18-Oct-14

Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Vapor Compression Cycle (1)

 Gases can be liquefied/cooled using

external refrigeration cycles (similar to
that in your home refrigerator or AC).
These employ what is called as vapor
compression cycle. Certain arrangements
of these cycles can liquefy gases.
Expansion
 Efficiency of the vapor refrigerator is
generally higher than that of other
methods because heat is transferred
nearly isothermally (more on this later)

Typical single-stage vapor compression cycle

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Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Steps: Vapor Compression Cycle (2)
-Heat is absorbed by evaporation of a suitable liquid
at T1 and P1 in an evaporator (temperature of the
evaporator is usually near the normal boiling point of
the gas)
-In a dry compression cycle, vapor is compressed to
pressure P2
- Superheated vapor at the compressor outlet is
condensed in a condenser at T2 by exchanging heat
with a suitable coolant. The vapor may be fully
condensed into its liquid at point 3 by an external
coolant (air, water, propane,…, etc). The condenser
pressure (and hence condensation temperature,
why?) is usually determined by knowing the coolant
used (air, water, propane,…, etc) and its cooling
temperature,
- A throttling valve then allows the saturated liquid
formed in the condenser to expand isenthalpically
from point 3 to point 4 to the evaporator, completing
Dr. Tamer Samir © 25
the cycle

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 18-Oct-14

Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Vapor Compression Cycle Measure of Performance
One of the criteria used to measure the performance of a
vapor compression cycle (or a liquefaction cycle) is what is
called Coefficient of Performance (COP)
The coefficient of performance of any refrigeration cycle
(or liquefaction cycle) is the ratio of the refrigeration effect
to the net work input required to achieve that effect.
Qin
COP 
Wnet
TC
COPmax  COPcarnot 
TH  TC

Carnot Refrigeration Cycle

- All processes are internally reversible.
- Heat transfers between the refrigerant and
each region occur isothermally with no
temperature differences Dr. Tamer Samir © 26

Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Comments (1)

• The cycle operates between two • Usually the evaporator pressure is

pressures (condenser pressure (higher)
and evaporator pressure (lower)). If the
refrigerant of the cycle is a single
component (not a mixture), then each
pressure corresponds to a single
temperature. So, in this case, the cycle
operates between the condenser
temperature (higher) and evaporator
temperature (lower) (inside the 2-phase
Dr. Tamer Samir ©
region only). What about mixtures?
slightly above atmospheric. Why? The
lowest temperature that can be
attained by the cycle is slightly higher
than that of the evaporator. Why is
the temperature of the evaporator
cannot be attained? Usually the
minimum approach is 2-7 oC (the
lower the refrigeration temperature,
the lower the approach. Why?
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Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Comments (2)

• The compressor cannot handle liquids. So,
the feed to the compressor should at least be
saturated vapor (or slightly superheated).
• The liquid exiting the condenser is usually
saturated liquid (or slightly subcooled)
• The lowest power consumption for the
compressor when it operates isothermally
(impossible to be attained practically).
•The ideal compressor operates
isentropically (S=const). For real
compressors, the isentropic efficiency
should be used to get the compressor
effluent condition (point 2)
• Instead of having the isentropic
efficiency, the polytropic efficiency can
be provided instead

Dr. Tamer Samir © 28

Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Comments (3)
Compressor Calculations (1)
There are three ways in which the thermodynamic calculations for compression can be
carried out — by assuming:
1. Isothermal path — a process in which temperature is constant, PV = constant
2. Isentropic path — a process during which there is no heat added to or removed
from the system and the entropy remains constant, PV Ɣ = constant (Ɣ = Cp /Cv).
3. Polytropic path — a process in which changes in gas characteristics during
compression are considered, PV n = constant

WActual wIso wIsent wPoly

  
m  Iso  Isent  Poly

H 2, Isent  H1
 Isent 
H 2  H1
ln  P2 P1 
 Poly 
ln  P2, Isent P1 

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Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Comments (3)
Compressor Calculations (2)
Isothermal Isentropic Polytropic

PV  Const PV   Const ,   CP CV PV n  Const

   1    n 1 
P1   P2   n  P2  n
 1  1
P1
P P1
wIso  ln 2 wIsent    wPoly   
1 P1 1   1  P1  1 1 n  1  P1 
   
