CHAPTER 1

LIQUID OVERFEED SYSTEMS

Overfeed System Operation ...................................................... 1.1 Evaporator Design .................................................................... 1.6
Refrigerant Distribution ........................................................... 1.2 Refrigerant Charge ................................................................... 1.6
Oil in System ............................................................................. 1.3
Start-Up and Operation ............................................................ 1.6
Circulating Rate ........................................................................ 1.4
Pump Selection and Installation ............................................... 1.4 Line Sizing ................................................................................. 1.7
Controls .................................................................................... 1.5 Low-Pressure Receiver Sizing .................................................. 1.7

O VERFEED systems are those in which excess liquid is forced,

either mechanically or by gas pressure, through organized-
flow evaporators, separated from the vapor, and returned to the
7. Refrigerant level controls, level indicators, refrigerant pumps,
and oil drains are generally located in the equipment rooms,
which are under operator surveillance or computer monitoring.
evaporators. 8. Because of ideal entering suction gas conditions, compressors
last longer. There is less maintenance and fewer breakdowns.
Terminology The oil circulation rate to the evaporators is reduced as a result of
Low-pressure receiver. Sometimes referred to as an accumula- the low compressor discharge superheat and separation at the
tor, this vessel acts as the separator for the mixture of vapor and liq- low-pressure receiver (Scotland 1963).
uid returning from the evaporators. A constant refrigerant level is 9. Overfeed systems have convenient automatic operation.
usually maintained by conventional control devices. The following are possible disadvantages:
Pumping unit. One or more mechanical pumps or gas-operated
liquid circulators arranged to pump the overfeed liquid to the evap- 1. In some cases, refrigerant charges are greater than those used in
orators. The pumping unit is located below the low-pressure other systems.
receiver. 2. Higher refrigerant flow rates to and from evaporators cause the
Wet returns. Connections between the evaporator outlets and liquid feed and wet return lines to be larger in diameter than the
the low-pressure receiver through which the mixture of vapor and high-pressure liquid and suction lines for other systems.
overfeed liquid is drawn. 3. Piping insulation, which is costly, is generally required on all
Liquid feeds. Connections between the pumping unit outlet and feed and return lines to prevent condensation, frost formation, or
the evaporator inlets. heat gain.
Flow control regulators. Devices used to regulate the overfeed 4. The installed cost may be greater, particularly for small systems
flow into the evaporators. They may be needle-type valves, fixed or those having fewer than three evaporators.
orifices, calibrated manual regulating valves, or automatic valves 5. The operation of the pumping unit requires added expenses that
designed to provide a fixed liquid rate. are offset by the increased efficiency of the overall system.
6. The pumping units may require maintenance.
Advantages and Disadvantages 7. Pumps sometimes have cavitation problems to due low available
net positive suction pressure.
The main advantages of liquid overfeed systems are high system
efficiency and reduced operating expenses. These systems have Generally, the more evaporators used, the more favorable are the
lower energy cost and fewer operating hours because initial costs for liquid overfeed compared to a gravity recirculated or
flooded system (Scotland 1970). Liquid overfeed systems compare
1. The evaporator surface is used efficiently through good refriger- favorably with thermostatic valve feed systems for the same reason.
ant distribution and completely wetted internal tube surfaces. For small systems, the initial cost for liquid overfeed may be higher
2. The compressors are protected. Liquid slugs resulting from than for direct expansion.
fluctuating loads or malfunctioning controls are separated from Ammonia Systems. Easy operation and lower maintenance are
suction gas in the low-pressure receiver. attractive features for even small ammonia systems. However, for
3. Low-suction superheats are achieved where the suction lines ammonia systems operating below −20°C evaporating temperature,
between the low-pressure receiver and the compressors are some manufacturers do not supply direct-expansion evaporators
short. This causes a minimum discharge temperature, preventing due to unsatisfactory refrigerant distribution and control problems.
lubrication breakdown and minimizing condenser fouling.
4. With simple controls, evaporators can be hot-gas defrosted with OVERFEED SYSTEM OPERATION
little disturbance to the system.
5. Refrigerant feed to evaporators is unaffected by fluctuating Mechanical Pump
ambient and condensing conditions. The flow control regulators
Figure 1 shows a simplified pumped overfeed system in which a
do not need to be adjusted after the initial setting because the
constant liquid level is maintained in a low-pressure receiver. A
overfeed rates are not generally critical.
mechanical pump circulates liquid through the evaporator(s). The
6. Flash gas resulting from refrigerant throttling losses is removed
two-phase return mixture is separated in the low-pressure receiver.
at the low-pressure receiver before entering the evaporators. The vapor is directed to the compressor(s). The makeup refrigerant
This gas is drawn directly to the compressors and eliminated as a enters the low-pressure receiver by means of a refrigerant metering
factor in the design of the system low side. It does not contribute
device.
to increased pressure drops in the evaporators or overfeed lines. Figure 2 shows a horizontal low-pressure receiver with a mini-
mum pump pressure, two service valves in place, and a strainer on
The preparation of this chapter is assigned to TC 10.1, Custom Engineered the suction side of the pump. Valves from the low-pressure receiver
Refrigeration Systems. to the pump should be selected to have a minimal pressure drop. The
1.2 1998 ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook (SI)

