Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

Dr. A.D. Badgujar

Associate Professor

School of Science & Engineering

Navrachana University

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 Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
Air-conditioning

• Air-conditioning is simultaneous control of Temperature,

Humidity, Air Velocity and cleanliness of the Air to provide
comfort to the human beings.

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 Boiling Points of Refrigerant
Low Pressure BP deg C
Nomenclature
R-11 Trichlorofluoromethane CCI3F 23.6
R - (C-1)(H+1)(FLOURINE) R-113 Trichlorotrifluoroethane CCI2FCCIF2 47.55

Inorganic compounds R-123 Dichlorotrifluoroethane CHCI2CF3 27.9

700 + molecular weight
High-Pressure BP deg C
Water = R-718
Air = R-729 R-12 Dichlorodifluoromethane CCI2F2 -29.8
NH3 = R-717 R-22 Chlorodifluoromethane CHCI F2 -40.8
CO2 = R- 744
R-114 Dichlorotetrafluoroethane CCIF2CCIF2 3.66

Azeotrope (PURE) in refrigerants has R-134a Tetrafluoroethane CF3CH2F -26.2

been numbered as R-500 has R-500 Azeotrope R-12/152a -33.5
Constant temp. cond/evaporation
R-502 Azeotrope R-22/115 -45.4
Non-Azeotropic refrigerant has a R-404A Azeotrope R-125/143a/134a -46.7
Temp. glide over cond/evaporation R-409A Azeotrope R-22/124/142b -35.4
R-400 series
R-410A Azeotrope R-32/125 -51.6
R-416A Azeotrope R-134a/124/600 -23.3
R-507 Azeotrope R-125/143a -47.1
 Refrigerant
1. Vapor density: To enable use of smaller compressors and other equipment the refrigerant should have
smaller vapor density.
2. Enthalpy of vaporization: To ensure maximum heat absorption during refrigeration, a refrigerant should
have high enthalpy of vaporization.
3. Thermal Conductivity: Thermal conductivity of the refrigerant should be high for faster heat transfer
during condensation and evaporation.
4. Dielectric strength: In hermetic arrangements, the motor windings are cooled by refrigerants vapor on its
way to the suction valve of the compressor. Therefore, dielectric strength of refrigerant is important
property in hermetically sealed compressor units, it should be high.
5. Critical temperature: In order to have large range of isothermal energy transfer, the refrigerant should
have critical temperature above the condensing temperature.
6. Specific heat: The specific heat should be minimum.
7. Leak tendency: The refrigerant may leak out of the system. The detection of leaks should be easy to loss
of refrigerant. Leakage can be identified quickly if the refrigerant has distinct color or odor.
8. Toxicity: The refrigerant used in air conditioning, food preservation etc. should not be toxic in nature as
they will come into contact with human beings. refrigerants will affect human health if they are toxic.
9. Cost of refrigerants: It should be less.
10. Availability: Refrigerants should be available near the usage point. It must be sourced and procured
within a short period to enable the user in case of leaks, maintenance schedules etc.
Carnot VCR Cycle
Critical Point
Pc and Tc

Sat. Liquid Sat. Vapor line

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Carnot VCR Cycle

Tc = 30

40

50

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 Limitations of Carnot VCR Cycle
• Process 1-2 : Compression Process
• Mixture of Liquid + vapor needs to be compressed such a process
called wet compression process.

• In practical very difficult process specially for R/c compressors. The

compressors get damaged due to liquid droplets in High speed
R/c compressors.

• Process 3-4 : Expansion Process in Turbine

• Economically not justified due to it cost, specially in small systems.

• Since the sp.vol of liquid is very small the work produced by

turbine is small, if the inefficiency of turbine considered the work
produced is almost negligible.

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 Limitations of Carnot VCR Cycle
• Process 1-2 : Compression Process
• The wet compression can be overcome by installing two compression
as shown below. 1-2 (Isen. Comp.), 2-3 (Isothermal Comp.)

Isothermal
compression

Isentropic
compression

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 Standard VCR Cycle
• Thus Carnot cycle is not possible due to practical limitation the cycle
which incorporates these changes is called Evan-Perkins or reverse
Rankine cycle.

T2
Sensible Heat 3 2
Latent Heat

4 1
1

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 Limitations of Carnot VCR Cycle
• Comparison between Std. VCR cycle and Carnot Cycle.

Superheat horn

Throttling Loss

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 Limitations of Carnot VCR Cycle

Relative Efficiency
of VCRS

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 Type of Refrigerant
NH3, CO2 R-11, R-12, R-134a

Throttling
Losses more are
significant

Throttling & Super heat

Losses are significant

R-113, R-114, R-115

Throttling
Losses Highest no
super heating

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 Analysis of VCRS
Heat transfer rate at evaporator or refrigeration capacity, is given

Where mr is the mass flow rate of refrigerant in kg/sec

h1 – h4 specific enthalpy difference

Power input to compressor is given by :

Heat Transfer in Condenser is given by :

Since 3-4 is Isenthalpic Expansion Process: h 3 = h4

Which gives quality (D.Fx4) of refrigerant at point 4 : h3 = h4 = hf + x4. hfg

mr = Volumetric flow rate / sp. Vol.

= V/v

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Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
VCRS on P-H Chart
VCRS : Vapor Compression Refrigeration Process

3 2

4 1

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Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
VCRS on P-H Chart

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 R-134a P-h Chart
VCRS on P-H Chart

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 S1 = s2 = 1.725

2
3

h3 =280 0.06 m3/kg

T2 =45

h1 =408 18
h2 =465
Subcooling

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Superheating

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 Liquid Suction HX

A VCRS working between 3 bar and 19 bar gauge pressure compare the performance of simple
VCRS With the actual system if the suction temperature is 20 deg C and temperature before
expansion is 70 deg C. Calculate T.R. of system for both the cases for VFR = 20 LPM.
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 2
3

h3 =280

4 1

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 MULTI EVAPORATOR SYSTEMS
• Two-temperature operation is utilized when there
are multiple evaporators in the system
• These evaporators typically operate at different
temperatures
• The pressures in these evaporators are therefore
different
• Two-temperature operation is normally
accomplished with mechanical valves
 18.4 psig
20°F

18.4 psig

2-temperature device

26.1 psig

30°F
 EVAPORATOR PRESSURE CONTROL
• Evaporator pressure regulator (EPR)
• Prevents the pressure in an evaporator from
dropping below a predetermined pressure
• Two pressures control the valve
– Spring pressure – pushes to close the valve
– Evaporator pressure – pushes to open the valve
• Evaporator superheat may be high when the
EPR is closed
 THE EVAPORATOR PRESSURE REGULATOR

Spring

Vapor to compressor

Seat disc

Seat

Vapor from
evaporator Schrader valve
 MULTIPLE EVAPORATORS
• An EPR is needed in the suction line of each
evaporator except the lowest temperature coil
• EPR valves are equipped with Schrader valves to
read evaporator pressure
• Multiple EPRs can be set at different pressures
so each evaporator can be maintained at a
different temperature
 Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
Cascade VCRS

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Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

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Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

Critical Temp of
R23 = 25oC

Freezing point of
R23 = -155oC

Freezing Temp of
NH3 = -77 oC

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 Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
Critical Temp of
R23 = 25oC

35 oC Freezing point of
Critical Temp of R23 = -155oC
R23 = 25oC
Tcas = - 30 oC

Freezing Temp of
NH3 = -77 oC
-80 oC

Tcascade = sqrt(308*193) = 243

= - 30 oC
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Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

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Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

Thank You!

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