SELECTION AND BALANCING

OF REFRIGERATION
COMPONENTS
EVAPORATOR SELECTION
• If the evaporator is used for an application that has evaporating temperatures
below 32F (0C) the fin spacing may be selected for fewer fins. The wider fin
spacing allows frost to build up on the fins without impeding airflow (blocking
the air entering side of the coil, which will reduce the cooling capacity).
• Note: Some applications like blast freezing (very fast freezing rates) will
accumulate a lot of frost on the evaporator fins. In these applications it is
common to use a variable fin spacing. Typically the first two rows of tubes in
the evaporator have wide fins spacing to collect frost and allow air flow for
longer periods between defrost cycles. The remainder of the coil will have
smaller fin spacing. The majority of the frost collection is on the first two rows
of the coil (air entering side).
• For evaporators used with evaporating temperatures above 32F (0C), the fin
spacing can be increased since no frost will form on the fins.
• Some evaporators operating with an evaporating temperature above 32F (0C)
using more fins may require some type of air filtration device to prevent the dirt
from collecting on the fins. (This would primarily be used for rooms where a high
volume of dirt is possible.)
• If the evaporator is selected for smaller fin spacing (more fins on the coil), the
overall heat transfer surface is increased, so the total capacity of the coil is
slightly increased. Conversely, if the evaporator is selected for greater fin spacing
(less fins on the coil), the heat transfer surface is decreased and the coil capacity
is also decreased slightly.
COMPRESSOR SELECTION
• Refrigerant type
• Ambient Conditions
• Required Refrigeration Conditions
• Compression Ratio
• Flow rate through the compressors of the designed system
• Free air delivery, FAD
• Compressor Cooling System
• Total Required power input
 Condenser Selection
1. Refrigerant type

2. Application (low, medium or high temperature)

3. Total heat rejection

4. Condensing temperature

5. Entering water temperature

EXPANSION VALVE SELECTION
• ORIFICE SIZE
BALANCING OF REFRIGERATION
COMPONENTS
TESTING OF A COMPRESSOR

• Test bench description

A small lubrication pump is mounted on the crankshaft in the bottom of the
compressor shell, which circulates the oil to the bearings and scrolls through an
orifice located inside the crankshaft. This compressor is confronted to two
problems: the motor cooling (due to the high evaporation temperature), and the
scroll lubrication: when the compressor turns slowly, the pumping effect
decreases and the compressor is poorly lubricated. Under these conditions, the
compressor internal leakage could also become more important.
TESTING OF AIR-TO-REFRIGERANT
HEAT EXCHANGERS
• Description of the test bench
• The air side network
• Refrigerant network
• Water network
• Measuring equipment and data processing
• Temperatures
• Air flow rate measurements
TESTING OF A ROOM AIR
CONDITIONER
Previous sections described the measurements performed on HVAC components. In some cases,
measurements on the components alone are not sufficient, and the whole HVAC system has to
be characterized. The section describes the experimental investigation of reversible room air
conditioner (RAC). The testing method is based on a double energy balance.
• The air side energy balance ("calorimeter" method) consists in installing each (indoor and
outdoor) unit inside a calorimeter. Each calorimeter contains all (water and heat) sources and
sinks, required to absorb the emission of each unit and to maintain the required environmental
conditions (air temperature and humidity).
• The refrigerant side energy balance ("enthalpy method") is based on the determination of the
refrigerant enthalpy flow rate supplied to each element of the RAC (compressor, condenser,
expansion valve and evaporator). This is made possible thanks to the use of a set of temperature
and pressure sensors and of a Coriolis flow meter, introduced in the refrigerant circuit.
• DESCRIPTION OF THE TEST BENCH AND TEST METHOD
• Calorimeter method
• Refrigerant Enthalpy Method