Fig. 1 Liquid Overfeed with Mechanical Pump Fig. 3 Double Pumper Drum System

Fig. 2 Pump Circulation, Horizontal Separator

strainer protects hermetic pumps when oil is miscible with the

refrigerant. It should have a free area twice the transverse cross-sec-
tional area of the line in which it is installed. With ammonia, use of
a suction strainer should be evaluated. Open drive pumps do not
require strainers. If no strainer is used, a dirt leg should be used to
reduce the risk of solids getting into the pump.
Generally, the minimum pump pressure should be at least double
the net positive suction pressure to avoid cavitation. The liquid
velocity to the pump should not exceed 0.9 m/s. Net positive suction
pressure and flow requirements vary with pump type and design. The
pump manufacturer should be consulted for specific requirements.
Fig. 4 Constant-Pressure Liquid Overfeed System
The pump should be evaluated over the full range of operation at low
and high flow conditions. Centrifugal pumps have a “flat curve” and
have difficulty with systems in which discharge pressure fluctuates. inlets, resulting in continuous liquid feed at constant pressure. The
flash gas is drawn into the low-pressure receiver through a receiver
Gas Pump pressure regulator. Excess liquid drains into a liquid dump trap from
the low-pressure receiver. Check valves and a three-way equalizing
Figure 3 shows a basic gas-pumped liquid overfeed system, in
valve transfer the liquid into the controlled-pressure receiver during
which the pumping power is supplied by gas at condenser pressure.
the dump cycle. Refinements of this system are used for multistage
In this system, a level control maintains the liquid level in the low-
systems.
pressure receiver. There are two pumper drums; one is filled by the
low-pressure receiver, while the other is drained as hot gas pushes
liquid from the pumper drum to the evaporator. Pumper drum B REFRIGERANT DISTRIBUTION
drains when hot gas enters the drum through valve B. To function To prevent underfeeding and excessive overfeeding of refriger-
properly, the pumper drums must be correctly vented so they can fill ants, metering devices regulate the liquid feed to each evaporator
during the fill cycle. and/or evaporator circuit. An automatic regulating device continu-
Another common arrangement is shown in Figure 4. In this sys- ously controls refrigerant feed to the design value. Other devices
tem, the high-pressure liquid is flashed into a controlled-pressure commonly used are hand expansion valves, calibrated regulating
receiver that maintains constant liquid pressure at the evaporator valves, orifices, and distributors.
Liquid Overfeed Systems 1.3

It is time-consuming to adjust hand expansion valves to achieve Solution: Orifice diameter may be calculated as follows:
ideal flow conditions. However, they have been used with some suc-
Q 0.5 ρ 0.25
cess in many installations prior to the availability of more sophisti- d =  ------  --- (1)
cated controls. One factor to consider is that standard hand Cd p
expansion valves are designed to regulate flows caused by the rela-
tively high pressure differences between condensing and evaporat- where
ing pressure. In overfeed systems, large differences do not exist, so d = orifice diameter, mm
valves with larger orifices may be needed to cope with the combi- Q = discharge through orifice, mL/s
nation of the increased quantity of refrigerant and the relatively small p = pressure drop through orifice, Pa
pressure differences. Caution must be exercised when using larger ρ = density of fluid at −35°C
orifices because controllability decreases as orifice size increases. = 683.7 kg/m3
Calibrated, manually operated regulating valves reduce some of Cd = coefficient of discharge for orifice
the uncertainties involved in using conventional hand expansion
0.5 683.7  0.25
d =  ----------  -----------------------
valves. To be effective, the valves should be adjusted to the manu- 33.3
- = 2.47 mm
facturer’s recommendations. Because the refrigerant in the liquid  0.61  55 × 1000
feed lines is above saturation pressure, the lines should not contain
flash gas. However, liquid flashing can occur if excessive heat gains Note: As noted in the text, use a 2.5 mm diameter orifice to avoid
by the refrigerant and/or high pressure drops build up in the feed clogging.
lines.
Orifices should be carefully designed and selected; once OIL IN SYSTEM
installed they cannot be adjusted. They are generally used only for In spite of reasonably efficient compressor discharge oil separa-
top- and horizontal-feed multicircuit evaporators. Foreign matter tors, oil finds its way into the system low-pressure sides. In the case
and congealed oil globules can cause flow restriction; a minimum of ammonia overfeed systems, the bulk of this oil can be drained
orifice of 2.5 mm is recommended. With ammonia, the rate of cir- from the low-pressure receivers with suitable oil drainage facilities.
culation may have to be increased beyond that needed for the min- In low-temperature systems, a separate valved and pressure-pro-
imum orifice size because of the small liquid volume normally tected, noninsulated oil drain pot can be placed in a warm space at
circulated. Pumps and feed and return lines larger than minimum the accumulator. The oil/ammonia mixture flows into the pot, and
may be needed. This does not apply to halocarbons because of the the refrigerant evaporates. This arrangement is shown in Figure 6.
greater liquid volume circulated as a result of fluid characteristics. At pressures lower than atmospheric, high-pressure vapor must be
Conventional multiple outlet distributors with capillary tubes of piped into the oil pot to force oil out. Because of the low solubility
the type usually paired with thermostatic expansion valves have of oil in liquid ammonia, thick oil globules circulate with the liquid
been used successfully in liquid overfeed systems. Capillary tubes and can restrict flow through strainers, orifices, and regulators. To
may be installed downstream of a distributor with oversized orifices maintain high efficiency, oil should be removed from the system by
to achieve the required pressure reduction and efficient distribution. regular draining.
Existing gravity-flooded evaporators with accumulators can be Except at low temperatures, halocarbons are miscible with oil.
connected to liquid overfeed systems. Changes may be needed only Therefore, positive oil return to the compressor must be ensured.
for the feed to the accumulator, with suction lines from the accumu- There are many methods, including oil stills using both electric heat
lator connected to the system wet return lines. An acceptable and heat exchange from high-pressure liquid or vapor. Some
arrangement is shown in Figure 5. Generally, gravity-flooded evap- arrangements are discussed in Chapter 2. At low temperatures, oil
orators have different circuiting arrangements from overfeed evap- skimmers must be used because oil migrates to the top of the low-
orators. In many cases, the circulating rates developed by pressure receiver.
thermosiphon action are greater than the circulating rates used in Buildup of excessive oil in evaporators must not be allowed
conventional overfeed systems. because it causes efficiency to decrease rapidly. This is particularly
Example 1. Find the orifice diameter of an ammonia overfeed system with
critical in evaporators with high heat transfer rates associated with
a refrigeration load per circuit of 4.47 kW and a circulating rate of 7. low volumes, such as flake-type ice makers, ice cream freezers, and
The evaporating temperature is –35°C, the pressure drop across the ori- scraped-surface heat exchangers. Because the refrigerant flow rate
fice is 55 kPa, and the coefficient of discharge for the orifice is 0.61. through such evaporators is high, excessive oil can accumulate and
The circulation per circuit is 33.3 mL/s. rapidly reduce efficiency.

