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Chapter 17 - Refrigeration PDF

This document provides information on refrigeration including its applications, definition, operation, and the vapor compression refrigeration cycle. It defines refrigeration as producing and maintaining a lower temperature space and discusses how heat flows from higher to lower temperatures. It then describes the components and processes of the vapor compression refrigeration cycle including the evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion valve. Examples are also provided to calculate performance metrics like COP, capacity, power, and mass flow rate for refrigeration systems.

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carleston thurgood
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320 views17 pages

Chapter 17 - Refrigeration PDF

This document provides information on refrigeration including its applications, definition, operation, and the vapor compression refrigeration cycle. It defines refrigeration as producing and maintaining a lower temperature space and discusses how heat flows from higher to lower temperatures. It then describes the components and processes of the vapor compression refrigeration cycle including the evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion valve. Examples are also provided to calculate performance metrics like COP, capacity, power, and mass flow rate for refrigeration systems.

Uploaded by

carleston thurgood
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter 17

Refrigeration
Applications

 Control of chemical reactions by keeping reactants at reduced temperatures.


 Separation of wax from lubricating oils.
 Separation by distillation of normal gaseous mixtures
 Air conditioning
 Ice manufacturing
 Storage and transportation of perishables
Definition

Refrigeration is the production and maintenance in a given space of a temperature


lower than that of the surroundings.

Heat flows naturally from a higher temperature to a lower temperature. The reverse
process cannot occur by itself. (Second Law of Thermodynamics)

Devices that produce refrigeration are called refrigerators, and the working fluid used
in such devices are called refrigerants.

Refrigerants:
A chemically inert fluid (non-flammable, non-explosive, non-toxic)
Should not react unfavourably with the lubricating oil
Operation

Operation is on a closed cycle in which the refrigerant is alternately evaporated and


condensed as it absorbs and gives off heat respectively.

When a liquid evaporates, an amount of heat equal to the latent heat of vaporization
must be absorbed by the liquid from the surrounding space. Condensation is achieved
by extracting heat from the vapour.

An ideal (perfect) refrigerator works on a Reversed Carnot Cycle (running backwards


or anti-clockwise)
Revision of Carnot Cycle – Chapter 7 /QH/

P b c

a-b Adiabatic compression until the


temperature rises from TC to TH a d
/QC/
b-c Isothermal expansion to arbitrary
point C with absorption of heat /QH/ V

c-d Adiabatic expansion until the temperature decreases


to TC

d-a Isothermal compression to the initial state with


rejection of heat /QH/

Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics - 2019


Reverse Carnot Cycle
Carnot Refrigerator
Process

Supply work, and use it to collect low-temperature heat (Q2), delivering the heat plus work
energy as high temperature heat (Q1)

Extraction of heat

Performance is described by coefficient of performance (COP)

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑊𝑒 𝑊𝑎𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑄2


𝐶𝑂𝑃 = = =
𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑊𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑦 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑊
𝑄2 𝑇2 𝑥∆𝑆 𝑇2
𝐶𝑂𝑃 = = =
𝑄1 − 𝑄2 𝑇1 𝑥∆𝑆 − 𝑇2 𝑥∆𝑆 𝑇1 − 𝑇2
The smaller the temperature difference, the greater the COP
The temperature ratio gives the maximum possible COP for any refrigerator operating
between those temperature limits.

This can be thought of as the coefficient of perfection.

Serves as a standard for comparing the performance of actual refrigerators operating


between the same temperature limits.
Example 17.1
Shown is the T-S diagram of a carnot refrigerator. Determine the following:
a. COP
b. The specific work
c. The power input (kW) if the mass flow rate of the refrigerant is 7.2kg/min
d. The dryness fraction of the vapour at points a and d on the diagram.
Vapour compression cycle

A modified version of the Carnot


refrigerator cycle.

Isentropic expansion process (this


is difficult to achieve in practice) is
replaced by a constant enthalpy
process, which is achieved by a
throttling valve (expansion) to bring
about the required pressure drop.

At the end of the evaporation


process, the vaporised refrigerant is
taken to be dry saturated
Evaporator
Refrigerant evaporates (boils), absorbing heat from within the refrigerator cabinet.
Evaporation will continue at constant temperature until the liquid refrigerant has
vaporised.

Compressor
Pumps the refrigerant around the circuit by drawing the vapour out of the evaporator,
compressing it, and discharging it at a higher pressure into the condenser.

Condensor
Enables warm or hot refrigerant vapour to reject an amount of heat to a condensing
medium which is at a lower temperature.

Expansion Valve
Throttling device (capillary tube) maintains a pressure difference between the
condenser and he evaporator.
The solution to numerical problems
depends on obtaining the enthalpies
at points 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Refrigerating effect
𝑞 = ℎ1 − ℎ4

Specific work done


𝑤 = ℎ2 − ℎ1

Theoretical COP
𝑞 ℎ1 − ℎ4
=
𝑤 ℎ2 − ℎ1

Capacity Compressor Power


𝑄 = 𝑚𝑥𝑞 = 𝑚𝑥 ℎ1 − ℎ4
𝑊 = 𝑚𝑥𝑊 = 𝑚(ℎ2 − ℎ1 )
Motor Power
𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑚(ℎ2 − ℎ1 )
𝑀𝑃 = =
𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝜑
Example 17.2
A refrigerator working on the single saturated cycle and using refrigerant R-134a has a
condensing pressure of 900kPa, and an evaporation pressure of 250kPa. Using the
chart given, estimate:

a. The evaporation temperature

b. The specific enthalpy of the wet vapour entering the evaporator

c. The refrigerating effect

d. The work done for a unit flow rate

e. The COP

f. The refrigerating capacity (kW) if the refrigerant is being circulated at a rate of 0.04
kg/s

g. The required power of the motor driving the compressor if the mechanical
efficiency is 85%
Example 17.3 – Real refrigerants
An ammonia vapour-compression refrigerating plant has a single-stage, single acting
reciprocating compressor which has a bore of 127mm, a stroke of 152mm and a speed of
240rpm. The pressure in the evaporator is 151.6kPa, and that in the condenser is
1350.4kPa. The volumetric efficiency of the compressor is 80%, and its mechanical
efficiency is 90%. The vapour is dry saturated on leaving the evaporator, and the
temperature after compression is 82 deg cel. (specific heat capacity of the superheated
vapour is 2.8kJ/kg.K) The condensed liquid ammonia leaves the condenser at 35 deg cel.
Calculate:
a. The mass flow of the refrigerant in kg/min
b. The capacity of the plant in kW
c. The power of the electric motor to drive the compressor
d. The mass of fish that can be frozed per hour from a temperature of 11 deg cel to -20
deg cel, given that the freezing point of fish is -2.2 deg cel. (specific heat capacity
above freezing is 3.26kJ/kg.K. The latent heat of fusion = 245 kJ/kg. The specific heat
capacity below freezing is 1.74 kJ/kg.K.
P Sat temp Specific Enthalpy kJ/kg Specific Volume m3/kg
kPa Deg cel Liquid (hf) Vapour (hg) Liquid (vf) Vapour (vg)
151.6 -25 66.58 1411.2 0.001490 0.77119
1350.4 35 346.80 1468.6 0.001702 0.09567

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