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A Service Tool
Manufacturers of refrigerants,
controls, and other suppliers
distribute hundreds of thousands of
pressure-temperature charts to the
trade every year. It would be rare
indeed to find a service technician
who could not put their hands on a
pressure-temperature chart or appli-
cation at a minute’s notice.
Figure 1
EVAPORATOR
Vapor
Liquid
COMPRESSOR
CONDENSER
Mixture of
Vapor
and
Liquid
RECEIVER
Figure 2 – °F 105°F
psig 107°F
2°F
19°F
psig 19°F 140
27°F 0°F
psig 17°F
10°F
16 18
Vapor
EVAPORATOR
200°F 115°F
psig psig 115°F
115°F
85°F 0°F
Liquid
158
158
COMPRESSOR
Mixture of
CONDENSER Vapor
16 and
110°F Liquid
psig 110°F 146
0°F
47°F
146 105°F
psig 17°F psig 110°F
30°F RECEIVER 5°F
Vapor
EVAPORATOR
Measured Temperature 46.1°C
Measured Temperature 93.3°C
P-T Equivalent to 10.9 bar 46.1°C
P-T Equivalent to 10.9 bar 46.1°C Superheat & Subcooling 0K
Superheat 47.2 K
Liquid
10.9
10.9
COMPRESSOR
Mixture of
CONDENSER Vapor
1.1 and
Measured Temperature 43.4°C Liquid
10.1
P-T Equivalent to 10.1 bar 43.4°C
Superheat & Subcooling 0K
same way as it was done on the suc- Subcooling is a lowering of a tem- vapor” under these conditions,
tion line (difference between mea- perature below the saturation point but practically speaking in an
sured temperature and saturation or boiling point. In our illustration in operating system, it should be
temperature), it is determined that Figure 2, subcooling of 5°F (2.8K) and assumed that some liquid and
the superheat is 85°F (47.2K). 2°F (1.4K) has been determined as some vapor are present together
illustrated at two points. under these conditions.)
When a system employs the use of a
liquid receiver, there can be no sub- Of course, it is important to maintain B. Superheated vapor is present
cooling at the surface of the liquid in some liquid subcooling in the liquid when the measured temperature
the receiver. The reason is that when line to prevent flash gas from form- is above the saturation tem-
liquid refrigerant and vapor exist ing in the liquid line and entering the perature corresponding to the
together, they must obey the P-T thermostatic expansion valve. P-T relationship. The amount
relationship or the refrigerant must of superheat is indicated by the
be saturated. In our example the With the use of a P-T chart/applica- difference.
measured pressure in the receiver is tion, we should be able to determine
146 psig (10.1 bar); the refrigerant at the condition of the refrigerant at C. Subcooled liquid is present when
the surface of the liquid level in the any point in the system by measur- the measured temperature is
receiver must therefore be at 110°F ing both the pressure and the tem- below the saturation tempera-
(43.3°C). perature and observing the following ture corresponding to the P-T
rules: relationship. The amount of
Once a solid column of liquid is subcooling is represented by the
A. Liquid and vapor are present
formed, subcooling of the refriger- difference.
together when the measured
ant can take place by lowering its
temperature corresponds to the
temperature with the use of liquid-
P-T relationship. (It is theoreti-
suction heat exchangers, subcoolers,
cally possible to have “100% sat-
or from lower ambient temperatures
urated liquid” or “100% saturated
surrounding the line.
Checking on Noncondensables
The proper use of the P-T relation- exists, the P-T relationship will be temperature (in condenser) is lower
ship can be helpful in discovering distorted so that the actual refriger- than a comparable system having no
the presence of air or other noncon- ant temperature in the condenser noncondensables.
densable gases in the system. These will be lower than the P-T chart/
undesirable gases will accumulate application indicates. This is the result of the noncondens-
in the condenser and add their able interfering with the amount of
pressure to that produced by the Assuming an air cooled condenser, condensing surface and making the
refrigerant, resulting in a higher total the relationship between leaving air condenser less efficient.
pressure. Therefore, if this condition temperature and actual refrigerant
Summary
With an understanding of the refrig- A P-T chart/application, along with saturated, subcooled or superheat-
erant pressure-temperature rela- accurate gauges and thermometers, ed. This is very important in properly
tionship, the widely available P-T allows us to determine at any point diagnosing system problems.
chart/application is a valuable tool. in the system if the refrigerant is
To determine subcooling for R-404A and R-407A, use BUBBLE POINT values (Temperatures above 50°F — Gray Background); to determine superheat for R-404A and R-407A, use DEW POINT values
(Temperatures 50°F and below).
** = exceeds critical temperature Form 1C
Figure 3 – °F
273
84 87
EVAPORATOR Vapor
Liquid
312
312
COMPRESSOR
CONDENSER Mixture of
Vapor
84 and
Liquid
292
292
RECEIVER
R-404A
FORM 10-135 — Page 7
______ (✓)
Mixture of
Superheated ______K
______K
Liquid
Liquid
Vapor
Vapor
and
Temperature 38.9°C
Superheated ______K
______K
Measured
Saturated
Subcooled
18.8
Saturated
20.1
Measured Temperature 48.9°C
______ (✓)
Superheated ______K
______K
Superheated ______K
______K
CONDENSER
RECEIVER
21.5
20.1
Subcooled
Saturated
Subcooled
Saturated
Measured Temperature 5°C
______ (✓)
Superheated ______K
______K
EVAPORATOR
6.0
Subcooled
Saturated
COMPRESSOR
Measured Temperature 98.9°C
Measured Temperature 9.4°C
______ (✓)
______ (✓)
______ (✓)
Superheated ______K
______K
Superheated ______K
______K
Superheated ______K
______K
Temperature 15.6°C
21.5
R-404A
Figure 3 – °C
5.8
Subcooled
Subcooled
Subcooled
Saturated
Measured
Saturated
Saturated
5.8
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