CCSS, NGSS

Refrigeration &
Air-Conditioning
(ME-319)

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali

 Fluid Mechanics

Innovative Vapor-Compression Refrigeration

Cycles

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 2

Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
❖ The simple vapor-compression refrigeration cycle is the most widely used refrigeration
cycle, and is adequate for most refrigeration applications.

❖ The ordinary vapor compression refrigeration systems are simple, inexpensive, reliable, and
practically requires very little maintenance.

❖ Though, for large industrial applications, efficiency (not simplicity) is the major concern.

❖ For some applications, when the evaporator temperature becomes very low and/or
condenser temperature becomes high, the simple vapor compression refrigeration cycle is
inadequate and needs to be modified.

❖ For moderately and very low temperature applications, some innovative refrigeration
systems are used. The following cycles will be discussed:
o Cascade refrigeration systems
o Multistage compression refrigeration systems
o Multipurpose refrigeration systems with a single compressor

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 3

Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles

Effect of evaporator temperature on performance of simple vapor-compression refrigeration cycle

❖ Compressor discharge temperature increases

❖ Quality of the vapor at the inlet to the evaporator increases
❖ Refrigeration effect decreases or throttling loss increases
❖ Work of compression increases and volumetric efficiency decreases
❖ COP of Cycle decreases

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 4

Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Cascade Refrigeration Cycles
Two-Stage Cascade
❖ Some industrial applications require moderately low Refrigeration System
temperatures, and the temperature range they involve may
be too large for a single vapor compression refrigeration
cycle to be practical.

❖ A large temperature range also means a large pressure range

in the cycle and a poor performance for a reciprocating
compressor.

❖ One way of dealing with such situations is to perform the Three-Stage Cascade
refrigeration process in stages, that is, to have two or more Refrigeration System
refrigeration cycles that operate in series. Such
refrigeration cycles are called cascade refrigeration cycles.

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 5

Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Cascade Refrigeration Cycles

Cascade Refrigeration System uses multiple

refrigeration cycles coupled with each other
via heat exchanger to improve the
refrigeration effect.

In practice, it uses multiple refrigerants

depending on the lowest temperature that has
to be achieved and refrigeration effect
required at the evaporation coil.

It can achieve reduced temperature and

better efficiency compared to conventional
refrigeration systems.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331)
Here, the refrigerants in both cycles are
assumes to be the same, therefore the
cycle for both refrigerants can be drawn
under a single saturation dome.
Dr. Haider Ali 6
Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Cascade Refrigeration Cycles
Ratio of mass flow rates through each cycle
Assuming the heat exchanger is well insulated and the kinetic and potential energies
are negligible, the heat transfer from the fluid in the bottoming cycle (B) should be
equal to the heat transfer to the fluid in the topping cycle (A). Thus, the ratio of mass
flow rates through each cycle should be
𝑚ሶ 𝐴 ℎ8 + 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ2 = 𝑚ሶ 𝐴 ℎ5 + 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ3
𝑚ሶ 𝐴 (ℎ5 − ℎ8 ) = 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 (ℎ2 − ℎ3 )
𝑚ሶ 𝐴 ℎ2 − ℎ3
=
𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ5 − ℎ8
Coefficient of Performance of Cascade Cycle

𝑄ሶ 𝐿 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ1 − ℎ4
𝐶𝑂𝑃𝑅,𝐶𝑎𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑑𝑒 = =
𝑊ሶ 𝑛𝑒𝑡,𝑖𝑛 𝑚ሶ 𝐴 ℎ6 − ℎ5 + 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ2 − ℎ1

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 7

Problem # 4

A refrigerator needs to remove 40 kW from

refrigerated space maintaining at -26.07° C. Consider
that the condenser work at 1.2 MPa and R134a used
as working fluid.
Determine the (i) mass flow rate of R134a (m) (ii) the
power input (Win) and (iii) the coefficient of
performance (COP), while considering
• Ideal vapor compression refrigeration system
• Two-stage Cascade refrigeration system (Using
Heat Exchanger pressure as 400 kPa)

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 8

Problem #4
Solution Part (a)
Required:𝑚ሶ , 𝑊𝑖𝑛, 𝐶𝑂𝑃𝑅

Data: (Refrigerant Properties at different states)