Fig. 5 Liquid Overfeed System Connected on Common

System with Gravity-Flooded Evaporators Fig. 6 Oil Drain Pot Connected to Low-Pressure Receiver
1.4 1998 ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook (SI)

CIRCULATING RATE vaporized in a 1 kW system with circulated operation having no

flash gas in the liquid feed line. The value obtained from the chart
In a liquid overfeed system, the circulating number or rate is
may be multiplied by the desired circulating rate and by the total
the mass ratio of liquid pumped to amount of vaporized liquid. The
refrigeration to determine total flow.
amount of liquid vaporized is based on the latent heat for the refrig-
erant at the evaporator temperature. The overfeed rate is the ratio of The pressure drop through the flow control regulators is usually
liquid to vapor returning to the low-pressure receiver. When vapor 10 to 50% of the available feed pressure. The pressure at the outlet
leaves an evaporator at saturated vapor conditions with no excess of the flow regulators must be higher than the vapor pressure at the
liquid, the circulating rate is 1 and the overfeed rate is 0. With a cir- low-pressure receiver by an amount equal to the total pressure drop
culating rate of 4, the overfeed rate at full load is 3; at no load, it is of the two-phase mixture through the evaporator, any evaporator
4. Most systems are designed for steady flow conditions. With few pressure regulator, and wet return lines. This pressure loss could be
exceptions, the load conditions may vary, causing fluctuating tem- 35 kPa in a typical system. When using recommended liquid feed
peratures outside and within the evaporator. Evaporator capacities sizing practices, assuming a single-story building, the frictional
vary considerably; with constant refrigerant flow to the evaporator, pressure drop from the pump discharge to the evaporators is about
the overfeed rate fluctuates. 70 kPa. Therefore, a pump for 140 to 170 kPa should be satisfactory
in this case, depending on the lengths and sizes of feed lines, the
For each evaporator, there is an ideal circulating rate for every
loading condition that will result in the minimum temperature dif- quantity and types of fittings, and the vertical lift involved.
ference and the best evaporator efficiency (Lorentzen 1968,
Lorentzen and Gronnerud 1967). With few exceptions, it is impos- PUMP SELECTION AND INSTALLATION
sible to predict ideal circulating rates or to design a plant for auto-
matic adjustment of the rates to suit fluctuating loads. The optimum Types of Pumps
rate can vary with heat load, pipe diameter, circuit length, and num- Mechanical pumps, gas pressure pumping systems, and injector
ber of parallel circuits to achieve the best performance. High circu- systems are available for liquid overfeed systems.
lating rates can cause excessively high pressure drops through Types of mechanical pump drives include open, semihermetic,
evaporators and wet return lines. The sizing of these return lines, magnetic clutch, and hermetic. Rotor arrangements include positive
discussed in the section on Line Sizing, can have a bearing on the rotary, centrifugal, and turbine vane. Positive rotary and gear-type
ideal rates. Many evaporator manufacturers specify recommended pumps are generally operated at slow speeds up to 900 rpm. What-
circulating rates for their equipment. The rates shown in Table 1 ever type of pump is used, care should be taken to prevent flashing
agree with these recommendations. at the pump suction and/or within the pump itself.
Because of distribution considerations, higher circulating rates are Centrifugal pumps are typically used for larger volumes, while
common with top feed evaporators. In multicircuit systems, the semihermetic pumps are best suited for halocarbons at or below
refrigerant distribution must be adjusted to provide the best possible atmospheric refrigerant saturated pressure. Regenerative turbines
results. Incorrect distribution can cause excessive overfeed in some are used with relatively high pressure and large swings in discharge
circuits, while others may be starved. Manual or automatic regulating pressure.
valves can be used to control flow for the optimum or design value. Open-type pumps are fitted with a wide variety of packing or
Halocarbon densities are about twice that of ammonia. If halocar- seals. For continuous duty, a mechanical seal with an oil reservoir or
bons R-22, R-134a, and R-502 are circulated at the same rate as ammo- a liquid refrigerant supply to cool, wash, and lubricate the seals is
nia, the halocarbons require 6 to 8.3 times more energy for pumping to commonly used. Experience with the particular application or the
the same height than the less dense ammonia. Because this pumping recommendations of an experienced pump supplier are the best
energy must be added to the system load, halocarbon circulating rates guide for selecting the packing or seal. A magnetic coupling between
are usually lower than those for ammonia. Ammonia has a relatively the motor and the pump can be used instead of shaft coupling to elim-
high latent heat of vaporization, so for equal heat removal, much less inate shaft seals. A small immersion-type electric heater within the
ammonia mass must be circulated compared to halocarbons. oil reservoir can be used with low-temperature systems to ensure
Although halocarbons circulate at lower rates than ammonia, the that the oil remains fluid. Motors should have a service factor that
wetting process in the evaporators is still efficient because of the liq- compensates for drag on the pump if the oil is cold or stiff.
uid and vapor volume ratios. For example, at –40°C evaporating Considerations should include ambient temperatures, heat leak-
temperature, with constant flow conditions in the wet return con- age, fluctuating system pressures from compressor cycling, inter-
nections, similar ratios of liquid and vapor are experienced with a nal bypass of liquid to pump suction, friction heat, motor heat
circulating rate of 4 for ammonia and 2.5 for R-22, R-502, and conduction, dynamic conditions, cycling of automatic evaporator
R-134a. With halocarbons, some additional wetting is also experi- liquid and suction stop valves, action of regulators, gas entrance
enced because of the solubility of the oil in these refrigerants. with liquid, and loss of subcooling by pressure drop. Another fac-
When bottom feed is used for multicircuit coils, a minimum feed tor to consider is the time lag caused by the heat capacity of pump
rate per circuit is not necessary because orifices or other distribution suction, cavitation, and net positive suction pressure factors
devices are not required. The circulating rate for top feed and hori- (Lorentzen 1963).
zontal feed coils may be determined by the minimum rates from the The motor and stator of hermetic pumps are separated from the
orifices or other distributors in use. refrigerant by a thin nonmagnetic membrane. The metal membrane
Figure 7 provides a method for determining the liquid refrigerant should be strong enough to withstand system design pressures. Nor-
flow (Niederer 1964). The charts indicate the amount of refrigerant mally, the motors are cooled and the bearings lubricated by liquid
refrigerant bypassed from the pump discharge. It is good practice to
Table 1 Recommended Minimum Circulating Rate use two pumps, one operating and one standby.
Refrigerant Circulating Ratea
Ammonia (R-717) Installing and Connecting Mechanical Pumps
Downfeed (large-diameter tubes) 6 to 7 Because of the sensitive suction conditions of mechanical pumps
Upfeed (small-diameter tubes) 2 to 4 operating on overfeed systems, the manufacturer’s application and
R-22—upfeed 3 installation specifications must be followed closely. Suction con-
R-134a 2 nections should be as short as possible, without restrictions, valves,
a Circulating rate of 1 equals evaporating rate. or elbows. Angle or full-flow ball valves should be used. Using
Liquid Overfeed Systems 1.5

