrigeration

Faculty of Marine Engineering

South Tyneside College

1
 The mechanical refrigeration cycle
Condenser
Evaporator
B1 D1

Expansion
Valve

F
E

A1
D Compressor

A
C S C1 S1

A1
Mechanical Refrigeration Cycle shown on the Mollier diagram
Total Heat Rejection
Pressure Mpa or bar

Superheat
Removed

A Condensing D
PA PD PE
E
Throttling
(metering device)
Also
Pressure drop
Cond/Evap

F B C
PB PC PF PS S
Evaporation

Effective latent heat Heat of Compression

Refrigeration Effect Superheat
Total latent heat Added

hF hA = hB hC = hS hD

Specific Enthalpy h kJ/kg

 Total Heat Rejection
Pressure Mpa or bar

Liquid sub cooling Superheat

Removed
PD Discharge
D line
A1 A Condensing
PA PD1 PE Pressure
E D1 drop
Throttling
(metering device)
Also
Pressure drop
Cond.

F CS C1
PB PC PF P S B1 Suction line
B Pressure drop
PS1 S1

Superheat Added low temperature

Heat of Compression
Superheat Added
Refrigeration Effect

hA1 = hB1 hC1 = hS1 hD = hD1

Specific Enthalpy h kJ/kg
 Heat from refrigerant

Liquid
Receiver Condenser
Pressure

Compressor
Expansion
valve

Specific
Evaporator Enthalpy

Heat from room

 Equalising connection
H.P. Cut out

12b

Oil Separator

L.P Start/Stop/Cut out

Meat Room
Solenoid Valve 1.3b

Compressor

4.4b
Veg. Room Condenser
Back Pressure Valve
Filter / Drier
Expansion Valve

Sight Glass

Thermostatic control solenoid

Bulb Controlled Expansion Valve

Gauges
Back Pressure Valve
 1.32b ABSOLUTE 11.92 b ABSOLUTE
0.32 b Gauge 10.92 b Gauge
R22 – 35O C Saturation R22 30O C Saturation
Defrost system
Moisture freezes onto the evaporator eventually causing a restriction and reducing
the efficiency of the plant. This must be periodically removed. For Veg and Flour
rooms, were not restricted to 0oC minimum by the back pressure valve, this is
carried out once per day. For the Meat and Fish rooms this has to be carried out two
or more times. Due to the low temperature in the rooms it is necessary to fit a drain
heater.
When on defrost the solenoid valve is shut and the fan is off. On some systems at
end of defrost the solenoid valve is opened momentarily before the fan is started.
This allows moisture to be snap frozen onto the surface of the element, creating a
rough increased surface area and thereby increasing the heat transfer rate.
Refrigerant desired properties
1. High coefficient of performance (Ratio of cooling effect to plant power consumption)
2. Low boiling point (Avoiding low vacuum operation)
3. Low condensing pressure (At prevailing sea temps and avoiding heavy plant scantlings)
4. High specific enthalpy of vaporisation ( to reduce the quantity of refrigerants in
circulation.)
5. Low specific volume in vapour state (reduces size and increases efficiency)
6. High critical temperature (temperature above which vapour cannot be condensed by
isothermal compression)
7. Non corrosive and non solvent (pure and mixed)
8. Stable under working conditions
9. Non flammable and non explosive
10. No action with oil ( the fact that most refrigerants are miscible may be advantageous e.g.
the removal of oil films, lowering pour points etc, provided separators are fitted
11. Easy leak detect
12. Non toxic
13. Cheap, easily stored and obtained

Compliant with all regulations

Using the P-h diagram to trouble
shoot
• To accurately determine what is happening
inside the refrigeration system requires the
use of gauges, thermometers and the
system sight glass to get the operating
pressures, temperatures operating level
and dryness.
 Air in the system
• Air in the refrigeration system increases the total head
pressure, which will equal the refrigerant condensing
pressure plus the pressure of air in the condenser.
• Point D goes much higher resulting in the refrigerant
condensing at a much higher temperature.
• This higher pressure results in the compressor having to
work harder with the potential for the temperatures to be
high enough to cause the oil to breakdown.
• Damage can also be caused to compressor valve plates,
valve seats, head gaskets etc.
 Total Heat Rejection
Pressure Mpa or bar

Liquid sub cooling Superheat

Removed
PD Discharge
D line
A1 A Condensing
Pressure
PA PD1 PE
E D1 drop
Throttling
(metering device)
Also
Pressure drop
Cond/Evap

F B1 CS C1
PB PC PF PS
Suction line
B Pressure drop
PS1 S1

Superheat Added low temperature

Flash Heat of Compression
Gas Superheat Added
Refrigeration Effect

hA1 = hB1 hC1 = hS1 hD = hD1

Specific Enthalpy h kJ/kg
 Dirty condenser coil
• A dirty condenser coil changes the values of UA
or UL the mean heat transfer coefficients, less
heat can be removed from the refrigerant the
overall temperature increases which result in
higher condenser pressures.
 Low refrigerant charge
• The cooling load is given by the mass flow
of refrigerant multiplied by the refrigeration
effect. If the mass flow is reduced the
heat extracted will be reduced even
though the refrigeration effect remains
unchanged.
 The discharge valve assembly is often spring loaded so
in the event of a sudden increase in cylinder pressure (as
would be caused by liquid getting back to the cylinders)
the whole valve assembly lifts.

