Jazan University

College of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering

C
Course ME‐
ME 523 
523

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning 
Chapter 2
Single and multi
Single and multi‐stage
stage 
refrigeration cycles 

Objectives

• Introduce the concepts of refrigerators and the measure of their

performance.
• Analyze the ideal vapor-compression
vapor compression refrigeration cycle.
cycle
• Analyze the actual vapor-compression refrigeration cycle.
• Multi-Stage Vapor Compression Refrigeration Systems
• Applying mass and energy balance equations, evaluate the
performance of multi-stage vapor compression refrigeration
systems
Chapter 2 The standard (Ideal) vapor‐compression refrigeration cycle 
Process Description
p
1-2 Isentropic compression
2-3 Constant pressure heat rejection in the condenser
3-4 Throttling in an expansion valve (isenthalpic process)
4-1 Constant pressure heat addition in the evaporator
The P-h diagram is another
convenient diagram
g often used
to illustrate the refrigeration
cycle.

Throttling
Th ttli ddevice,
i usually
ll a valve
l or a llength
th off small-diameter
ll di t tubing,
t bi by
b which
hi h the
th working
ki
fluid is throttled from the high-pressure to the low-pressure side.
3
 Chapter 2 The standard (Ideal) vapor‐compression refrigeration cycle 
The ordinaryy household refrigerator
g
is a good example of the application
of this cycle.

COP(Cofficient of
perforamance)

Q L h h
COPR   1 4
Wnet ,in h2  h1
Q H h h
COPHP   2 3
Wnet ,in h2  h1
4
Chapter 2 Problem 1
The Ideal Vapor-Compression
p p Refrigeration
g Cycle
y

A refrigerator uses refrigerant-134a as the working fluid and operates on an ideal vapor-
compression refrigeration cycle between 0.14 and 0.8 MPa. If the mass flow rate of the
refrigerant
fi t is
i 0.05
0 05 kg/s,
k / d determine:
t i

1) Calculate the rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space

2) Calculate the power input to the compressor,
3) Calculate the rate of heat rejection to the environment,
4) Calculate the COP of the refrigerator.

MPa ---- Par *10

5
Chapter 2 Problem 1

From the refrigerant-134a tables, the enthalpies of the refrigerant at all

four states are determined as follows:

State 1: Saturated gas

State 2: Superheated gas

State 3: Saturated liquid

State 4: Adiabatic
Adi b ti expansion
i

6
Chapter 2 Problem 1
1) The rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space

2) the power input to the compressor,

3)) The rate of heat rejection

j to the environment

4) the COP of the refrigerator.

7
Chapter 2 Actual Vapor‐compression Refrigeration Cycle
An actual vapor
vapor-compression
compression refrigeration cycle differs from the ideal one owing mostly to the
irreversibilities that occur in various components, mainly due to fluid friction (causes pressure
drops) and heat transfer to or from the surroundings.

DIFFERENCES
Non-isentropic compression
Superheated vapor at evaporator exit The COP decreases as a result of
Subcooled liquid at condenser exit irreversibilities.
Pressure drops in condenser and evaporator

8
Chapter 2 Problem 2
The Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
The Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
Refrigerant-134a enters the compressor of a refrigerator as superheated vapor at 0.15 MPa
and -10°C at134a
a rate
Refrigerant-134a
Refrigerant of 0.05
enters thekg/s
g and leaves
compressor of aatrefrigerator
0.8 MPa and as 60°C. The refrigerant
superheated g
vapor at is0.15
cooled
MPain
the
andcondenser
-10°C at a to 25°C
rate and kg/s
of 0.05 0.8 MPa and is throttled
and leaves at 0.8 MPa to 0.15 MPa. Disregarding
and 60°C. any
The refrigerant is heat
cooled in
transfer and pressure
the condenser to 25°Cdrops in the
and 0.8 MPa connecting lines between
and is throttled the components,
to 0.15 MPa. Disregardingdetermine
any heat
transfer and pressure drops in the connecting lines between the components, determine
1) Draw the cycle on the P P-h
h diagram
diagram,
2) Calculate
1) the rate
Draw the cycle on of
theheat
P-hremoval
diagram,from the refrigerated space,
3) Calculate
2) Calculate the
the rate
powerof input to the compressor,
heat removal from the refrigerated space,
4) Ca
3) Calculate
Calculate the
cu a e the isentropic
e po
power puefficiency
e input to
o the coof the compressor,
e compressor,
p esso ,
5) ) Calculate
4) Calculate thethe coefficient
isentropic of performance
efficiency of the refrigerator.
of the compressor,
5) Calculate the coefficient of performance of the refrigerator.

9
 Chapter 2 Problem 2
1) The cycle

3 2
8 bar

1.5 bar

4 1

10 235 393 430 445

Chapter 2 Problem 2

h1 = 393 Kj/kg h2 = 445 Kj/kg h3 = h4 = 235 Kj/kg

2)) The rate of heat removal from the refrigerated

g space
p

0.05(393-235) = 7.9 kW

3) The power input to the compressor

0.05(445-393) = 2.6 kW

4) The isentropic efficiency of the compressor h2s = 430 Kj/kg

= (430-393) / (445-393)= 0.71

5)) The COP of the refrigerator.

g

7.9 / 2.6 = 3
Must be higher than (1)

11
 Chapter 2 Other Refrigeration Cycles  
Multi-evaporator
p with a single
g compressor
p and multiple
p expansion
p valves Very Important