Point h (kJ/kg)
1 382.90
2 434.713
3 265.91
4 265.91
𝑃

Part (i) - the mass flow rate of refrigerant

𝑄𝐿 = 𝑚(ℎ1 − ℎ4 )
𝑚 = 0.342 kg/s
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 9
Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)
Part (iii) – Power Input
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 𝑚(ℎ2 − ℎ1 )
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 17.72 𝑘𝑊
Part (ii) – COP
𝑄𝐿
𝐶𝑂𝑃 =
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝐶𝑂𝑃 = 2.257

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 10

Problem #4
Solution Part (b)
Required:𝑚ሶ , 𝑊𝑖𝑛, 𝐶𝑂𝑃𝑅

Data: (Refrigerant Properties at different states)

Point h (kJ/kg)
1 382.90
2 410.92
3 212.08
4 212.08
5 403.80
6 426.61
7 265.91
8 265.91
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 11
Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)
Part (i) - the mass flow rate of refrigerant
𝑄𝐿 = 𝑚𝑏 (ℎ1 − ℎ4 )
𝑚𝑏 = 0.2341 kg/s
Energy balance - HX
𝑚ሶ 𝐴 ℎ8 + 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ2 = 𝑚ሶ 𝐴 ℎ5 + 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ3
𝑚ሶ 𝐴 (ℎ5 − ℎ8 ) = 𝑚ሶ 𝐵 (ℎ2 − ℎ3 )
𝑚ሶ 𝐴 ℎ2 − ℎ3
=
𝑚ሶ 𝐵 ℎ5 − ℎ8

𝑚𝑎 = 0.3376 kg/s

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 12

Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)
Part (iii) – Power Input
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐵 = 𝑚𝑏 (ℎ2 − ℎ1 )
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐵 = 6.56 𝑘𝑊
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐴 = 𝑚𝑎 (ℎ6 − ℎ5 )
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐴 = 7.70 𝑘𝑊

𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐴 + 𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐵

𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 14.2 𝑘𝑊

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 13

Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)

Part (ii) – COP

𝑄𝐿
𝐶𝑂𝑃 =
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙
𝐶𝑂𝑃 = 2.81
Summary

Point Win COP

Ideal vapor compression 17.72 2.26
refrigeration system
Two-stage Cascade 14.2 2.81
refrigeration system
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 14
Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Multistage Compression Refrigeration System
❖ The performance of single stage systems shows that these systems are adequate as
long as the temperature difference between evaporator and condenser
(temperature lift) is small. However, there are many applications where the
temperature lift can be quite high.

❖ One of the problems with high temperature lift applications is the high quality of
vapor at the inlet to the evaporator. This vapor called as flash gas develops during
the throttling process. It does not contribute to the refrigeration effect as it is
already in the form of vapor, and it increases the pressure drop in the evaporator.

❖ It is possible to improve the COP of the system if the flash gas is removed as soon
as it is formed and recompressed to condenser pressure.

❖ A flash tank (chamber) is a pressure vessel, wherein the refrigerant liquid and
vapor are separated at an intermediate pressure. The refrigerant from condenser is
first expanded to an intermediate pressure corresponding to the pressure of flash
tank, using an expansion valve (process 6-7). The expansion valve with float ball
also maintains a constant liquid level in the flash tank. In the flash tank, the
refrigerant liquid and vapor are separated and fed separately for recompression
and expansion.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 15
Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Multistage Compression Refrigeration System
❖ Multistage Compression Refrigeration System is a cascade type
refrigeration system in which the fluid used throughout the
system is the same and the heat exchanger, between the stages,
can be replaced by a mixing chamber (called a flash chamber)
since it has better heat transfer characteristics.

❖ Following the first expansion valve (state 6), the liquid-vapor

saturated mixture enters in the flash chamber which operates at
the same pressure similar to that of compressor interstage
pressure and designed to separate out the vapor and liquids parts
from the mixture.

❖ The saturated vapor (state 3) from the flash chamber mixes with
the superheated vapor (state 2) from the low-pressure
compressor and the mixture enters the high-pressure compressor
(state 9).

❖ The saturated liquid (state 7) expands through the second Two-Stage Multistage
expansion valve into the evaporator, where it picks up heat from Refrigeration System
the refrigerated space.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 16
Problem # 5

A refrigerator needs to remove 40 kW from

refrigerated space maintaining at -26.07° C.
Consider that the condenser work at 1.2 MPa and
R134a used as working fluid.
Determine the (i) mass flow rate of R134a (m) (ii)
the power input (Win) and (iii) the coefficient of
performance (COP), while considering multistage
compression refrigeration system (Using Flash
chamber as 400 kPa).

