Topic of Presentation:

Name of Members:
M. Umar Jamal (206-2019)
Hassan Shahid (762-2019)
Sulaiman Afridi (379-2019)

Semester: 6th
 Refrigerants
A refrigerant is chemical compound that is used as the heat carrier, which
changes from gas to liquid and then back to gas in the refrigeration cycle.
Refrigerants are used primarily in refrigerators/freezers, air-conditioning, and fire
suppression systems.

Commonly used refrigerants

Air
Ammonia
Carbon di oxide
Methyl chloride
Sulphur di oxide
water
 Air
• it is non-toxic and non-flammable.

• dense air cycle was used so that the density of air was
high and size of compressor and expander remained
small and manageable.

• it is available at free of cost.

• it was earlier used in marine refrigeration and is still used in

aircraft refrigeration systems.
 Ammonia
 It is the oldest and widely used refrigerant used in large industrial
applications.
 It has a high critical temperature.
 Its toxicity and irritability are its adverse properties.
 It is relatively cheap.
 It attacks cuprous and zinc alloys in presence of water.
 It is a strong irritant and 16-25% by volume in air is sufficient to
cause burns on the skin.
 It is used in super markets indirectly with brine in water chillers for
centralized air conditioning, cold storages, ice manufacturing and
skating rinks.
 Carbon di oxide
 It is colourless and odourless gas which is heavier than air.
 It is non toxic and inflammable.
 It is heavier than air , hence if it leaks it will settle down and may
cause suffocation.
 It was used in marine refrigeration for sometime and was also used
in theatre air-conditioning, hotel and institutional refrigeration instead
of ammonia.
 Operating cost is high comparing to other refrigerants.
 It is one of the main substance causing global warming
 It is corrosive if both water and oxygen are present simultaneously.
 CH3CL
 It is a colourless liquid with faint sweet, non irritating odour.
 It is both toxic and flammable to some extent.
 It was used in household refrigerators with rotary and reciprocating
compressors.
 It reacts vigorously with aluminum.
 Sulphur di oxide
 It is colourless, non-explosive and non-flammable gas.
 It is extremely toxic and irritating.
 In 1920s it was used in household refrigerators with rotary and
reciprocating compressors.
 It has extremely noxious odour so much so that even animals cannot
withstand.
 It causes stinging eyes and coughing.
 People tend to run away in case of leakage.
 It absorbs moisture and forms sulphureous acid that is very
corrosive and seizes the compressor.
 It has bleaching effect on plants, flowers and furs.
 Water
 It is the cheapest and safest refrigerant.

 It is non-toxic, non-flammable and non-explosive.

 The high freezing temperature(0 deg c) restricts its use to high

temperature refrigeration. Hence it is used for comfort a/c or
brewage, milk or liquid chilling.
 Desirable properties of refrigerants
Above atmospheric pressure
 Refrigerant may leak from the evaporator if the evaporator gauge
pressure is positive, that is above atmospheric . Hence the system
must be air tight. If the evaporator pressure is below the
atmospheric air then air and water vapour may leak into the
system.
 The water vapour may remain as free water if it is not dissolved by
the refrigerant.

 This free water will freeze in the expansion valve when the temp.
may be less than 0deg. This will choke the flow in the system.
 The air that leaks into the system will not freeze the room temp. but
will occupy a precious heat transfer area in the condenser.

 This decreases the volumetric efficiency and mass flow rate of

refrigerant and the refrigeration capacity, apart from compressing air
without getting any cooling from it.
 Moderately low condenser pressure
 This leads to low-weight equipment and piping.

 CO2 has the highest condenser pressure. This leads to more power
consumption.

 Refrigerants with low normal boiling points have a high condenser

pressure and high vapour density.

 Refrigerants with low condenser pressure have a high normal boiling

points and low vapour density.
 Relatively High critical pressure
 As the condenser pressure approaches the critical pressure, the
zone of condensation decreases and the heat rejection occurs
mostly in the superheated vapour region.

 Since the zone of isothermal heat transfer decreases, the

irreversibility increases.
 This involves a large temperature difference between the refrigerant
and the surroundings leading to large irreversibility.

 Power requirement also goes up since the area of superheated zone

is large.
 The refrigerant should be such that the critical temperature is large
compared to normal condenser temperature.
 High vapour density
 The refrigerant with high vapour density require small compressors,
velocities can be kept small, pressure drops will be small, and tubes
of smaller diameter can be used.

Low freezing temperature

 The refrigerant should not freeze during the normal course of
operation. Hence its freezing temperature should be small.

 Eg. Water cannot be used below 0 deg. C

 Low cost
 It is immaterial sometimes, as the required quantity is very less.

 If the cost is low, then the people may not take sufficient safeguards
to prevent leakages. Eg. Ammonia

 The prices of the refrigerants with high ozone depletion potential are
hiked to discourage their use.
 High latent heat
 This results in lower mass flow rate. If the vapour density is also
high, then it will require a smaller compressor.

 It is difficult to control small mass flow rates and this may become a
disadvantage.