Fig. 7 Charts for Determining Rate of Refrigerant Feed (No Flash Gas)

valves with horizontal valve spindles eliminates possible traps. Gas liquid lines (minimum sized) feeding low-pressure receivers so
binding is more likely with high evaporating pressures. that positive shutoff is automatically achieved with system shut-
Installing discharge check valves prevents backflow. Relief down. This prevents excessive refrigerant from collecting in low-
valves should be used, particularly for positive displacement pressure receivers, which can cause carryover at start-up.
pumps. Strainers are not usually installed in ammonia pump suction To prevent pumps from operating without liquid, low-level float
lines because they plug with oil. Strainers, although a poor substi- switches can be fitted on liquid legs. An alternative device, a differ-
tute for a clean installation, protect halocarbon pumps from damage ential pressure switch connected across pump discharge and suction
by dirt or pipe scale. connections, causes the pump to stop without interrupting liquid
Pump suction connections to liquid legs (vertical drop legs from flow. Cavitation can also cause this control to operate. When hand
low-pressure receivers) should be made above the bottom of the expansion valves are used to control the circulation rate to evapora-
legs to allow collection space for solids and sludge. Vortex elimina- tors, the orifice should be sized for operation between system high
tors should be considered, particularly when submersion of the suc- and low pressures. Occasionally, with reduced inlet pressure condi-
tion inlet is insufficient to prevent the intake of gas bubbles. tions, these valves can starve the circuit. Calibrated, manually
Lorentzen (1963, 1965) gives more complete information. adjusted regulators are available to meter the flow according to the
Sizing the pump suction line is important. The general velocity design conditions. An automatic flow-regulating valve specifically
should be about 0.9 m/s. Small lines cause restrictions; oversized for overfeed systems is available.
lines can cause bubble formation during evaporator temperature Liquid and suction solenoid valves must be selected for refriger-
decrease because of the heat capacity of the liquid and piping. Over- ant flow rates by mass or volume, not by refrigeration ratings from
sized lines also impose increased heat gain from the ambient spaces. capacity tables. Evaporator pressure regulators should be sized
Oil heaters for the seal lubrication system keep the oil fluid, partic- according to the manufacturer’s ratings for overfeed systems. The
ularly during operation below −20°C. Thermally insulating all cold manufacturer should be notified that valves being ordered are for
surfaces of pumps, lines, and receivers increases efficiency. overfeed application because slight modifications may be required.
When evaporator pressure regulators are used on overfeed systems
CONTROLS for controlling air defrosting of cooling units (particularly when fed
The liquid level in the low-pressure receiver can be controlled with very low temperature liquid), the refrigerant heat gain may be
by conventional devices such as low-pressure float valves, achieved by sensible effect, not by latent effect. In such cases, other
combinations of float switch and solenoid valve with manual reg- defrosting methods should be investigated. The possibility of con-
ulator, thermostatic level controls, electronic level sensors, or necting the units directly to high-pressure liquid should be consid-
other proven automatic devices. High-level float switches are ered, especially if the loads are minor.
useful in stopping compressors and/or operating alarms; they are When a check valve and a solenoid valve are paired on an over-
mandatory in some areas. Solenoid valves should be installed on feed system liquid line, the check valve should be downstream from
1.6 1998 ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook (SI)