P2
Z1 RT1 ln    1    n 1 
P1   P2    n  P2  n 
Z1 RT1    1  Z1 RT1    1
  1  P1   n  1  P1  
   
 1 n 1
P  
P  n
T2  T1 T2  T1  2  T2  T1  2 
 P1   P1 
n 1  1 1
Note that the work here is 
the specific work n   poly
Dr. Tamer Samir © 30

Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Comments (3)
Compressor Calculations (3)
•To decrease the power needed for
compression usually compression is done on
stages with intercooling between the stages.
The optimum pressure ratio (rp) in each
stage is usually when the pressure ratios in
all the stages are equal:

rp  stage   rp overall 
1N

Pfinal
rp overall : Overall pressure ratio =
Pinitial
N : No. of stages

Dr. Tamer Samir © 31

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Liquefaction Using External Refrigeration Cycles

Comments (4)
Cycle Calculation from P-H and T-S diagrams (1)

1 ton refrigeration
• Compressor Power: • Expansion valve: = 12,000 BTU/hr
WS  m  H 2, s  H1  (isentropic) = 3.516 kW
  H3  H 4
WS , actual  m  H 2  H1  (with isentropic efficiency)
 
• Condenser Duty: • Evaporator Duty or Refrigeration
Duty:
Qout  QCond  m  H3  H2   ve,
 why ? 
   
Qin  QEvap  m  H1  H4   ve, why ? 
   
Dr. Tamer Samir © 32

Problem 1
mm up

Consider the simple Linde–Hampson 1 Make-up

Gas
cycle shown in the figure. The gas is
nitrogen and it is at 25 ◦C and 1 bar at Compressor
the compressor inlet, and the pressure of
the gas is 20 MPa at the compressor 2
outlet. The compressor is reversible and
isothermal, the heat exchanger has an 6
effectiveness of 100% (i.e., the gas
Heat
leaving the liquid reservoir is heated in Exchanger
the heat exchanger to the temperature of
the gas leaving the compressor), the
3
expansion valve is isenthalpic, and there
is no heat leak to the cycle. Determine (a) J-T valve 5
fraction of gas liquefied; (b) the
4
refrigeration load per unit mass of
liquefaction, (c) the COP
Note: P-H diagram of N2 is given Liquid
mf
Dr. Tamer Samir © 33

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Problem 1, cont’d

Dr. Tamer Samir © 34

mm up
Problem 1 1 Make-up

Solution (1) Gas

T=Const Compressor

6
Heat
Pressure

Exchanger
S=Const

J-T valve 5
4

Enthalpy Liquid
mf
Given:
- Gas to be liquefied: N2
- Point 1: 25 oC, 1 bar
- Point 2: 20 MPa (200 bar), Isothermal compressor
- h3=h4 (isenthalpic expansion)
- T6=T2 (also = T1 since T1=T2)
Dr. Tamer Samir © 35
- Since T6=T1 ; therefore Tm-up = T6 =T1 (point 1=point 6 =point m-up on P-H diagram

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 18-Oct-14

mm up
Problem 1 1 Make-up
Gas
Solution (2)
3 2
T=Const Compressor

6
Heat
Exchanger
Pressure

f S=Const
4
5 1 6
m-up 3

J-T valve 5
4

Liquid
mf
Enthalpy
On P-H diagram:
Known Points: 1 (same as 6 and m-up), 2, f, & 5
Missing: Points 3 and 4. However, we know that they have the same enthalpy; point
3 has P=200 bar and point 4 has P= 1 bar
Dr. Tamer Samir © 36

Problem 1
Solution (3) mm up
1 Make-up
- Material Balance on the control volume: Gas

m6 m f m
m2  m6  m f 1   1 6  y Compressor
m2 m2 m2
where y is the fraction liquefied from 2
the total flow in the liquefier
6
Heat
-Energy balance on the control volume: Exchanger

m6 m
m2h2  m6h6  m f h f  h2  h  fh 3
m2 6 m2 f
 h2  1 y  h6  yh f J-T valve 5
 
4
get y by sub. of specific enthalpies fromP-Hdiagram
Liquid
We now know the fraction of gas liquefied in mf
the liquefier (a)

