UNIT-03 (Introduction to Refrigeration & Air conditioning)

1. What do you understand by refrigeration? Also write the different application areas of
refrigeration.
Refrigeration: Refrigeration is defined as the process of achieving and maintaining a temperature of a
body below that of the surroundings.
Applications:
 Preservation of food products
 Ice plant
 Chemical industries
 Hospitals
 Laboratories
 Industrial and comfort air conditioning

2. What are the different methods of refrigeration?

(i) Natural Methods:
(a) Utilization of ice or snow obtained naturally in cold climate.
(b) Use of evaporative cooling
(ii) Artificial Methods:
(a) Vapor compression refrigeration
(b) Vapor absorption refrigeration
(c) Gas cycle refrigeration
(d)Thermoelectric refrigeration
(e) Magnetic refrigeration

3. What do you understand by one Ton of refrigeration?

The standard unit of refrigeration is expressed in terms of ‘Ton of refrigeration’ (briefly written as TR).
A ton of refrigeration (TR) is defined as the amount of cooling effect produced by removing the heat
from one US tonne (2000lb=907.18kg) of water at 00C to freeze it to ice at 00C in 24 hours.

907.18(kg )  335(kJ / kg )
1TR   3.5kw  210kJ / min
24  3600(sec)

4. What do you understand by refrigerator, refrigeration effect and COP of refrigerator?

Refrigerator: A refrigerator is a machine used to remove the heat from a cooled object at a lower
temperature than the ambient temperature.
Refrigeration effect: It is defined as the quantity of heat extracted from a
body or space to be cooled below to its surrounding.
Coefficient of performance (C.O.P) of refrigerator:
It is defined as the ratio of refrigeration effect and net work input in
any refrigeration system.
(COP)R = Refrigeration effect / Net work input
5. What do you understand by heat pump also define the COP of heat pump?
Heat pump: A heat pump is a machine that extracts the heat
from the surrounding for the purpose of heating a space
COP of heat pump: It is defined as the ratio of heating effect and
net work input in any heat pump..

(COP)HP = Heating effect / Net work input

6. Prove that the COP of heat pump = 1 + COP of refrigerator

(COP)HP = Desired effect (heating effect) / Net work input

= Q2 / WP
= Q2 / (Q2-Q1) ………..(1)

(COP)R = Desired effect (Refrigeration effect) / Net work input

= Q1 / WP
= Q1 / (Q2-Q1) …………..(2)

From equation (1) & (2):

(COP)HP - (COP)R = Q2 / (Q2-Q1) - Q1 / (Q2-Q1) = 1

(COP)HP = 1 + (COP)R
7. What do you understand by vapour compression refrigeration cycle?

Different processes in vapour compression refrigeration cycle are as follow:

Process 1-2: Isentropic compression of saturated vapour in compressor
Process 2-3: Isobaric heat rejection in condenser
Process 3-4: Isenthalpic expansion of saturated liquid in expansion device
Process 4-1: Isobaric heat extraction in the evaporator

8. Explain the construction and working principle of domestic refrigerator with neat diagram.
Primary function of domestic refrigerator: To provide food storage space at low temperature for food
preservation and formation of ice for domestic purpose.
Refrigeration cycle used in domestic refrigerator: Vapour compression refrigeration cycle
Commonly used refrigerant: R-134a (Tetrafluoroethane)
Construction of domestic refrigerator: Refrigeration system of domestic refrigerator contains the
following main components:
(i) Evaporator
(ii) Compressor
(iii) Condenser
(iv) Expansion device (Capillary tube)
 Working principle of domestic refrigerator:

Refrigeration cycle of refrigerator is based on Vapour compression cycle involved following processes:
1. Process: 1 2: The compressor compresses the low pressure refrigerant vapor, raising its pressure
and temperature, and pushes it into the coils of the condenser on the outside of the refrigerator.
2. Process: 2 3: When the high pressure and high temperature refrigerant vapour in the coils of the
condenser meets the cooled air temperature of the surrounding, it becomes a high pressure liquid.
3. Process: 3 4: Now in liquid form at high pressure, the refrigerant cools down as it flows through
the expansion valve (capillary tube) into the evaporator coils inside the freezer and the fridge.
4. Process: 4 1: The refrigerant absorbs the heat inside the fridge when it flows through the
evaporator coils, cooling down the air inside the fridge.
Now, the refrigerant evaporates to a gas due to absorbed latent heat, and then flows back to the
compressor, where the cycle starts all over again.

9. What do you understand by air conditioning?

Air Conditioning has been defined as the process for treating air, so as to control simultaneously its
temperature, humidity, cleanliness and distribution to meet the requirements of the conditioned space.

10.Differentiate between comfort and industrial air conditioning.

