UNIT 3

REFRIGERATION CYCLE

The principle parts of the

refrigeration cycle are the cooling
coil or evaporator, the
compressor, the condenser, and
the expansion valve. See figure
below.
Expansion Evaporator

valve

Compressor

Condenser
As the cold refrigerant liquid moves
through the cooling coil, it picks up
heat from the air passing over its
surface. When refrigerant picks up
enough heat, it changes into a
vapour. The refrigerant vapour is
then drawn into the compressor and
is subjected to a higher pressure and
as a result, temperature of the
vapour increases.

The vapour is at high temperature

and pressure. In this state it passes
to the condenser, where outside air
is passed over the coil and heat is
removed and vapour changes back
to the liquid, however liquid is still
under pressure.
The liquid then flows to the
expansion valve and as the liquid
passes through it, its pressure is
immediately reduced. This pressure
decrease lowers the temperature of
the liquid even more and it is now
ready to pick up more heat.
The cold low pressure liquid then
flows in to the cooling coil. The
pressure in the cooling coil is low
enough to allow the refrigerant to
boil and vaporize again as it absorbs
heat from air passing over the coil
surface. The cycle then repeats it
self as the heated refrigerant vapour
is drawn into compressor.
COMPONENTS OF REFRIGERATION
CYCLE:-
1) COOLING COIL(EVAPORATOR):-
The main purpose of this coil is to
provide surface over which the room air
can flow. At the same time, it provides a
passage thro’ which the refrigerant
flows. Combination of warm air passing
over cold refrigerant causes air to lose
heat and refrigerant to gain heat.
Actually, although the temperature of
the refrigerant does not change, the
heat picked up from the air is used to
vaporize the liquid refrigerant at the
same temperature. Cooling coil
serves as a heat transfer device. Heat
is transferred from air to coil and then
to refrigerant.
2) THE COMPRESSOR:-

It serves two purposes; first it

draws refrigerant from the cooling
coil and forces it in to the
condenser. Secondly it increases
the pressure of the refrigerant.
SUCTION:-

By drawing the refrigerant from the

cooling coil, it reduces the pressure
in the cooling coil. The low pressure
permits the refrigerant to boil or
vaporize and absorb heat in the
process. Refrigerant boils at a
relatively low temperature. See
figure below.
b) DISCHARGE:-

The compressor then forces the

refrigerant vapour in to the
condenser. During this discharge
process, the compressor increases
the pressure of the refrigerant & also
increases the vapour temperature as
a result it is easier for the condenser
to do its job. See figure below.
3) THE CONDENSER:-

It serves two important functions,

a) Removes heat picked up by the
refrigerant in the cooling coil, and
b) Condenses the refrigerant vapour
to liquid.
The heat removal and condensing
processes can take place in either of
two ways.
a) WATER COOLING PROCESS:-

The refrigerant vapour is passed

through a coil that is submerged in
a water filled container. Water is at
a lower temp than that of vapour.
Heat is transferred from refrigerant
through the coil walls to the water,
which carries the heat thro’ a
discharge or a drain line.
See figure below.
b) AIR COOLING PROCESS:-

The refrigerant vapour is passed

through a fan cooled coil. Air blown
over the coil is cooler than vapour.
This vapour gives off heat to the air
through coil walls. The air is then
blown to the outdoors and heat
dissipated in atmosphere.
To summaries, the refrigerant enters
the condenser as a hot vapour and
leaves as a hot liquid.

The condenser removes enough

heat to change refrigerant from
vapour to liquid. See figure on the
next slide.
4) THE EXPANSION VALVE: -

The thermostatic expansion valve

reduces the pressure of refrigerant
liquid which is under pressure. As
the refrigerant passes through the
valve port, it enters the larger
diameter coil of low pressure area
(of the cooling coil).
The valve port acts as a metering
device between the high pressure
area (the condenser) and the low
pressure area (the cooling coil).

Since the boiling point of a liquid is

reduced, when the pressure of the
liquid is reduced, the liquid
refrigerant begins to vaporize, once
it passes through the valve port in to
the low pressure area.
SUMMARY:
To summarize, starting from the
Expansion Valve, the liquid Refrigerant
under low temperature but high
pressure enters from Condenser and is
discharged to the cooling coil, which is
under low pressure due to suction from
the Compressor, reduces pressure of
liquid Refrigerant. As the Refrigerant
under low temperature and low
pressure enters the Evaporator, it is
ready to boil.
At the Evaporator, room air is blown
over the cooling coil where room heat
is transferred to the Refrigerant
through the coil walls and the
Refrigerant flashes or evaporates. The
Refrigerant vapour is then sucked by
the Compressor, creating low
pressure in the Evaporator.
The compressor applies pressure on
the Refrigerant vapour, due to which
its temperature increases. Now the
Refrigerant vapour under high
pressure and high temperature is
pushed to the Condenser coil by the
Compressor.
At the Condenser, outside air,
which is at low temperature relative
to the refrigerant vapour
temperature, is blown over the
Condenser coil. The outside air
picks up heat from the refrigerant
liquid through the coil walls, due to
which the refrigerant vapour
condenses in to liquid.
The liquid Refrigerant under low
temperature but high pressure flowing
through the small caliber tube enters
the Expansion Valve from one side and
is discharged in to a large diameter
tube where it loses its pressure and
then travels to the Evaporator coil. Thus
the refrigerant cycle continues till the
desired temperature is reached.
See diagrammatic representation of
this process in the Figure below:
END OF UNIT THREE