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 17

Problem # 5
Solution
Required:𝑚ሶ , 𝑊𝑖𝑛, 𝐶𝑂𝑃𝑅
Data: (Refrigerant Properties at different states)
Point h (kJ/kg)
1 382.90
2 410.92
3
4
5 265.91
6 265.91
7
8
9
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 18
Problem # 5
Solution (cont’d)

Point h (kJ/kg)
1 382.90
2 410.92
3 403.80
4
5 265.91
6 265.91
7 212.08
8 212.08
9

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 19

Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)
Energy balance – Evaporator
𝑄𝐿 = 𝑚ሶ 7 (ℎ1 − ℎ8 )
𝑚7 = 0.2341 𝑘𝑔/𝑠
Flash Chamber – Quality
ℎ6 = ℎ𝑓 + 𝑥6 ℎ𝑓𝑔
ℎ6 = ℎ7 + 𝑥6 (ℎ3 − ℎ7 )
𝑥6 = 0.281
𝑚3
𝑥6 =
𝑚7 + 𝑚3
𝑚3 = 0.0915 𝑘𝑔/𝑠
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 20
Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)
Mass balance – Mixing Chamber
𝑚ሶ 3 + 𝑚ሶ 2 = 𝑚ሶ 9
𝑚9 = 0.3256 𝑘𝑔/𝑠
Energy balance – Mixing Chamber
𝑚ሶ 3 ℎ3 + 𝑚ሶ 2 ℎ2 = 𝑚ሶ 9 ℎ9
ℎ9 = 408.92 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔
State-9
ℎ9 = 408.92 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔 𝑃9 = 400 𝑘𝑃𝑎

𝑠9 = 1.7407 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔𝐾
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 21
Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)
𝑃4 = 1200 𝑘𝑃𝑎
State-4 𝑠 = 𝑠 = 1.7407 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔𝐾
4 9
ℎ4 = 432.45 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔
Point h (kJ/kg)
1 382.90
2 410.92
3 403.80
4 432.45
5 265.91
6 265.91
7 212.08
8 212.08
9 408.92
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 22
Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)
Part (iii) – Power Input
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 𝑚2 (ℎ2 − ℎ1 )
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 6.56 𝑘𝑊
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ = 𝑚9 (ℎ4 − ℎ9 )
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ = 7.66 𝑘𝑊

𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐴 + 𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝐵

𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 14.22 𝑘𝑊

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 23

Problem #4
Solution (cont’d)

Part (ii) – COP

𝑄𝐿
𝐶𝑂𝑃 =
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡,𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙
𝐶𝑂𝑃 = 2.81
Summary

Point Win COP

Ideal vapor compression 17.72 2.26
refrigeration system
Multistage compression 14.22 2.81
refrigeration system
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 24
Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Multipurpose Refrigeration

❖ For applications which require refrigeration at more than one

temperature, A more practical and economical approach would
be to route all the exit streams from the evaporators to a single
compressor and let it handle the compression process for the
entire system.

❖ Example: In case of an ordinary refrigerator–freezer unit, most

refrigerated goods have a higher water content and refrigerated
space must be maintained above the ice point to prevent
freezing, while the freezer compartment however needs to be
maintained at a temperature around −18 to −25℃.

❖ This task can be achieved by throttling the refrigerant to a

higher pressure (hence temperature) for use in the refrigerated
space and then throttling it to the minimum pressure for use in
the freezer. Multipurpose Refrigeration
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 25
Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Liquefaction of Gases

❖ Many scientific and engineering processes require

liquefaction of gases which can only be possible
at very low cryogenic temperatures (temperatures
below about −100℃)

❖ The critical temperatures of helium, hydrogen and

nitrogen (commonly used liquefied gases) are
− 268, −240, and −147℃ , respectively. An
Linde-Hampson Cycle for
ordinary refrigeration technique is not enough and Liquefaction of Gases
we need a combination multistage compression,
intercooling and regeneration to achieve a
temperature of gas below its critical point of
value.

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 26

Innovative Vapor Compression Cycles
Liquefaction of Gases
❖ Compression: Makeup gas is mixed with the uncondensed portion of the gas from
the previous cycle, and the mixture at state 2 is compressed by a multistage
compressor to state 3.