The COP of this system is given by: This Figure is

Given

Where mI and mII are the refrigerant mass flow rates

through evaporator I and II respectively. They are given by:

G - Given

Enthalpy at point 2 (inlet to compressor) is obtained by

applying mass and energy balance to the mixing of two
refrigerant streams, i.e.,
3-45-6-78-9-1-2

1- Energy Balance

If the expansion across PRV (Pressure Reducing Valve) is

isenthalpic, then specific enthalpy h7 will be equal to h9.
12
Chapter 2 Other Refrigeration Cycles  
Multi-evaporator
p system
y with multi-compression,
p , intercooling
g and flash gas
g
removal
The COP of this system is given by:

Increase Cooling

Increase Efsition
Only Liquid go

For a two-stage
two stage compressor with intercooling
intercooling, the optimum
intermediate pressure, Pi,opt is:

13
Chapter 2 Other Refrigeration Cycles  
Multi-evaporator
p system
y with multi-compression,
p , intercooling
g and flash gas
g
removal
mII is the mass flow rate of refrigerant through
the high-stage compressor which can be
obtained by taking a control volume which
includes the flash tank and high temperature
evaporator (as shown by dashed line in the
schematic) and applying mass and energy
balance:

mass balance:

energy balance:

14
Chapter 2 Other Refrigeration Cycles  

Cascade refrigeration systems

In a cascade system a series of refrigerants with
progressively lower boiling points are used in a series
of single stage units. The condenser of lower stage
system is coupled to the evaporator of the next higher
stage system and so on. The component where heat of
condensation of lower stage refrigerant is supplied for
vaporization of next level refrigerant is called as
cascade condenser.

15
Chapter 2 Other Refrigeration Cycles  
Cascade refrigeration systems

Very low temperatures can be achieved by operating two or more vapor-compression

systems in series, called cascading. The COP of a refrigeration system also
increases as a result of cascading.

16
Chapter 2 Problem 3
Two stage compression system with water intercooler uses R-134a
R 134a as shown in Figure-1.
Figure 1.
The evaporating temperature is -25 oC and condensing temperature 47oC. The refrigeration
capacity is 8 TR and the compression is adiabatic reversible process. The refrigerant leaves
the water intercooler at 8 oC.
1 Draw
1- D th
the cycle
l on th
the R
R-134a
134 diagram,
di
2- Calculate the refrigerant mass flow rate,
3- Calculate work done of each compressor,
4- Ca
Calculate
cu ate tthe
e co
condenser
de se heateat load,
oad,
5- Calculate the coefficient of performance.
6- Also reestimate the requirements if the compression is one stage.

17
 Chapter 2 Problem 3
1) The cycle

5 4
12 bar

3.46 3
2

1bar
6 1

400 433
18 267 380
411
Chapter 2 Problem 3

h1 = 380 Kj/kg h2 = 411 Kj/kg h3 = 400 Kj/kg h4 = 433 Kj/kg h5 = h6 = 267 Kj/kg

2- Calculate the refrigerant mass flow rate

The refrigeration capacity is 8 TR: M=QL/(h2-h1)---h cooling
M=Wcomp/(h2-h1)---h Comp.

3- Calculate work done of each compressor

0.24(411-380) = 7.44 kW
0.24(433-400) = 7.92 kW

4- Calculate the condenser heat load

0 24(433 26 ) = 39.84
0.24(433-267) 39 84 kW
19
Chapter 2 Problem 3
5- Calculate the coefficient of performance.
p

1.82
7.44 7.92

6- Also reestimate the requirements if the compression is one stage.

,
h2 = 450 Kj/kg

0.24(450-267) = 43.92 kW

0.24(450-380) = 16.8 kW

1 66
1.66
16.8

9.2 9.6
20
Chapter 2 Problem 4
Considering the data in Problem -1 and flash intercooler was used as shown in Figure-2. Two stage
compression system with water intercooler uses R R-134a. 25 oC and
134a The evaporating temperature is -25
condensing pressure is 9 bar. The refrigeration capacity is 8 TR and the compression is adiabatic reversible
process. The refrigerant leaves the evaporator at 1 and leaves the flash chamber at 4 bar.
1- Draw the cycle on the R-134a diagram,
2 Calculate the refrigerant mass flow rate
2- rate,
3- Calculate work done of each compressor,
4- Calculate the condenser heat load,
5- Calculate the coefficient of performance.
6 Also reestimate the requirements if the compression is one stage.
6- stage

Fig.2: Two-stage vapor compression refrigeration system with

flash gas removal using a flash tank and intercooling
21
 Chapter 2 Problem 4
1) The cycle

6 5
9 bar

4 8 4
7 2

1bar
9 1

211 403 422

22 250 380
411
Chapter 2 Problem 4

h1 = 380 Kj/kg h2 = 410 Kj/kg h4 = 400 Kj/kg h5 = 422 Kj/kg h6 = h7 = 250 Kj/kg
h8 = h9 = 211 Kj/kg

2- Calculate the refrigerant mass flow rate

The refrigeration capacity is 8 TR:

3- Calculate work done of each compressor

0.165(410-380) = 4.95 kW
( ) = 3.63 kW
0.165(422-400)

4- Calculate the condenser heat load

0.165(422-250)
( ) = 28.38 kW

23
Chapter 2 Problem 4
5- Calculate the coefficient of performance.
p

3.26
4.95 3.63

6- Also reestimate the requirements if the compression is one stage.

0.165(432-250) = 30.03 kW

0.165(435-380) = 9.075 kW

3
9.075

5.4 8.6
24