Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle

Reversed Carnot Cycle (i.e. Carnot Cycle for Refrigeration Cycle)

 Heat absorbed from the low temperature source in process 4-

1 is the Refrigeration Step 3 2

Temperature
Net Work
 Carnot Cycle:
o A standard of comparison, 4 1
o A convenient guide to the temperatures that should
be maintained to achieve maximum effectiveness
Entropy

1-2: Adiabatic compression

2-3: Isothermal heat rejection
3-4: Adiabatic expansion
4-1: Isothermal addition of heat or
isothermal expansion

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 66

 Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle

Carnot Refrigeration Cycle for Vapor as Refrigerant

 If vapor/gas such as air is used as the refrigerant, cycle would differ from the
familiar rectangle of the Carnot cycle.
x
 Cycle differs from the Carnot cycle by the addition of areas 2
x and y 3 Atmosphere
T

 Effect of area x is to increase the work required, which

decreases the COP
Cold Room
1
 Effect of area y is to increase the work required and in 4 y
addition reduce the amount of refrigeration
S
 Both these effects of areas x and y reduce the COP

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 67

 Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle

Revision of the Carnot Cycle

 The cycle shown offers high COP 3 2 Atmosphere

 Practical considerations require certain revisions

4 1
Cold Room
Saturated
• Changes in the compression process 1 - 2 Saturated
Vapor

Liquid
• Changes in the expansion process 3 - 4
S

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 68

 Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle

Revision of the Carnot Cycle

Wet Compression versus Dry Compression
T
 The Compression process 1-2 is called Wet Compression 3 2 Atmosphere

 With a reciprocating compressor, the wet compressor is not

Cold Room
suitable 4 1
Saturated
o liquid refrigerant may be trapped in the head of the cylinder by Saturated
Vapor

the rising piston and may damage the compression valves and Liquid
the cylinder itself
S
o Liquid droplet vaporization during high rev compressor

o Another possible danger of wet compression is that the droplets of liquid may wash the
lubricating oil from the valve of the cylinder thus increasing wear

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 69

 Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle

Revision of the Carnot Cycle

Wet Compression versus Dry Compression – contd. --

2
 If the refrigerant entering the compressor is saturated vapor as T Super Heated
point 1, the compression from point 1-2 is called Dry 3
Horn
Compression

 Compression of a dry vapor results in a temperature at point 2

which is higher than the condensing temperature. 4 1

 Area of that part of the cycle which is above the condensing

temperature is called the Super Heated Horn
S

 Super Heated Horn represents additional work required by dry compression

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 70

 Vapor Compression cycle

Revision of the Carnot Cycle

Expansion Process

 Carnot cycle demands that the expansion 3-4 takes place Isentropically and that the resulting work
be used to help drive the compressor

 Expansion Engine is not found suitable

2
T
o Work derived from the expansion engine is a small fraction of 3
that to be supplied to the compressor

o Difficulties
such as lubrication intrude when a fluid of two
phases drives the engine 1
4

o Economics of the Power Recovery has not justified the cost of

the expansion process
S

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 71

 Vapor Compression cycle

Revision of the Carnot Cycle

Expansion Process
2
 Throttling Device such as a valve or other restrictions is T
almost universally used for this purpose 3

1
4
 No change in Potential and Kinetic Energy and with no transfer
of heat, → constant enthalpy process i.e. h3 = h4 i.e. process is
Isenthalpic
S

 Constant enthalpy throttling process is Irreversible and during the process Entropy increases

o Friction is one of the biggest reasons for any process to be Irreversible

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 72

 Vapor Compression cycle

Simple/Standard Vapor Compression System

1- Evaporator
 to produce a heat transfer surface through which 8
heat can pass from the refrigerant space into the
vaporizing refrigerant

7
2- Suction Line
1
 carries the low pressure vapor from the
evaporator to the suction inlet of the compressor 2 4

5
3- Compressor
6
 To draw refrigerant vapor from the evaporator and then it 3
rises its temperature and pressure to such a point so
that it may be easily condensed with normally available
condensing media

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 73

 Vapor Compression cycle

Simple/Standard Vapor Compression System

4- Discharge Line or Hot Gas Line
 delivers the high temperature, high pressure vapor 8
from the discharge of the compressor to the
condenser

5- Condenser 7
1
 to provide a heat transfer surface through which
heat passes from the hot refrigerant vapor to the
condensing medium, which is either air or water 2 4

 Energy rejected by the Condenser comprises the heat 5

energy removed by each kilogram of refrigerant
6
passing through the Evaporator and the heat energy 3
added to each kilogram of refrigerant passing
through the Compressor