 Eg. Ammonia cannot be used in small refrigeration systems

(latent heat is the heat released or absorbed by a body during a change

of state without change of temperature)
 Inertness and stability
 The refrigerant should not react with materials used in the refrigeration
system, that is , tubes, gaskets, compressor parts,…

 It should be non corrosive in presence of water.

 It should be stable, i.e. its composition should not change during its use.

 Ammonia reacts with copper and cuprous alloys while CH3Cl reacts
with aluminium.
 Most of the refrigerants form acids and bases in presence of water
and some may react in presence of lubricating oil.

 CH3Cl and CCl2F2 can form HCl that can dissolve copper from copper
tubes and deposit it in piston.
 High dielectric strength of vapours
 It is required for use of refrigerants in hermetically sealed
compressors where the refrigerant vapour comes into direct contact
with the motor windings and may cause short circuits.

Non-irritability
 The refrigerant should not irritate eyes, nose and lungs.

 NH3 irritates all mucous membranes.

 SO2 also irritates the lungs.

 High heat ransfer characteristics
 The heat transfer coefficient depends on density, specific heat,
thermal conductivity, viscosity, surface tension and latent heat for
boiling and condensation.

 Low liquid and vapour viscosity is desirable since it leads to higher

heat transfer coefficients.

 A higher heat transfer coefficient leads to the requirement of smaller

area and results in lower pressure drop, both of which are
economical and the equipment also becomes compact.
 Satisfactory oil solubility
 The lubricating oils come into direct contact with refrigerant in
reciprocating compressors.

 3 possible reactions may take place.

 Some oil may get dissolved in refrigerant. This will change the
pressure-temperature characteristics of the refrigerant.
 Some refrigerant may get dissolved in oil. This will change the
lubricating properties in the oil.
 Some oil is physically picked up by high velocity refrigerant
vapour. This results in a mechanical mixture that may
accumulate in some component if it cannot be physically carried
by the refrigerant.
 Adverse effects due to oil solubility
 Reduces the heat transfer coefficient in the evaporator and
condenser.

 The boiling point and condensation temperature of the refrigerant

change, resulting in lower Coefficient of performance.

 Compressor lubrication may be affected due to change in viscosity

or reduction in quality of lubricating oil.
 Low water solubility
 All refrigerants form acids or bases in the presence of water. These
cause corrosion .

 The water which does not go into solution with refrigerant, remains
as free water. This free water freezes below 0 deg C and may choke
the flow. If this happens in expansion valve, the tubes may burst.
 Non-flammability
 The refrigerant should not support combustion in air or lubricating oil.

 Freons, SO2, CO2 are non-flammable.

 All chlorofluorocarbons with larger no. of hydrogen atoms are

flammable.

 Ammonia with 16-25% air makes an explosive mixture.

 Easy leak detect
 NH3 and SO2 can be detected by their odour.
 NH3 have pungent odour in strong concentrations.
 SO2 causes sneezing.

A strong smelling chemical like Acrolein can be added to the

refrigerant to detect the leak.
 Freons can be detected by halide torch. The alcohol lamp in it gives
blue flame and turn into green in presence of Freons.

 SO2 can be detected with NH3-H2O as it makes white fumes of

ammonia sulphide.
 Electronic devices can also be used.
 Eco-friendly
 The refrigerant should not cause global warming or ozone depletion.

 All chlorine containing refrigerants have a high ozone depletion

potential.

 The CFCs are very stable and inert compounds. Once they leak into
atmosphere they remain in atmosphere for all times. They also lead
to global climate changes.
 Secondary refrigerants
 In air conditioning the multistorey buildings where the central
refrigerant plant is at one location, it is not economical to circulate the
refrigerant to all the floors or spaces for cooling purposes.
 It will require long refrigerant lines leading to large pressure drops and
large compressor power.
 It will also require large quantity of refrigerant.
 In such cases it is economical to circulate secondary refrigerants. They
cannot produce cooling effect by evaporation. They only transport the
refrigeration effect produced by the primary refrigerant.
 Some of the secondary refrigerants are:
Water
Brine solution
Glycol solution
 Secondary refrigerants
Water
 It is used upto 4°C since it freezes at 0°C

Brine
 The solution of salts in water is called brine. Some other chemicals can
also be added to it.
 Sodium chloride brine is used upto -15°C and calcium chloride brine is
use upto -50°C.
Disadvantages
 Brine solutions are very corrosive to copper, brass, aluminium, etc.
 Mild steel pipes and sheets with anti-corrosive treatment are used
with brines.
 Commercial refrigerants &
mix proportions
 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) when derived from methane and ethane
 Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) when derived from methane and
ethane
 Bromochlorofluorocarbons and bromofluorocarbons
 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's) when derived from methane, ethane,
propane, and butane

COMMERCIAL NAMES
Freon , Algofrene, Arcton, Asahiflon, Daiflon,
Eskimo, FCC, Flon, Flugene, Forane, Fridohna,
Frigen, Frigedohn, Genetron, Isceon, Isotron,
Kaiser, Kaltron, Khladon, Ledon, Racon, and Ucon.