the solenoid valve. When the solenoid valve is closed, dangerous evaporators, dual suction risers eliminate static pressure penalties
hydraulic pressure can build up from the expansion of the trapped (Miller 1974, 1979).
liquid as it is heated. When evaporator pressure regulators are used, Distribution must be considered when a vertical refrigerant feed
the pressure of the entering liquid should be high enough to cause is used because of the static pressure variations in the feed and
flow into the evaporator. return header circuits. For example, for equal circuit loadings in a
Multicircuit systems must have a bypass relief valve in the horizontal airflow unit cooler, use of gradually smaller orifices for
pump discharge. The relief valve’s pressure should be set consider- the bottom feed circuits than for the upper circuits can compensate
ing the back pressure on the valve from the low-pressure receiver. for pressure differences.
For example, if the low-pressure receiver is set at 300 kPa and the When the top feed free-draining arrangement is used for air-cool-
maximum discharge pressure from the pump is 900 kPa, the relief ing units, liquid solenoid control valves can be used during the
valve should be set at 600 kPa. When some of the circuits are defrost cycle. This applies in particular to air, water, or electric
closed, the excess liquid is bypassed into the low-pressure receiver defrost units. Any liquid remaining in the coils rapidly evaporates or
rather than forced through the evaporators still in operation. This drains to the low-pressure receiver. Defrost is faster than in bottom
prevents higher evaporating temperatures from pressurizing evap- feed evaporators.
orators and reducing capacities of operating units. Where low-tem-
perature liquid feeds can be isolated manually or automatically, REFRIGERANT CHARGE
relief valves can be installed to prevent damage from excessive
hydraulic pressure. Overfeed systems need more refrigerant than dry expansion sys-
tems. Top feed arrangements have smaller charges than bottom feed
systems. The amount of charge depends on the evaporator volume,
EVAPORATOR DESIGN the circulating rate, the sizes of flow and return lines, the operating
Considerations temperature differences, and the heat transfer coefficients. Gener-
ally, top feed evaporators operate with the refrigerant charge occu-
There is an ideal refrigerant feed and flow system for each evap- pying about 25 to 40% of the evaporator volume. The refrigerant
orator design and arrangement. An evaporator designed for gravity- charge for the bottom feed arrangement occupies about 60 to 75% of
flooded operation cannot always be converted to an overfeed the evaporator volume with corresponding variations in the wet
arrangement, and vice versa, nor can systems always be designed to returns. Under certain no-load conditions in up-feed evaporators,
circulate the optimum flow rate. When top feed is used to ensure the charge may occupy 100% of the evaporator volume. In this case,
good distribution, a minimum quantity per circuit must be circu- the liquid surge volume from full-load to no-load condition must be
lated, generally about 30 mL/s. Distribution in bottom feed evapo- considered in sizing the low-pressure receiver (Miller 1971, 1974).
rators is less critical than in top or horizontal feed because each Evaporators with high heat transfer rates, such as flake ice mak-
circuit fills with liquid to equal the pressure loss in other parallel ers and scraped-surface heat exchangers, have small charges
circuits. because of small evaporator volumes. The amount of refrigerant in
Circuit length in evaporators is determined by allowable pres- the low side has a major effect on the size of the low-pressure
sure drop, load per circuit, tubing diameter, overfeed rate, type of receiver, especially in horizontal vessels. The cross-sectional area
refrigerant, and heat transfer coefficients. The most efficient circuit- for vapor flow in horizontal vessels is reduced with increasing liq-
ing is determined in most cases through laboratory tests conducted uid level. It is important to ascertain the evaporator refrigerant
by the evaporator manufacturers. Their recommendations should be charge with fluctuating loads for correct vessel design, particularly
followed when designing systems. for a low-pressure receiver that does not have a constant level con-
trol but is fed through a high-pressure control.
Top Feed Versus Bottom Feed
System design must determine whether evaporators are to be top START-UP AND OPERATION
fed or bottom fed, although both feed types can be installed in a sin-
All control devices should be checked prior to start-up. If
gle system. Each feed type has advantages; no best arrangement is
mechanical pumps are used, the direction of operation must be cor-
common to all systems.
rect. System evacuation and charging procedures are similar to
Advantages of top feed include those for other systems. The system must be operating under normal
• Smaller refrigerant charge conditions to determine the total required refrigerant charge. Liquid
• Possibly smaller low-pressure receiver height is established by liquid level indicators in the low-pressure
• Possible absence of static pressure penalty receivers.
• Better oil return Calibrated, manually operated regulators should be set for the
• Quicker, simpler defrost arrangements design conditions and adjusted for better performance when neces-
sary. When hand expansion valves are used, the system should be
For halocarbon systems with greater fluid densities, the refrigerant started by opening the valves about one-quarter to one-half turn.
charge, oil return, and static pressure are very important. When balancing is necessary, the regulators should be cut back on
Bottom feed is advantageous in that those circuits not starved of liquid to force the liquid through the
• Distribution considerations are less critical underfed circuits. The outlet temperature of the return line from
• Relative locations of evaporators and low-pressure receivers are each evaporator should be the same as the saturation temperature of
less important the main return line, allowing for pressure drops. Starved circuits
are indicated by temperatures higher than those for adequately fed
• System design and layout are simpler
circuits. Excessive feed to a circuit increases the evaporator temper-
The top feed system is limited by the relative location of com- ature because of excessive pressure drop.
ponents. Because this system sometimes requires more refrigerant The relief bypass from the liquid line to the low-pressure
circulation than bottom feed systems, it has greater pumping load, receiver should be adjusted and checked to ensure that it is function-
possibly larger feed and return lines, and increased line pressure ing. During operation, the pump manufacturer’s recommendations
drop penalties. In bottom feed evaporators, multiple headers with regarding lubrication and maintenance should be followed. Regular
individual inlets and outlets can be installed to reduce static pres- oil draining procedures should be established for ammonia systems;
sure penalties. For high lift of return overfeed lines from the a comparison should be made between the quantities of oil added to
Liquid Overfeed Systems 1.7

