Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract:
Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted to
analyze and simulate the performance of instrumented automobile
air-conditioner , using R134a as a working refrigerant . The
experimental work was carried out on an available automobile airconditioner unit with ambient temperature effects on the cycle
performance .
A computer program is constructed to analyze , and simulate
the working and performance of instrumented automobile airconditioner with the effect of ambient temperature on the
performance of compressor , condenser , condensing unit ,
evaporator , and complete refrigeration cycle . The experimental
performance equations of the compressor , condenser , and
evaporator are used in the mathematical simulation .
The comparison between the mathematical model and
experimental results of refrigeration load , compressor work ,
condenser load , and coefficient of performance for different ambient
temperatures showed a good agreement .
.
/
:
. R134a
.
.
.
84
1122
1. Introduction
Refrigeration cycles transfer thermal energy from a region of
low temperature to one of higher temperature , usually the higher
temperature heat sink is the ambient air or cooling water [1] .
The refrigeration system components may be classified into
two groups , the first is hard parts , and the second is transmitted
medium (refrigerant) . The hard parts consist of major components:
compressor , condenser , evaporator or cooling coils , and expansion
valve or capillary tube , and accessories parts such as liquid receiver ,
check valve ,etc. Refrigerants are the working fluid in refrigeration ,
air-conditioning , and heat pumping systems . They absorb heat from
one area , such as an air-conditioned space , and reject it into another
, such as outdoor , usually through evaporation and condensation ,
respectively .
Hamilton and Miller (1990) [2] presented a general steadystate model for simulating components of an air conditioning system .
The model depends on functional fit of manufactures performance
catalogue data of the individual components , along with the
thermodynamics relationships used for modeling of the airconditioning cycle . Hussain (1998) [3] developed a computational
model for vapor compression cycle of a simple refrigeration cycle
that could yield accurate prediction using chlorofluorocarbons and
hydrocarbons refrigerants . Hazim (2000) [4] theoretically studied the
component matching of the mixed vapor-compression cycle .
SANDEN compressors corporation [5] , tested different sizes of
automotive compressors using R134a with varying speeds (from 1000
to 3000 rpm) . Many other researches dealt with the prediction of
thermal design of the refrigeration cycle such as Sadler (2000) [6] ,
Mustafa (2006) [7] , and Saeed (2006) [8] .
1122
q r m(h1 h4 )
.
Win m(h2 h1 )
.
qc m(h2 h3 )
h3= h4
.(1a)
...(1b)
.(1c)
.(1d)
COP
qr
h h4
1
Win h2 h1
......(2)
1122
1122
(a)
88
1122
(b)
(c)
Fig. (3) Experimental data of a SANDEN Hermetic Reciprocating
R134a/1450 rpm / 87 c.c. displacement / 5 cylinders ) Compressor
from a Tested Automobile Air-Conditioner Unit
4.2 Performance of Condenser
Compressor performance is the result of design compromises
involving physical limitations of the refrigerant , compressor , and
motor [10] . Two useful measures of compressor performance are the
coefficient of performance and the measure of power required per
unit of refrigerating capacity .
89
1122
90
1122
91
1122
1122
5. Mathematical Simulation
The method of least squares and polynomial regression
equation are applied on the compressor performance curves that are
experimentally obtained shown in previous Figs.(2a), and (2b) to
develop mathematical equations for refrigerating capacity , and
compressor work respectively that represent compressor
performance for instrumented automobile air-conditioner as follows :
qr ao a1t ev a2 t ev2 a3t c a4 t c2 a5t ev t c a6 t ev2 t c a7 t ev t c2 a8t ev2 t c2 .(6)
and
Win bo b1t ev b2 t ev2 b3t c b4 t c2 b5t ev t c b6 t ev2 t c b7 t ev t c2 b8t ev2 t c2 .(7)
A subroutine to determine the coefficients (a0,a1,,a8), and
(b0,b1,b8) is achieved by fit the equations (6) and (7) connected
with the main simulation program of the cycle .
The heat rejection from condenser is the sum of the
refrigerating capacity and compressor work , then :
qc = qr + Win
...(8)
1122
of exact representation of the heat transfer performance of an aircooled condenser type is used for most calculations is available,
however , through an assumption of a constant heat exchanger
effectiveness , the condenser heat rejected can be represented by :
qc = c (tc ta) ..(9)
or
tc = (qc / c) + ta ......(10)
If the overall heat transfer coefficient of evaporator remains
constant over the operation shown in previous Fig. (6) , the lines
representing a given temperature of entering air (ten) would be
straight . An equation is needed in the mathematical model to
express the refrigeration :
qr = p (ten tev) .....(11)
or
tev = ten (qr / p) ......(12)
The average values of (c) and (p) are found from Figs. (4) and (6)
respectively to enter in the main program as an input data .