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 74

 Vapor Compression cycle

Simple/Standard Vapor Compression System

6- Receiver Tank
 Reservoir which stores the liquid refrigerant coming from 8
the condenser and supplies it to the evaporator
according to the requirement

7- Liquid Line 7
 carries the liquid refrigerant from the receiver tank to the 1
refrigerant flow control valve

8- Refrigerant Flow Control or 2 4

Expansion Valve
5
 to supply a proper amount of refrigerant to the evaporator
after reducing its pressure considerably so that the 6
3
refrigerant may take sufficient amount of heat from the
refrigerant space during evaporation

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 75

 Vapor Compression cycle

Introduction to PH-Charts

 The properties of the refrigerants can be listed in tables or they can be shown on a graph

 Most useful and commonly used in refrigeration work is called the Pressure Enthalpy (P-h) or Mollier
Diagram

 Condition of the refrigerant in any thermodynamic state

can be represented as a point in the P-h chart that
represents the condition of the refrigerant in any one P 1 2 3
particular thermodynamic state
Saturated
Liquid Curve

 Once the state point has been located on the chart, other
properties of the refrigerant for that state can be
Saturated
determined directly from the chart Vapor Curve

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 76

 Vapor Compression cycle

Introduction to PH-Charts
Property Lines on the Pressure – Enthalpy Diagram

Saturated Liquid
Curve

P Iso-Enthalpy Saturated Vapor Curve

Line

Iso-Entropy Line

Iso-Pressure
Line
Iso-Specific
Iso-Thermal
Volume Line
Line

Iso-Quality Line

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 77

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 78
 Vapor Compression Cycle

Simple Standard Vapor Compression Cycle

 A Theoretical Cycle with following assumptions:

o Refrigerant vapor leaves the evaporator and

enters compressor as saturated vapor at Te
and Pe

o Liquid leaves the condenser and enters

expansion valve as saturated liquid Tc and Pc

o Actual refrigeration cycle will deviate from

standard one

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 79

 Vapor Compression cycle

Performance of Standard Vapor Compression Cycle

3 Condenser 2

P
(kPa) Condensation
3 2

Expansion
Expansion Compressor
Valve

4 Evaporation
4 1
Evaporator
1

h, kJ/kg

 With the help of ph-diagram, significant quantities of the Vapor Compression Cycle can be determined:

o Work of compression o COP

o Heat rejection rate o Volume flow rate per KW of refrigeration

o Refrigeration effect

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 80

 Vapor Compression cycle

Performance of Standard Vapor Compression Cycle

Work of Compression
 Change in enthalpy in process 1-2
P
(kPa)
KJ/kg 3 Condensation
W = ( h1 - h2 ) 2

Expansion
 Knowledge of the work of compression is important
 → this term may be one of the largest operating costs
of the system Evaporation
4
1

Heat Rejection
h, kJ/kg
 Change in enthalpy in process 2-3, → ( h3 - h2 ) → KJ/kg
 This Heat Rejection Value is used in sizing the condenser and calculating
the required flow quantities of the condenser cooling fluid

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 81

 Vapor Compression cycle

Performance of Standard Vapor Compression Cycle

Refrigerating Effect
 Change in enthalpy in process 4-1
P
( h1 – h4 ) → KJ/kg (kPa) 3 Condensation
 Knowledge of the magnitude of this term is necessary
2

Expansion
because performing this process is the ultimate
purpose of the entire system
Evaporation
COP 4 1
𝒉𝟏 − 𝒉𝟒
𝑪𝑶𝑷 =
𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏
h, kJ/kg
 Volume flow rate per kW is usually expressed in cubic
meter per second per kW (m3/sec.kW).
 Volume Flow Rate is rough indication of the physical size of the compressor → Greater the
value of the term, greater must be the displacement of the compressor in m3/sec
 Efficient Refrigeration System has a low value of power per kW, but a high COP
Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 82
 Vapor Compression cycle

Performance of Standard Vapor Compression Cycle

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 83

 Vapor Compression cycle

Example

A standard vapor-compression cycle developing 50 Kw of refrigeration using Refrigerant 22 operates with

a condensing temperature of 35 OC and an evaporating temperature of -10 OC. Calculate :
(a) the refrigerating effect in KJ/kg,
(b) the circulation rate of refrigerant in kg/s,
(c) the power required by the compressor in kW,
(d) the COP,
(e) the volume flow rate measured at the compressor suction,
(f) the power per kW of refrigeration
(g) the compressor discharge temperature

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 84

Vapor Compression cycle

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 85

 Vapor Compression Cycle

PH-Diagram of superheated R-22 Vapor

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC 86

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 87
Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 88
Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 89