Refrigeration Systems

Lecture Notes -Batch 7

BSME-3A

NECIO, JOHN LAWRENCE M.

BENDAL, ANGELO C.

MENDIOLA, DAVE JOSEPH B.

ABAN, MARK CHRISTIAN C.

CONSORTE, PIOLO ROUVIN P.

MORAL, ANGELO P.
Problem:

The events of a cascade, split-stage, low temperature refrigerating cycle are as follows; A
refrigerant 12 vapor compression system operates between -10°C and 33°C with saturated liquid on the
high side of the expansion valve and saturated vapor entering the compressor whose volumetric efficiency
is 88%. An ammonia compression system operates between -35°C and 0°C with saturated liquid entering
the expansion valve and saturated vapor entering the compressor whose volumetric efficiency is 85%. The
refrigerant 12 evaporator serves as the condenser for the ammonia. For the ideal cycle and 10 kW of
refrigeration, find a) the displacement rate of each compressor, and b) the total actual power required for
compression efficiencies of 85%.

Schematic diagram:
6
High Pressure
7 Condenser
High Pressure
Expansion Compressor
Valve
5 𝑤𝑐2
8 Cascade
Condenser 2

3 Low Pressure
Compressor
Expansion
Valve 1 𝑤𝑐1
Cascade
4 Condenser

For the ammonia cycle:

430.4 kPa 2
3
P
(kPa) 𝑚1
0°C
1
4 93.5 kPa
-35°C

h (kJ/kg)

Properties:

ℎ3 = ℎ4 = ℎ𝑓@0°𝐶 --------------------- 200 kJ/kg

ℎ1 = ℎ𝑔@−35°𝐶 --------------------- 1415.2 kJ/kg

𝑣1 = 𝑣𝑔@−35°𝐶 --------------------- 1212.5 L/kg

h2 = h@ P= 430.4 kPa & s1 = s2 1620 kJ/ kg > chart
𝑄𝑒 10 𝑘𝐽/ 𝑠𝑒𝑐
m1 = ℎ = ( 1415.2−200 )𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔 = 0.00823 𝑘𝑔/𝑠𝑒𝑐.
1 −ℎ4

𝑉 (𝑚1) (𝑉1) (0.00823 𝑘𝑔/sec) (1212.5 𝐿/𝑘𝑔)

VD = 𝑛 1 = =
𝑣𝑎 𝑛𝑣 𝑎 0.85

VD = 11.74 L/sec.

For the refrigerant 12 cycle:

805.4
7 6
P, kPa
𝑚5
33°C
5
8 219.1 KPa
-10°C

h, kJ/kg

Properties:
h7 = h8 = hf @ 33℃ 231.5 kJ/ kg

h5 = hg @ -10℃ 347.1 kJ/ kg

v5 = vg @ - 10℃ 76.65 L/ kg

h6 = h @ P= 805.4 kPa & s6 = s5 370 kJ/ kg

For the energy equations/ Energy Balance: (cascade condenser)

m5 (h5 – h8) = m1 (h2 – h3)

m5 (347.1 – 231.5) = (0.00823) (1620-200)

m5 = 0.101 kg/sec.
𝑉5 𝑚 𝑣 ( 0.101) 𝑘𝑔/𝑠 (76.65 𝐿/ 𝑘𝑔)
VD = = 𝑛5 5 = = 8.80 L/ sec.
𝑛 𝑣𝑎 𝑣𝑎 0.86

For the actual power required given the compression eff.

For the ammonia cycle:
𝑘𝑔
Theoretical Work = m1 (h2 – h1) = (0.00823 sec) (1620 − 1415.2)𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔

= 1.69 kW
 1.69 1.69
Actual work (ammonia)= = = 1.99 kW
𝑛𝑐 0.85

For the refrigerant 12 cycle:

Theoretical work = 𝑚5 (ℎ6 -ℎ5 )

= 0.101 kg/sec (370- 347.1) kJ/kg

= 2.31 kW

2.31𝑘𝑊 2.31
Actual work (refrigerant 12) = 𝑛𝑐
= 0.85 = 2.72 kW

Total actual work = 𝑊1 + 𝑊2 = 1.99 + 2.72= 4.71 kW

Assignment/Seatwork

Problems:

1. A two-stage cascade refrigeration system uses ammonia as the working substance. The
evaporator is at -35℃ and the high-pressure condenser is at 1514. 2 kPa. The cascade condenser
is a direct-contact type. The refrigeration load is 90 tons. Determine a) the mass flow rate in the
low-pressure loop, b) the mass flow rate in the high-pressure loop c) the power required d) COP
e) the quantity of the fluid entering the evaporator.