The compressor is designed to compress a vapour, not to

pump a liquid, some attention is paid in design to enable
the machine to operate while passing small amounts of
liquid. However a large amount of compressor failures are
caused by "liquid slugging", where excessive amounts of
liquid are present.
Mechanical Seal

The crankcase is kept at suction pressure. Oil is added

by either shutting the machine down or by using a
special oil injection pump. Care is always taken to avoid
air entry at this operation as moisture in the air is
seriously detrimental to fridge operation. Similar
precautions are taken when charging with refrigerant.

Modern refrigerants are "searching" fluids, similar to

solvent cleaners and find leaks easily. Due to this the
seal arrangement at the crankshaft is of particular
importance. These seal are of the cooled type with the
compressor lubricant providing the cooling.
SCREW COMPRESSORS

The drive can be by end gearing, but also by driving one rotor and let
the other turn freely.

Clearances between the rotors and between the tips of the screw and
the cylinders are small and sealed with oil injection. The high rate of oil
supply also takes away the heat of compression. However a large oil
cooler is needed with these machines.

Usually they are constant speed machines with variation in capacity

being achieved by a slide system that alters the effective length of the
rotors. This gives "stepless" control over capacity and also allows "off
load" starting.

High compression ratios (18:1) are claimed, this will give cargo space
temperatures of less than -30oC with single stage compression
(assumes R22)
 Compression
Meshing Screw
– Increasing Compression

Converging Screw
-Start of Compression Delivery

Diverging Screw Transport

- Suction
Bearings
Drive
End

Thrust
Bearings

Radial
Bearings
 Balance Piston
Discharge

Suction

Resultant Force

Balance Force
Oil Pressure
 Capacity Control
• Electronic Capacity Control
– VFD Drive (Speed Control)
– Internal Leakage in Compressor Increases at
Slower Speeds

• Mechanical Capacity Control

 Capacity Control

Oil Pressure
Oil Pressure
Advantages
 Fewer moving parts (e.g. Valves) hence less frequent
overhauls (Periods of 25000 hours are claimed by the
manufacturers).
 Wide range of evaporator temperatures with single stage
compression. (Low temperatures with reciprocating
machines may require two stage compression)
 Stepless control over capacity possible.
 Can cope with "liquid slugging" better than other types.

Disadvantages.
 Oil injection necessary and hence the use of large
sophisticated oil separators is needed.
 Oil coolers needed, complicating the system.
 Very high speed operation (>3000 r.p.m.) hence noisy.
 At steady loads are slightly less efficient that equivalent
reciprocating type.
OILS

The purpose of the oil is to lubricate and seal, particularly with screw compressors.

The oil comes into contact with the refrigerant and its miscibility is an important
factor. The oil being a hydro-carbon would normally be very miscible with the freons
in the working range of temperatures.

Oil is carried over from the compressor, but most of it is returned periodically from
the oil separator. This means that the level in the sump is a balance between the oil
in circulation and the oil in the machine.

The separator is never one hundred percent effective and some oil goes through the
system. After the condenser the oil is present in a solution with the liquid refrigerant.
Preventing the deposition of this oil on the heat transfer surfaces is the main
problem. A build up of deposited oil will seriously affect heat transfer.

The evaporator coil size is usually designed to ensure a high enough flow velocity of
the refrigerant to entrain the oil, At low flows the oil will deposit, hence some of this
type of contamination will always occur.

As the oil reaches the cold part of the system, it is essential that its behaviour at low
temperatures does not affect the plant, i.e. the oil must not congeal hence its pour
point and viscosity must be correct.
Cargo Refrigeration Circuit

Secondary refrigerants e.g. Brine, may be used if the

system is large.
For smaller systems direct expansion, without a
secondary refrigerant, is preferred as the heat
transfer with brine is always a sensible heat
operation over a small temperature increase. This
causes very high pumping loads.
For large systems the compressor, designed to
compress a vapour, is not suited to circulate large
mass flows of refrigerant over long distances.
Advantages of the brine (Calcium Chloride) system:-

Primary refrigerant circuit is small

Temperature control over various spaces is simple and
flexible

Disadvantages

High pumping loads as brine is viscous

Corrosion problems exist and protection is necessary
(Caustic Soda)
More heat exchangers in the system

In practice, there also has to be a brine make-up tank, in which

solid calcium chloride is dissolved, for topping up the system. An
overflow connection from the head tank, a safety pressure relief line
from the brine heater, and a sighting connection to which the return
from any space can be diverted, are all arranged to terminate over
this make up tank. These have been omitted for clarity.
Calcium Chloride/Brine
In the absence of air, calcium chloride is not corrosive steel pipes may remain
in good condition internally, but brine head and makeup tanks if made of steel
suffer severe corrosion at the brine/air interface.
However, it is desirable to keep the brine slightly alkaline, with pH between 8.0
and 8.5. If found to be acid (litmus test papers), caustic soda should be added.

Brine heaters contain steam heating coils within a shell through which brine is
circulated. When warm brine is required for defrosting, the steam should be put
on first and the brine flow restricted by first cracking the inlet brine valve until the
brine has risen in temperature to above (00C,). An initial high flow rate of cold
brine could cause freezing of the steam condensate with subsequent blockage.
A brine temperature of 430C is suitable for defrosting.