Refrigeration Cycles

Chapter 11
 Refrigerators & Heat Pump
Refrigeration: The transfer of heat from
lower temperature regions to higher
temperature is called refrigeration.
Refrigerator: Devices that produces
refrigeration are called refrigerators.
Refrigerant: The working fluid used in
refrigerators are called refrigerant.
Heat Pump: Refrigerator used for the
purpose of heating a space by transferring
heat from a cooler medium are called heat
pump.
COP (coefficient of performance): The
performance of refrigeration and heat
pumps are expressed in terms of COP.
Desired Output Cooling effect QL
COPR   
Required Input Work input Wnet ,in

Desired Output Heating effect QL

COPHP   
Required Input Work input Wnet ,in
 Reversed Carnot Cycle
All four processes that comprise the
Carnot cycle can be reversed.
Reversing the cycle will also reverse the
directions of any heat and work
interactions.
The result is a cycle that operates in the
counterclockwise direction, which is called
the reversed Carnot cycle.
A refrigerator or heat pump that operates
on the reversed Carnot cycle is called a
Carnot refrigerator or a Carnot heat pump.
The standard of comparison for refrigeration
cycle is the reversed Carnot cycle.

The coefficient of performance e of Carnot

refrigerators and heat pumps were determined
to be
1 1
COPR ,Carnot  COPHP ,Carnot 
TH TL  1 1  TL T H
The Ideal Vapor Compression
Refrigeration Cycle
In an ideal vapor compression refrigeration
cycle, the refrigerant enters the
compressor as a saturated vapor and is
cooled to the saturated liquid state in the
condenser. It is then throttled to the
evaporator pressure and vaporizes as it
absorbs heat from refrigerated space.
The ideal vapor compression refrigeration
cycle consists of following four processes.
1 – 2: Isentropic compression in a compressor.
2 – 3: Constant pressure heat rejected in
condenser.
3 – 4: Throttling in an expansion device (same
enthalpy remains constant)
4 – 1: Constant pressure heat absorption in an
evaporator.
In a household refrigerator, the freezer
compartment where heat is absorbed by
the refrigerant serves as the evaporator.
The coils behind the refrigerator, where
heat is dissipated to the kitchen air serve
as the condenser.
The area under the process curve on a T-s
diagram represents the heat transfer.
Another diagram frequently used in the
analysis of vapor-compression
refrigeration cycle is P-h diagram.
 Actual Vapor-Compression
Refrigeration Cycles
There are many irreversibilities that occurs
in various components. Two common
sources of irreversibilites are fluid friction
(causes pressure drop) and heat transfer
to or from surrounding.
Cascade Refrigeration Systems

For applications that require large temperature and pressure

ranges, refrigeration is performed in stages(2 or more).
Large pressure range means poor compressor
performance.
Performing refrigeration in stages is achieved by Cascade
Refrigeration Cycles (that is more than a refrigeration cycle
operating in series).
Cascading improves the COP of a refrigeration system.
The refrigerant in both cycles could be the same or different.
Using the following figure ,write expressions for mass flow
rates ratio and COP?
See Example 10.3
Cascade Refrigeration Systems
 Multistage Compression
Refrigeration Systems
The heat exchanger in Cascade Refrigeration System can be
replaced by a mixing chamber if the refrigerant in the two cycles
is the same.
Such system is called Multistage Compression Refrigeration
System.
Liquid refrigerant (exit of condenser) expands to the mixing
(flash) chamber pressure where part of it vaporizes ( see Fig.)
The saturated vapor mixes with the superheated vapor (point 3)
from the exit of the low pressure compressor.
Hence, two-stage compression with inter-cooling.
Multistage Compression decreases the work of the compressor
See Example 10.4
Multistage Compression
Refrigeration Systems
 Gas Refrigeration Cycles
Gas Refrigeration Cycle is reversed Brayton cycle (see Fig.).
Note, the expansion process is performed in a turbine rather
than a throttling valve as in vapor compression refrigeration
systems (Why?).
The heat transfer processes donot take place at constant
temperatures. Hence, it differs from Carnot Cycle.
Hence, Gas Refrigeration Cycle do have lower COPs relative to
vapor–compression refrigeration cycles. Illustrate by a T-s
diag.?
Gas Refrigeration Cycles involve simple lighter components
(Aircraft cooling) and can incorporate regeneration (suitable for
liquidation of gases)
Multistage Compression decreases the work of the compressor
See Example 10.5
Gas Refrigeration Cycles
Gas Refrigeration Cycle with
Regeneration
Absorption Refrigeration Systems
Refrigeration in which there is a source of
inexpensive thermal energy at a temperature of
100 to 200OC is absorption refrigeration
The refrigerant is absorbed by a transport
medium and compressed in liquid form.
The most widely used absorption refrigeration
system is the ammonia – water system where
ammonia serves as the refrigerant and water as
the transport medium
Other absorption refrigeration systems include
water-Lithium bromide where water serves as a
refrigerant (limited applications-Why?).
Absorption Refrigeration Systems
The basic principles can be discussed by the
Ammonia absorption refrigeration cycle shown in
Fig.
ARS are: complex, occupy more space and less
efficient (hence, expensive compared to vapor
compression systems).
In ARS liquid is compressed instead of vapor,
thus the work input is very small compared to
vapor compression systems.
Write an expression for the COP of an ARS?
Derive an expression for the maximum COP of an
absorption refrigeration system and comment?
 Absorption chillers
Absorption chillers are air-conditioning
systems based on absorption refrigeration.

Absorption chillers cooling capacity decreases sharply

with decrease in source temperature.

The COP is affected less by decrease in source

temperature.

Read more about absorption chillers.