How a Refrigeration Compressor Works

By Bob Refrigeration Compressors, Remanufactured Compressors

The compressor is the heart of the refrigeration system. The compressor acts as the pump that moves the
refrigerant through the system. Temperature sensors start the compressor's action. Refrigeration systems
cool objects through repeated refrigeration cycles.

Before we proceed, here are some terms that you should know.

1. Compressor: The compressor is the pump that enables the flow of the refrigerant. The compressor works
by increasing the pressure and temperature of the vaporized refrigerant. There are different types of
compressors for refrigeration applications. Reciprocating, rotary, and centrifugal compressors are the most
common among refrigeration units.
 2. Condenser: The condenser is a set of coiled tubes. In the domestic refrigerator, you will find your
compressor at the back of the appliance. The condenser cools the vaporized refrigerant turning it back to
liquid.

3. Evaporator: The evaporator is the cooling component of the refrigeration system. It absorbs heat from the
contents within the cooling appliance. In the domestic refrigerator, the evaporator is in your freezing
compartment.

4. Expansion Valve: This device controls the flow of the liquid refrigerant. The expansion valve is
thermostatic. It responds to the temperature that you set.

The Refrigeration Cycle

The refrigerant flows from the evaporator coil through the compressor. This flow raises the pressure of the
coolant. The vaporized refrigerant then flows to the condenser where it transforms to liquid. As the refrigerant
condenses to a liquid, it gives off heat. This explains why the condenser is relatively hot when you touch it.

From the condenser, the refrigerant flows to the expansion valve. There is a drop of pressure in the
expansion valve. From the expansion valve, the refrigerant flows to the evaporator. The liquid refrigerant
draws heat from the evaporator' environment. This heat vaporizes the liquid refrigerant.

The vaporized refrigerant flows back to the compressor where the cycle continues.

How Different Compressors Work

1. The Reciprocating Compressor

This compressor employs back and forth piston motion to compress the vaporized refrigerant. Another name
for the reciprocating compressor is the piston compressor. This compressor comprises a motor, a crankshaft,
and some pistons.

The motor rotates the crankshaft, which then pushes the pistons.

Each crankshaft rotation achieves actions: suction, compression, and discharge. All these actions are in
sequence. As a result, gas displacement is discontinuous and causes vibration.

Single-acting reciprocating compressors are those compressors where the refrigerant acts on one side.
Double-acting compressors enjoy refrigerant action on two sides of the piston.

Types of single-acting compressors include;

 Open Type Compressors

 Serviceable Semi-Hermetic Compressors
 Bolted Serviceable Semi-Hermetic Compressors
 Welded Hermetic Compressors

These reciprocating compressors come in low, medium, and high operating temperature. You find
reciprocating compressors in household refrigerators and freezers (welded hermetic compressors). In
commercial refrigeration and air conditioning systems are semi-hermetic, and welded hermetic compressors.

2. The Rotary-Vane Compressor

The vane splits the cylinder into suction and discharges sections. The pistons rotate to increase and
decrease the volumes of the sections. Continuous rotation achieves gas suction, compression, and
discharge.

The operation of a rotary vane compressor includes five actions. These actions are; start, suction,
compression, discharge then end. Each crankshaft rotation achieves all these five actions.

You can find rotary vane compressors in domestic refrigeration and air conditioning units. They also feature
in heat pumps.

3. The Rotary-Screw Compressor

This compressor uses helical screw rotors to compress larger volumes of refrigerant. The compression
involves the motor and the male and female rotors.

The motor rotates the male rotor through the crankshaft. The male rotor moves the female rotor as the rotors
inter-mesh against each other.

The meshing rotors force the refrigerant through the suction port of the compressor. The compressed
refrigerant leaves via the discharge port at a higher pressure.

The screw compressor competes with large reciprocation and small centrifugal compressors. You find rotary
screw compressors in commercial and industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.

4. The Centrifugal Compressor

Another name for the centrifugal compressor is the turbo or radial compressor. This machine compresses the
refrigerant by kinetic energy though rotating impellers. As the impellers rotate, they force the refrigerant
through the inlet vane. The higher the impeller speed, the higher the pressure.

The high-pressure refrigerant then passes through the diffuser. In the diffuser, the gas volume of the
refrigerant expands as the speed decreases. Centrifugal compressors convert the kinetic energy of high-
speed, low-pressure refrigerant. The result is low-speed high-pressure gas.

Centrifugal compressors are suitable for large cooling applications. The centrifugal compressor is a favorite
among commercial and industrial refrigeration systems.

The mode of action of different compressors makes them suitable for some applications. The design could
also make a compressor unsuitable for other uses. Attributes like cooling capability, price, efficiency, and
reliability are key factors to consider.

The compressor is central to refrigeration, and you should know and understand how it works. At
Compressors Unlimited, we have a huge supply of remanufactured compressors for your commercial
refrigeration needs.

Refrigerant Gases
Typical refrigerant gases include fluorocarbons, which are chemical compounds of carbon and fluorine. They were
developed mainly as refrigerant gases to be used for refrigerators and air conditioners. There are various types of
fluorocarbons such as CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs with different chemical structures and compositions.
Besides fluorocarbons, other refrigerant gases include ammonia, carbon dioxide, and propane.