❖ Intercooling: The compression process approaches an isothermal process due to

intercooling. The high-pressure gas is cooled in an aftercooler by a cooling
medium or by a separate external refrigeration system to state 4.

❖ Regeneration: The gas is further cooled in a regenerative counter-flow heat

exchanger by the uncondensed portion of gas from the previous cycle to state 5.

❖ Throttling: Then, it is throttled to state 6, which is a saturated liquid–vapor

mixture state.

❖ Separation and Recirculation: The liquid (state 7) is collected as the desired

product, and the vapor (state 8) is routed through the regenerator to cool the high-
pressure gas approaching the throttling valve.

❖ Continuation of Cycle: Finally, the gas is mixed with fresh makeup gas, and the
cycle is repeated.
Linde-Hampson Cycle for
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali Liquefaction of Gases 27
Problem # 5
A two-evaporator compression refrigeration system
uses refrigerant-134a as the working fluid. The system
operates evaporator 1 at 0°𝐶 , evaporator 2 at
− 26.07°𝐶 , and the condenser at 800 𝑘𝑃𝑎 . The
refrigerant is circulated through the compressor at a
rate of 0.1 𝑘𝑔/𝑠 and the low-temperature evaporator
serves a cooling load of 8 𝑘𝑊. Determine the cooling
rate of the high-temperature evaporator, the power
required by the compressor, and the COP of the system.
The refrigerant is saturated liquid at the exit of the
condenser and saturated vapor at the exit of each
evaporator, and the compressor is isentropic. Also draw
the T-s diagram of the cycle.

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 28

Problem # 5
Solution
Required:𝑄ሶ 𝐿,𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑝 1 , 𝑊𝑖𝑛 , 𝐶𝑂𝑃𝑅
Data: (Refrigerant Properties at different states)

Point h (kJ/kg)
1
2
3 243.58
4 243.58
5 398.60
6 243.58
7 382.90

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 29

Problem # 5
Solution (cont’d)
Mass balance – Mixing Chamber
𝑚𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝑚ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ + 𝑚𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 0.1 𝑘𝑔/𝑠
Energy balance – Low Temp. Chamber
𝑄𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 𝑚𝑙𝑜𝑤 ℎ7 − ℎ6
𝑚𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 0.0574 𝑘𝑔/𝑠
Using above equation

𝑚𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ = 𝑚𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 − 𝑚𝑙𝑜𝑤

𝑚𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ = 0.0426 𝑘𝑔/𝑠

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 30

Problem # 5
Solution (cont’d)
Energy balance – Mixing Chamber
𝑚𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 ℎ1 = 𝑚𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎℎ5 + 𝑚𝑙𝑜𝑤ℎ7
ℎ1 = 389.59 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔
State - 1
𝑃1 = 𝑃𝑠𝑎𝑡@−26.07ᵒ𝐶 = 0.10133 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝑠1 = 1.7741 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔𝐾
State - 2
𝑠2 = 𝑠1 = 1.7741 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔𝐾
𝑃2 = 800 𝑘𝑃𝑎
ℎ2 = 434.31 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 31

Problem # 5
Solution Required:𝑄ሶ 𝐿,𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑝 1 , 𝑊𝑖𝑛, 𝐶𝑂𝑃𝑅

𝑚𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ = 0.0426 𝑘𝑔/𝑠 𝑚𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 0.1 𝑘𝑔/𝑠

QL,evap 1
𝑄ሶ 𝐿,𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑝 1 = 𝑚ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ ℎ5 − ℎ4
𝑄ሶ 𝐿,𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑝 1 = 6.6 𝑘𝑊
Point h (kJ/kg)
Work Input 𝑊𝑖𝑛 = 𝑚𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 ℎ2 − ℎ1 1 389.59
𝑊𝑖𝑛 = 4.47 𝑘𝑊 2 434.31
COP 𝑄ሶ 𝐿 = 𝑄ሶ 𝐿,𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑝 1 + 𝑄ሶ 𝐿,𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑝 2 3 243.58
4 243.58
𝑄𝐿 = 14.6 𝑘𝑊 5 398.60
𝐶𝑂𝑃 = 3.26 6 243.58
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (ME-331) Dr. Haider Ali 7 382.90 32