Air conditioning applications can be divided into two categories:
(1) Industrial air conditioning: The main purpose of industrial air conditioning system is to provide
conducive conditions so that the required processes can be carried out and required products can be
produced. Following are some applications of industrial air conditioning: Textile Industry,
Pharmaceutical Industries, Photographic Material, Power Plants
(2) Comfort air conditioning: The air temperature, humidity and velocity at which human body does
not have to take any extra action, is called comfort condition. Human beings do not feel comfortable if
some extra effort is required by the body to reject this energy. Comfort condition is also sometimes
called as neutral condition.
11.What do you understand by Psychrometry?
The psychrometry is that branch of engineering science, which deals with the study of moist air i.e. dry
air mixed with water vapour or humidity. It also includes the study of behavior of dry air and water
vapour mixture under various sets of conditions.

12.What do you understand by moist air and saturated air?

Moist air: It is a mixture of dry air and water vapour at any pressure and temperature.
Saturated air: It is a mixture of dry air and water vapour, when the air has diffused the maximum
amount of water vapour into it at any pressure and temperature.

13. Define humidity ratio (specific humidity).

Humidity ratio: It is the ratio of mass of water vapour and the mass of dry air in the actual air. It is also
defined as the actual amount of water vapour in 1kg of dry air.

mv R p
Humidity ratio; W   a v pa v a  m a Ra Ta , p v v v  m v Rv Tv
m a Rv pa

Ta  Tv  Td

Substituting Ra  0.287 kJ / kg.K for dry air and Rv  0.461 kJ / kg.K for water vapour in the above
0 .287  pv p pv
equation, we have; W   0 .622  v  0 .622
0 .416  pa pa pb  pv

14. Define relative humidity.

Relative humidity: It is the ratio of actual amount of water vapour in any given volume of air to the
maximum amount of the water vapour that can hold by the saturated air at same volume and
temperature.
m p
Relative humidity;   v  v
ms ps

15. Define dry bulb and wet bulb temperature.

Dry bulb temperature (DBT): It is the temperature of air recorded by a thermometer, when it is not
affected by the moisture present in the air.
Wet bulb temperature (WBT): It is the temperature of air recorded by a thermometer, when its bulb is
surrounded by a wet cloth exposed to the air.

16.What do you understand by wet bulb depression?

Wet bulb depression: It is the difference between dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature at any
point.
17.What is sling psychrometer?
Sling psychrometer is an instrument to measure the dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature. A
dry-bulb thermometer is a regular thermometer, while a wet-bulb thermometer is one with a cloth-
wrapped bulb that has been moistened with distilled water

18.What do you understand by dew point temperature?

Dew point temperature: It is defined as the temperature to which the air would have to cool (at
constant pressure and constant water vapor content) in order to reach saturation. Therefore, if the air
cools further, moisture must be removed (in the form of dew) from the air.

19.What do you understand by comfort conditions?

Comfort conditions: The air temperature, humidity and velocity at which human body does not have to
take any extra action, is also called comfort condition. Comfort condition is also sometimes called as
neutral condition

20.Explain the construction and working of room air conditioner with neat diagram.
Construction of window air conditioner: Window air conditioner is sometimes referred to as room air
conditioner as well. It is the simplest form of an air conditioning system and is mounted on windows or
walls. It is a single unit that is assembled in a casing where all the components are located. This
refrigeration unit has a double shaft fan motor with fans mounted on both sides of the motor. One at th
evaporator side and the other at the condenser side. The evaporator side is located facing the room for
cooling of the space and the condenser side outdoor for heat rejection. There is an insulated partition
separating these two sides within the same casing.

Indoor Side Components: The indoor parts of a window air conditioner include:
(i) Evaporator coil with an air filter mounted on it. The evaporator cooling coil exchanges the heat
between the refrigerant in the system and the air in the room.
(ii) Fan Blower is to discharge the cool air to the room.
 (iii) Capillary Tube is used as an expansion device.
(iv) Operation Panel is used to control the temperature and speed of the blower fan.
(v) Drain Pan is used to contain the water that condensate from the cooling coil and is discharged out to
the outdoor by gravity.

Outdoor Side Components: The outdoor side parts include:

(i) Compressor is used to compress the refrigerant.
(ii) Condenser Coil is used to reject heat from the refrigeration to the outside air.
(iii) Propeller Fan is used in air-cooled condenser to help move the air molecules over the surface of the
condensing coil.
(iv) Fan Motor is located here. It has a double shaft where the indoor blower and outdoor propeller fan
are connected together.
Working principle of window air conditioner:

 The low pressure and low temperature refrigerant vapour from evaporator is sucked by compressor.
 The compressor compresses the vapour to high pressure and high temperature and discharges to the
condenser.
 On the condenser the refrigerant vapour condenses by dissipating heat to the cooling medium (air) the
liquid refrigerant coming out of condenser passes through filter, dryer into capillary tube where it is
again throated back to the evaporated pressure.
 The low pressure low temp liquid refrigerant then flows to evaporator which it boil off by extracting
heat from air to be circuited to the conditioned space.

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