Refrigerant Gas Types and Characteristics

Global-
Toxicity &
ASHRAE Warming
Type Molecular Formula Flammability
Number Potential
Class
(GWP)*1

R-12 CCl2F2 10,900 A1

CFC R-11 CCl3F 4,750 A1

R-502 HCFC-22/CFC-115 4,520 A1

R-22 CHClF2 1,810 A1

HCFC
R-123 CHCl2CF3 77 B1

R-410a HFC-32/125 2,090 A1

R-407c HFC-32/125/134a 1,770 A1

R-134a CH2FCF3 1,430 A1

HFC
R-32 CH2F2 675 A2L

R-454b HFC-32/HFO-1234yf 466 A2L

R-152a CH3CHF2 124 A2

HFO R-1234yf CH2=CFCF3 1 A2L

R-290 C3H8（Propane） 10 A3

R-600a CH(CH3)3 （Isobutane） 4 A3

Natural Refrigerants
including R-1270 C3H6（Propylene） 3 A3
Hydrocarbons
R-744 CO2（Carbon dioxide） 1 A1

R-717 NH3 （Ammonia） <1 B1

*1 Source: The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) (2014)

【ASHRAE Number】
The ASHRAE number is a number that indicates the type of refrigerant and is defined by ISO817 (International Organization
for Standardization) as follows.
R Initial letter of Refrigerant
 Thousands
The number of double bonds in the unsaturated hydrocarbon molecule
digit

Hundreds digit The number of carbon atoms minus one

Tens digit The number of hydrogen atoms plus one

Units digit The number of fluorine atoms per molecule

Indication of isomer or mixed refrigerant with different percentages of each

Suffix
refrigerant

【Global Warming Potential】

Global Warming Potential (GWP) is the metric of relative values used to compare the global warming impact of greenhouse
gases with the reference gas. Carbon dioxide (CO2) was chosen as this reference gas and its GWP is set equal to one (1.0).
【Toxicity & Flammability Class Table】
Reference: ISO 817 Refrigerants – Designation and safety classification

Impact of greenhouse gases on the global environment and international regulatory

progress
CFCs and HCFCs used in the past had caused ozone depletion problems. CFCs and halon were banned in developed
countries in 1996 due to their high impact on the ozone layer. HCFCs, which have a relatively small impact on the ozone
layer, were also scheduled to be phased out by 2020, with some exceptions. HFC refrigerant gases that are currently in
widespread use as alternatives of CFCs and HCFCs are non-flammable refrigerants (A1). But they have been found to be
greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Subsequently, the switch to lower flammable refrigerant gases (A2L) such as
HFCs with a lower GWP or HFOs has been promoted. In recent years, the use of HC refrigerants (A3) and natural
refrigerants, which have even lower GWP, is being considered.

Progress in Japan
【Regulations】
In Japan, the Act on the Protection of the Ozone Layer through the Control of Specified Substances and Other Measures
was enacted in 1988 to achieve the reduction of the production and consumption of CFCs and HCFCs based on the Vienna
Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
As a result, 15 types of CFCs and HCFCs were completely phased out by 1996.
In addition, the Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Law, the Home Appliance Recycling Law, and other related laws
were enacted in 2001 in order to recover and destroy CFCs & HCFCs that had been used up, requiring the recovery and
destruction of CFCs & HCFCs at the time of disposal of products containing fluorocarbons.
In light of changes in the circumstances relating to fluorocarbons, such as technological progress and global regulatory
trends, the Law Concerning the Recovery and Destruction of Fluorocarbons was amended to the Act on Rational Use and
Proper Management of Fluorocarbons in 2013 in order to address the issues of rapid increase in the use of HFC A1
refrigerants, which are greenhouse gases that cause global warming, slow refrigerant recovery rates, and refrigerant gas
leaks during operation of HVAC equipment. The new law requires measures to be taken throughout the entire lifecycle of
fluorocarbons from their production to disposal.
Following the revision of the Montreal Protocol in 2016 (Kigali Amendment), the Act on the Protection of the Ozone Layer
Through the Control of Specified Substances and Other Measures was revised in Japan in 2018 to implement regulations of
the production and import of A1 HFCs, which are alternatives to CFCs and HCFCs, which requires reduction of the limits of
production and consumption of A1 HFCs in the country to 85% of the base level, which is the average of actual results from
2011 to 2013, by 2036 through step by step reduction of these limits.
【Trends in Associated Industries】
Under these circumstances, there is a growing trend in Japan to shift to lower flammability refrigerant gases (A2Ls), which
have a lower GWP than other HFCs (A1).
The refrigerant used in residential air conditioners (RACs) has largely switched from R-410 to R-32 as of 2017.
The shift of refrigerant for commercial air conditioners (PAC: Packaged Air Conditioners) to R-32 has also been progressing.
But there is little progress in shifting of refrigerant for multiple split air conditioners (VRF: Variable Refrigerant Flow) to A2L
refrigerants, which will be a major issue in the future. The use of HC refrigerant gas (A3) and natural refrigerant (CO 2), which
have lower GWP, is also increasing for freezer/ refrigerator showcases and condensing units.
The percentage of residential air conditioners using A2L refrigerants is almost 100% in Japan. But the global switchover to
A2L refrigerants is just beginning.
In 2016, the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (JRAIA) established the technical standard
entitled; [JRA4068: 2016_Requirements of refrigerant leak detector and alarm for air conditioning and refrigeration
equipment] to ensure safe operation of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment using A2L refrigerant, which increases
the need for gas sensors for refrigerant gas detection.