2. A two-stage cascade refrigeration system uses ammonia as the refrigerant. The mass flow rate
in the high-pressure loop is 0.10 kg/sec. The condenser saturated temperature is 38℃ and the
evaporator temperature is -40℃. The cascade condenser is a direct-contact type. Determine a)
the refrigerating effect in tons b) the power required and c) COP.
AIR-CYCLE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

The principal equipment of air cycle refrigeration system are air cooler, refrigerator, air expander,
and air compressor, actually, the principle involves ṁ the operation of this cycle is almost the same as the
vapor compression cycle. The coefficient of performance of this cycle is smaller than for vapor
compression, so the input power requirement is larger. This cycle is ideally suited for use in aircraft
because it is light in weight and requires less space that the vapor compression cycle.

Air cycle refrigeration may be designed and operated either as an open or closed system. In the
closed or dense-air system, the air refrigerant is contained within the piping or component parts of the
system at all times and with the refrigerator usually maintained at pressure above atmospheric level. In
the open system, the refrigerator is replaced by the actual space to be cooled with the air expanded to
atmospheric pressure, circulated through the cold room and then compressed to the cooler pressure.
Such a system is inherently limited to operations at atmospheric pressure in the refrigerator.

Figure: closed air system

Figure: Open Air System

PV and T-s Diagrams

Cycle Analysis:
Process 1 – 2: Isentropic Compression
Process 2 – 3: Constant Pressure Heat Rejection
Process 3 – 4: Isentropic Expansion
Process 4 – 1: Constant Pressure Heat Absorption

For the refrigerator:

Heat Added, 𝑄𝐴 = 𝑚𝑎 𝐶𝑝𝑎 (𝑡1 − 𝑡4 )
𝑄𝐴
Refrigerating Capacity = 3.516
where:
𝑚𝑎 = mass flow rate of air (kg/sec)
𝑐𝑝𝑎 = 1.0062 kJ/kg-K
 t1 = air temperature leaving the refrigerator

t4 = air temperature entering the refrigerator

For the compressor:

a) For isentropic compression

𝑘𝑝1 𝑉1 𝑝 𝑘−1⁄
WC = 1−𝑘
[(𝑝2 ) 𝑘 − 1]
1

𝑘𝑚𝑎 𝑅𝑎 𝑇1 𝑝 𝑘−1⁄
WC = [( 2) 𝑘 − 1]
1−𝑘 𝑝1

b) Polytropic compression
𝑛𝑝1 𝑉1 𝑝 𝑛−1⁄
WC = [( 2) 𝑛 − 1]
1−𝑛 𝑝1

𝑛𝑚𝑎 𝑅𝑎 𝑇1 𝑝 𝑛−1⁄
WC = [( 2 ) 𝑛 − 1]
1−𝑛 𝑝1

For the Cooler:

Heat rejected = macpa (t3 – t2)

where: t3 = air temperature leaving the cooler, °C

t2 = air temperature entering the cooler, °C

For the Expander:

a. Isentropic expansion
𝑘𝑝3𝑉3 𝑝 𝑘−1⁄
WE = [(𝑝4 ) 𝑘 − 1]
1−𝑘 3

𝑘𝑚𝑎 𝑅𝑎 𝑇3 𝑝 𝑘−1⁄
WE = 1−𝑘
[(𝑝4) 𝑘 − 1]
3

b. Polytropic expansion
𝑛𝑝3 𝑉3 𝑝 𝑛−1⁄
WE = 1−𝑛
[(𝑝4 ) 𝑛 − 1]
3

𝑛𝑚𝑎 𝑅𝑎 𝑇3 𝑝 𝑛−1⁄
WE = 1−𝑛
[(𝑝4) 𝑛 − 1]
3