and drained from each system. This comparison determines whether LOW-PRESSURE RECEIVER SIZING
oil is accumulating in systems. Oil should not be drained in halocar-
Low-pressure receivers are also called liquid separators, suction
bon systems. Due to the miscibility of oil with halocarbons at high
traps, accumulators, liquid-vapor separators, flash-type coolers, gas
temperatures, it may be necessary to add oil to the system until an
and liquid coolers, surge drums, knock-out drums, slop tanks, or
operating balance is achieved (Stoecker 1960, Soling 1971).
low-side pressure vessels, depending on their function and the pref-
Operating Costs and Efficiency erence of the user.
The sizing of low-pressure receivers is determined by the
Operating costs for overfeed systems are generally lower than required liquid holdup volume and the allowable gas velocity. The
for other systems. Operating costs may not be lower in all cases due volume must accommodate the fluctuations of liquid in the evapo-
to the variety of inefficiencies that exist from system to system and rators and overfeed return lines as a result of load changes and
from plant to plant. However, in cases where existing dry expansion defrost periods. It must also handle the swelling and foaming of the
plants were converted to liquid overfeed, the operating hours, liquid charge in the receiver, which is caused by boiling during tem-
power, and maintenance costs were reduced. The efficiency of the perature increase or pressure reduction. At the same time, a liquid
early gas pump systems has been improved by using high-side pres- seal must be maintained on the supply line for continuous circula-
sure to circulate the overfeed liquid. This type of system is indicated tion devices. A separating space must be provided for gas velocity
in the controlled pressure system shown in Figure 4. Refinements of low enough to cause a minimum entrainment of liquid drops into the
the double pumper drum arrangement (shown in Figure 3) have also suction outlet. Space limitations and design requirements result in a
been developed. wide variety of configurations (Miller 1971; Stoecker 1960;
Gas-pumped systems, which use refrigerant gas to pump liquid Lorentzen 1966; Niemeyer 1961; Scheiman 1963, 1964; Sonders
to the evaporators or to the controlled-pressure receiver, require and Brown 1934; Younger 1955).
additional compressor volume, from which no useful refrigeration In selecting a gas-and-liquid separator, adequate volume for the
is obtained. These systems consume 4 to 10% or more of the com- liquid supply and a vapor space above the minimum liquid height
pressor power to maintain the refrigerant flow. for liquid surge must be provided. This requires an analysis of oper-
If the condensing pressure is reduced as much as 70 kPa, the ating load variations. This, in turn, determines the maximum oper-
compressor power per unit of refrigeration drops by about 7%. ating liquid level. Figures 8 and 9 identify these levels and the
Where outdoor dry- and wet-bulb conditions allow, a mechanical important parameters of vertical and horizontal gravity separators.
pump can be used to pump the gas with no effect on evaporator per- Vertical separators maintain the same separating area with
formance. Gas-operated systems must, however, maintain the con- level variations, while separating areas in horizontal separators
densing pressure within a much smaller range to pump the liquid change with level variations. Horizontal separators should have
and maintain the required overfeed rate. inlets and outlets separated horizontally by at least the vertical sep-
arating distance. A useful arrangement in horizontal separators dis-
LINE SIZING tributes the inlet flow into two or more connections to reduce
The liquid feed line to the evaporator and the wet return line to turbulence and horizontal velocity without reducing the residence
the low-pressure receiver cannot be sized by the method described time of the gas flow within the shell (Miller 1971).
in Chapter 33 of the 1997 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals. In horizontal separators, as the horizontal separating distance is
Figure 7 can be used to size liquid feed lines. The circulating rate increased beyond the vertical separating distance, the residence
from Table 1 is multiplied by the evaporating rate. For example, an time of the vapor passing through is increased so that higher veloc-
evaporator with a circulating rate of 4 that forms vapor at a rate of ities than allowed in vertical separators can be tolerated. As the sep-
50 g/s needs a feed line sized for 4 × 50 = 200 g/s. arating distance is reduced, the amount of liquid entrainment from
Alternative methods that may be used to design wet returns gravity separators increases. Table 2 shows the gravity separation
include the following: velocities. For surging loads or pulsating flow associated with large
step changes in capacity, the maximum steady flow velocity should
1. Use one pipe size larger than calculated for vapor flow alone. be reduced to a value achieved by a suitable multiplier such as 0.75.
2. Use a velocity selected for dry expansion reduced by the factor The gas-and-liquid separator may be designed with baffles or
1 ⁄ Circulating Rate . This method suggests that the wet return eliminators to separate liquid from the suction gas returning from
velocity for a circulating rate of 4 is 1 ⁄ 4 = 0.5 or half that of the top of the shell to the compressor. More often, sufficient sepa-
the acceptable dry vapor velocity. ration space is allowed above the liquid level for this purpose. Such
3. Use the design method described by Chaddock et al. (1972). The a design is usually of the vertical type, with a separation height
report includes tables of flow capacities at 0.036 K drop per above the liquid level of from 600 to 900 mm. The shell diameter is
metre of horizontal lines for R-717 (ammonia), R-12, R-22, and sized to keep the suction gas velocity at a value low enough to allow
R-502. the liquid droplets to separate and not be entrained with the return-
When sizing refrigerant lines, the following design precautions ing suction gas off the top of the shell.
should be taken:
1. Carefully size overfeed return lines with vertical risers because
more liquid is held in risers than in horizontal pipe. This holdup
increases with reduced vapor flow and increases pressure loss
because of gravity and two-phase pressure drop.
2. Use double risers with halocarbons to maintain velocity at partial
loads and to reduce liquid static pressure loss (Miller 1979).
3. Add the equivalent of a 100% liquid static height penalty to the
pressure drop allowance to compensate for liquid holdup in
ammonia systems that have unavoidable vertical risers.
4. As alternatives in severe cases, provide traps and a means of
pumping liquids, or use dual-pipe risers.
5. Install low pressure drop valves so the stems are horizontal or
nearly so (Chisolm 1971). Fig. 8 Basic Horizontal Gas-and-Liquid Separator
1.8 1998 ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook (SI)