Dr. Tamer Samir © 37

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 18-Oct-14

The refrigeration effect for this cycle

can be defined as the heat removed
Problem 1
from the makeup gas in order to
turn it into a liquid
Solution (4) mm up
1 Make-up
QL  Gas
 h h 
m f  mup f 
Compressor

From P-H diagram, get hm-up = h1 and hf and sub. 2

to get the refrigeration load per unit mass of
liquefaction (b) 6
Heat
QL
COP  Exchanger
W
QL  m f  hmup  h f  3
 
5
E.B on compressor: Q -Ws  H 2  H1 J-T valve

4
Isothermal compressor  Q  0 (unknown)
 We cannot get Ws
We have to use the compressor equations to calculate the Liquid
power of the compressor mf

Dr. Tamer Samir © 38

mm up
Problem 1 1 Make-up
Assuming ηiso = 100% Gas
Solution (5)
Compressor

P P 2
W  m2  1 ln 2  , 1  density
 1 P1  6
Heat
From P-H diagram, get ρ1 (=1/v1) Exchanger

   
QL m f  hmup  h f  y  hmup  h f  3
COP   
W P P P 
m2  1 ln 2   1 ln P2  J-T valve 5
 1  1
P1   P1 
    4

From P-H diagram, COP can be calculated (c) Liquid

mf
Another way to calculate compressor
power (only for isothermal reversible process) Remember that for
  reversible operations
W  m2  h2  h1  T1  s2  s1  ΔS= ΔQ/T
    
(2nd law of Thermodynamics)
Dr. Tamer Samir © 39

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Problem 1 (using T-S)

Repeat Problem 1 using N2 T-S diagram
mm up
Do it yourself!
1 Make-up
Gas

Compressor

6
Heat
Exchanger

H=C 3
Temperature

onst.
J-T valve 5
4
t.
ns
Co
P=

Liquid
mf

Dr. Tamer Samir © 40

Entropy

Problem 1 (using T-S), cont’d

Dr. Tamer Samir © 41

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Problem 1 (using T-S)

Solution (1)
mm up
1 Make-up
Gas

2
1 6
Compressor
m-up
2

6
Heat
Temperature

H=C
onst. Exchanger

3
3
f
5 J-T valve 5
t.
ns

4
Co

4
P=

Liquid
mf
Entropy

Dr. Tamer Samir © 42

Problem 2
Hydrogen gas at 25 ◦C and 1 bar is to be liquefied in a precooled Linde–Hampson cycle.
Hydrogen gas is compressed to a pressure of 10 MPa in the compressor which has an
isothermal efficiency of 65%. Determine:
(a) the heat removed from hydrogen per unit mass liquefied
(b) the fraction of the gas liquefied
(c) the work input in the compressor per unit mass of liquefied hydrogen

Given:
hf = 271.1 kJ/kg
h0 = 4200 kJ/kg
h6 = 965.4 kJ/kg
h9 = 1147.7 kJ/kg

Dr. Tamer Samir © 43

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Problem 2
Solution (1)
The heat removed from the hydrogen: Material balance on the control volume yields:
Q m9 m f m
qL  L   h0  h f  m6  m9  m f 1   1 9  y
mf   m6 m6 m6
Sub. and get qL where y is the fraction liquefied from
the total flow in the liquefier

Energy balance on the

control volume yields:
m6h6  m9h9  m f h f 
h6  1 y  h9  yh f
 
h h
 y  6 9  Sub. and get y
h f  h9

Dr. Tamer Samir © 44

Problem 2
Solution (2)
The total work input in the compressor However, what is needed is the work per
per unit mass of hydrogen gas unit of hydrogen liquefied
mf mf nf mf
compressed is: y  m1   n1  
m6 ( m1 ) y y y MwH 2
W 1  P2 
  Z 0 RT0 ln 
n1  Iso  P1  W 1  P2 
  Z 0 RT0 ln 
mf  yMwH 2   Iso  P1 

W 1  P2 
   Z 0 RT0 ln 
mf y MwH 2  Iso  P1 
W
Sub. and get
mf

Dr. Tamer Samir © 45

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