Department of Mechanical Engineering

ME 322 – Mechanical Engineering

Thermodynamics

Lecture 29

The Vapor Compression Refrigeration

(VCR) Cycle
 Refrigerator used for Cooling

energy sought Qin

E    COPC
energy that costs Wcycle
TH

Observation: E may be >1 E  100%

The concept of an efficiency being greater than 100%

makes people uneasy. Therefore, the conversion
TL efficiency for a refrigerator is called the Cooling
Coefficient of Performance (COPC). A refrigeration
system that is used for cooling is called a refrigerator.

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 Refrigerator used for Heating

energy sought Qout

E    COPH
energy that costs Wcycle
TH

Observation: E may be >1 E  100%

The concept of an efficiency being greater than 100%

makes people uneasy. Therefore, the conversion
TL efficiency for a refrigerator is called the Heating
Coefficient of Performance (COPH). A refrigeration
system that is used for cooling is called a heat pump.

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 Analysis of the Carnot Refrigerator
For the Refrigeration cycle …
Qin Qin 1
th  COPR   
Wcycle Qout  Qin Qout / Qin  1
TH
1 1 TL
COPR,Carnot   COPR,Carnot 
 Qout / Qin rev  1 TH / TL  1 TH  TL

For the Heat Pump cycle …

Qout Qout 1
th  COPH   
TL Wcycle Qout  Qin 1  Qin / Qout
1 1 TH
COPH,Carnot   COPH,Carnot 
1   Qin / Qout rev 1  TL / TH TH  TL

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 Terminology
• Refrigeration cycle
– The cycle is operating in a refrigeration cycle
• The goal is to keep the cold space cold
– Transfer heat from a low-temperature source to the cycle

• Heat pump cycle

– The cycle is operating in a refrigeration cycle
• The goal is to keep the hot space hot
– Transfer heat to a high-temperature sink from the cycle

The words refrigeration or heat pump define the goal of the cycle.

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 The Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle

TH

TL

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 The Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle
Working fluid = Refrigerant • Two phase changes
– Boiling (evaporator)
– Condensing (condenser)
• Low temperature boiling fluids

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 Refrigerants
Most refrigerants are halogenated hydrocarbons. The naming
convention adopted by ASHRAE is,

R(a-1)(b+1)d = CaHbClcFd c = 2(a – 1) – b – d

Example: R22 (R022)

a 1  0  a  1 H
b 1  2  b  1
d 2 F C F chlorodifluoromethane
c  2  a  1  b  d
c  2 1  1  1  2  1 Cl

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 The Pressure-Enthalpy Diagram

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 Vapor Compression Refrigeration Analysis

 m  h 2  h3 
Performance
Qin
COPC 
Wc

 m  h 2  h1 
h3  h 4

 m  h1  h 4 

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 The Ideal VCR Cycle on the P-h Diagram
P
1-2: Isentropic compression
2-3: Isobaric heat rejection
3-4: Isenthalpic expansion
4-1: Isobaric heat addition
qout  Qout / m
 m  h 2  h3 
3 2

4  m  h 2  h1 
1 h3  h 4

qin  Qin / m wc  Wc / m

 m  h1  h 4 
h

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 Refrigeration Effect and Capacity

Refrigeration Effect: qin  h1  h 4

Refrigeration Capacity: Q in  m  h1  h 4 

Refrigeration capacity is often expressed in tons of

refrigeration. Definition …

1 ton of refrigeration is the steady state heat transfer rate

required to melt 1 ton of ice at 32°F in 24 hours.

1 ton = 12,000 Btu/hr = 3.516 kW

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 VCR Cycle Irreversibilities
P

2s
Pressure drop through 2
the condenser 3
Isentropic efficiency
Pressure drop through 4 of the compressor
the evaporator 1

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 Practical VCR Cycle
P T3 SCT SCT = Saturated Condensing Temperature
DSC = Degrees of Subcooling = SCT – T3

Subcooling increases the

2s 2 refrigeration capacity
3

Superheating provides a dry

vapor at the compressor inlet
1
4

SET = Saturated Evaporating Temperature

T1
DSH = Degrees of Superheat = T1 – SET
SET
h

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 Example
Given: A vapor compression refrigeration cycle is operating
with a saturated evaporating temperature of -20°F and a
saturated condensing temperature of 80°F. The refrigerant,
R22, leaves the condenser as a saturated liquid and enters
the compressor with 5 degrees of superheat. The pressure
drops through the evaporator and condenser can be
considered negligible. The compressor has an isentropic
efficiency of 85%. The cycle has a capacity of 15 tons.

Find: (a) the mass flow rate of the R22 (lbm/hr)

(b) the power requirement of the compressor (hp)
(c) the coefficient of performance of the cycle

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 Example
P

T3  80F

SCT  80F 2s
3 2

4
T1  SET  5F SET  20F
1

T4  20F
T1  SET  5F
 15 tons

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 T3  80F
Example

T1  SET  5F

T4  20F

 15 tons
P

SCT  80F 2s
3 2

4 1
SET  20F

T1  SET  5F

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 T3  80F
Example
Strategy: Build the property table
then do the thermodynamics!
T1  SET  5F

T4  20F The high and low pressures in the cycle

 15 tons can be found since the saturation
P
temperatures are given.

SCT  80F 2s
3 2

4 1
SET  20F

The pressures at all four states are known!

T1  SET  5F

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 T3  80F
Example

T1  SET  5F

T4  20F

 15 tons
P

SCT  80F 2s
3 2

4 1
SET  20F

T1  SET  5F

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 T3  80F
Example
The property table is complete!

T1  SET  5F

T4  20F

 15 tons
P

SCT  80F 2s
3 2

4 1
SET  20F

T1  SET  5F

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 T3  80F
Example
EES Solution (Key Variables)

T1  SET  5F

T4  20F

 15 tons
P
Comparison (same units) …

12, 000 Btu Btu

Q in  15 tons 
SCT  80F
 180, 000
2s
3 2

ton-hr hr
2545 Btu Btu
Wc   24.45 hp   62, 225
4 1
SET  20F
hp-hr hr
T1  SET  5F

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