Table 2 Maximum Effective Separation Velocities for R-717,

R-22, R-12, and R-502, with Steady Flow Conditions

Vertical
Maximum Steady Flow Velocity, m/s
Temp., Separation
°C Distance, mm R-717 R-22 R-12 R-502
+10 250 0.15 0.07 0.08 0.06
610 0.64 0.31 0.36 0.25
910 0.71 0.39 0.43 0.32
-7 250 0.21 0.10 0.11 0.08
610 0.87 0.44 0.49 0.35
910 0.99 0.52 0.58 0.42
-23 250 0.31 0.14 0.16 0.11
610 1.29 0.61 0.69 0.49
910 1.43 0.72 0.81 0.59
-40 250 0.48 0.21 0.24 0.17
610 1.99 0.88 1.01 0.71
910 2.17 1.04 1.17 0.84
-57 250 0.80 0.33 0.37 0.25
610 3.30 1.36 1.54 1.08
910 3.54 1.57 1.78 1.25
Source: Adapted from Miller (1971).

For the alternate location of C2, determine IDS from the follow-
ing equation:

1270Q 2
---------------- + C 2
C1 = inlet pipe diameter, OD, mm IDS = (2)
C2 = outlet pipe diameter, OD, mm V
SH = slot height = C1/4, mm The maximum liquid height in the separator is a function of the
SL = slot length = 3C1, mm type of system in which the separator is being used. In some systems
H1 = height of C1 above maximum liquid level, mm;
for pseudo D = 600 mm
this can be estimated, but in others, previous experience is the only
guide for selecting the proper liquid height. The accumulated liquid
H1 = 51 Q ⁄ V , mm (at D = 600 mm)
must be returned to the system by a suitable means at a rate compa-
Q = maximum gas flow in the shell at maximum sustained
operating conditions, L/s
rable to the rate at which it is being collected.
V = separation velocity, m/s With a horizontal separator, the vertical separation distance used
H2 = location of C1 from inside top of shell, mm is an average value. The top part of the horizontal shell restricts the
H2 = D + 0.5 × depth of curved portion of head or 50 mm gas flow so that the maximum vertical separation distance cannot be
D = vertical separation distance, mm actual used. If Ht represents the maximum vertical distance from the liquid
H3 = location of gas exit point for alternate location of C2 level to the inside top of the shell, the average separation distance as
measured from inside top of shell, mm a fraction of IDS is as follows:
H3 = 0.5 × depth of curved portion of shell or 50 mm,
whichever is greater
Ht /IDS D/IDS Ht /IDS D/IDS
IDS = internal diameter of shell = 1270 Q ⁄ V , mm
0.1 0.068 0.6 0.492
0.2 0.140 0.7 0.592
Fig. 9 Basic Vertical Gravity Gas-and-Liquid Separator 0.3 0.215 0.8 0.693
0.4 0.298 0.9 0.793
0.5 0.392 1.0 0.893
Although separators are made with length-to-diameter (L/D)
ratios of 1/1 increasing to 10/1, the least expensive separators usu- The suction connection(s) for refrigerant gas leaving the hori-
ally have L/D ratios between 3/1 and 5/1. Vertical separators are zontal shell must be located at or above the location established by
normally used for systems with reciprocating compressors. Hori- the average distance for separation. The maximum cross-flow
zontal separators may be preferable where vertical height is critical velocity of gas establishes the residence time for the gas and any
and/or where large volume space for liquid is required. The proce- entrained liquid droplets in the shell. The most effective removal of
dures for designing vertical and horizontal separators are different. entrainment occurs when the residence time is at a maximum prac-
A vertical gas-and-liquid separator is shown in Figure 9. The end tical value. Regardless of the number of gas outlet connections for
of the inlet pipe C1 is capped so that flow dispersion is directed uniform distribution of gas flow, the cross-sectional area of the gas
downward toward the liquid level. The suggested opening is four space is
times the transverse internal area of the pipe. The height H1 with a
120° dispersion of the flow reaches to approximately 70% of the 2000DQ
Ax = --------------------- (3)
internal diameter of the shell. VL
An alternate inlet pipe with a downturned elbow or mitered bend where
can be used. However, the jet effect of entering fluid must be con- Ax = minimum transverse net cross-sectional area or gas space, mm 2
sidered to avoid undue splashing. The outlet of the pipe must be a D = average vertical separation distance, mm
minimum distance of IDS/5 above the maximum liquid level in the Q = total quantity of gas leaving vessel, L/s
shell. H2 is measured from the outlet to the inside top of the shell. It L = inside length of shell, mm
equals D + 0.5 times the depth of the curved portion of the head. V = separation velocity for separation distance used, m/s
Liquid Overfeed Systems 1.9

For nonuniform distribution of gas flow in the horizontal shell, Lorentzen, G. and R. Gronnerud. 1967. On the design of recirculation type
determine the minimum horizontal distance for gas flow from point evaporators. Kulde 21(4):55.
of entry to point of exit as follows: Miller, D.K. 1971. Recent methods for sizing liquid overfeed piping and
suction accumulator-receivers. Proceedings I.I.R., Washington, D.C.
1000QD Miller D.K. 1974. Refrigeration problems of a VCM carrying tanker. ASH-
RTL = --------------------- (4) RAE Journal 11.
VA x
Miller, D.K. 1979. Sizing dual suction risers in liquid overfeed refrigeration
where systems. Chemical Engineering 9.
Niederer, D.H. 1964. Liquid recirculation systems—What rate of feed is rec-
RTL = residence time length, mm ommended. The Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Business (December).
Q = maximum flow for that portion of the shell, L/s Niemeyer, E.R. 1961. Check these points when designing knockout drums.
All connections must be sized for the flow rates and pressure drops Hydrocarbon Processing and Petroleum Refiner (June).
permissible and must be positioned to minimize liquid splashing. Scheiman, A.D. 1964. Horizontal vapor-liquid separators. Hydrocarbon
Processing and Petroleum Refiner (May).
Internal baffles or mist eliminators can reduce the diameter of ves-
Scheiman, A.D. 1963. Size vapor-liquid separators quicker by nomograph.
sels; however, test correlations are necessary for a given configura- Hydrocarbon Processing and Petroleum Refiner (October).
tion and placement of these devices. Scotland, W.B. 1963. Discharge temperature considerations with multicyl-
An alternate formula for determining separation velocities that inder ammonia compressors. Modern Refrigeration (February).
can be applied to separators is Scotland, W.B. 1970. Advantages, disadvantages and economics of liquid
overfeed systems. ASHRAE Symposium Bulletin KC-70-3, Liquid over-
ρl – ρv feed systems.
v = k ---------------- (5)
ρv Soling, S.P. 1971. Oil recovery from low temperature pump recirculating
hydrocarbon systems. ASHRAE Symposium Bulletin PH-71-2, Effect of
where oil on the refrigeration system.
Sonders, M. and G.G. Brown. 1934. Design of fractionating columns, en-
v = velocity of vapor, m/s trainment and capacity. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (January).
ρl = density of liquid, kg/m3
Stoecker, W.F. 1960. How to design and operate flooded evaporators for
ρv = density of vapor, kg/m3
cooling air and liquids. Heating, Piping & Air Conditioning (December).
k = factor based on experience without regard to vertical separation
Younger, A.H. 1955. How to size future process vessels. Chemical Engi-
distance and surface tension for gravity separators
neering (May).
In gravity liquid/vapor separators that must separate heavy
entrainment from vapors, use a k of 0.03. This gives velocities BIBLIOGRAPHY
equivalent to those used for 300 to 350 mm vertical separation dis- Chaddock, J.B. 1976. Two-phase pressure drop in refrigerant liquid over-
tance for R-717 and 350 to 400 mm vertical separation distance for feed systems—Design tables. ASHRAE Transactions 82(2):107-33.
halocarbons. In knockout drums that separate light entrainment, use Chaddock, J.B., H. Lau, and E. Skuchas. 1976. Two-phase pressure drop in
a k of 0.06. This gives velocities equivalent to those used for 900 refrigerant liquid overfeed systems—Experimental measurements. ASH-
mm vertical separation distance for R-717 and for halocarbons. RAE Transactions 82(2):134-50.
Geltz, R.W. 1967. Pump overfeed evaporator refrigeration systems. Air
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