5.1 Simulation of Condensing Unit
At an ambient temperature of 25 oC and an evaporating
temperature of -2 oC , a trail value of condensing temperature of 45
o
C is arbitrary selected to be entered into the calculations loop of
condensing unit simulation in order to get started .The values of q r ,
Win , and qc are computed from Eqs.(6) , (7) , and (8) respectively
and then a new value of tc is computed from Eq. (10) and again loop
until converged with selected (tc) . A similar procedure is used for
other values of evaporating temperatures (tev = 0, 2, 3.5, 5 oC) .
Repeated steps are used for ambient temperature of 45 oC .
5.2 Simulation of Complete cycle
The trail values of tev= -0.13 oC and tc= 46 oC which are
obtained graphically at ambient temperature (ta= 25 oC) and an
entering air temperature is entered into a simulation program for
the complete cycle in order to get started . Similar calculations are
94
1122
performed for other value of ten=25 oC. Repeated steps are used for
ta= 45 oC .
The main computer program is constructed using Quick
BASIC language to simulate a performance of automobile airconditioner cycle with trail values of evaporating and condensing
temperatures , as the following steps :
Enter trail values of evaporating temperature (tev) and
condensing temperature (tc) which are obtained from preceding
Fig. (7) .
Compute the refrigerating capacity (qr) and the compressor
work (Win) .
Compute of the condenser heat rejected (qc) .
Compute the coefficient of performance (COP)
Correct and compar evaporating and condensing temperatures
with the trail values until converged by calculating evaporating
and condensing temperatures from Eqs.(10) and (12)
respectively .
6. Results
The balancing points obtained from the mathematical simulation of
condensing unit are shown in Fig. (8a) .A performance of complete
cycle reveals the balancing points which are obtained from
simulation program shown in Fig.(8b) .
(a)
95
1122
(b)
Fig. (8) Performance of Condensing Unit and Complete Cycle for
Instrumented Automobile Air-Conditioner (Mathematical Results)
(a)
96
1122
(b)
(c)
Fig. (9) Effect of Ambient Temperature on Cycle Parameters and
Performance
7. Conclusion
The direct ambient temperature effects on the heat
rejection from a condenser appears on the refrigeration capacity and
the power consumption . The refrigeration capacity increase as
ambient temperature decreases , maximum value of refrigeration
capacity of 2.85 kW is obtained at 25 oC ambient temperature . The
compressor work decreases as ambient temperature decreases ,
97
1122
Nomenclature
Symbol
ao , a1 ,,a8
bo , b1 ,,b8
c
cpa
cos
h
I
m
p
qc
qr
ta
tc
ten
tev
(t)c
(t)ev
vac
vaev
V
Win
a
Meaning
Coefficients
Coefficients
Capacity per Unit Temperature Difference
Air Specific Heat at Constant Pressure
Power Factor
Enthalpy
Current of compressor motor
Mass Flow Rate of Refrigerant
Proportionality Factor
Condenser Heat Rejected
Refrigerating Capacity
Ambient Temperature
Condensing Temperature
Air Temperature Entering Evaporator
Evaporating Temperature
Unit
----kW/K
kJ/kg.K
--kJ/kg
A
kg/s
kW/K
kW
kW
o
C
o
C
o
C
o
C
o
Difference of Entering and Leaving Air Temperatures
C
from Condenser
o
Difference of Entering and Leaving Air Temperatures
C
from Evaporator
Air Flow Rate on Condenser
m3/s
Air Flow Rate on Evaporator
m3/s
Voltage of Compressor Motor
V
Compressor Work
kW
Air Density
kg/m3
98
1122
References
- ASHRAE Handbook-1997 , " Fundamentals ", ASHRAE , 1997.
- Hamilton , J. F. , and Miller , J. L. , " A Simulation Program for
Modeling an Air-Conditioner System " , ASHRAE Transactions ,
Vol.96 , Part 2 , P. 213-221, 1990 .
- Hussain , R. A. , "A numerical Simulation of Vapor Compression
Refrigeration Cycle Using Alternative Refrigerants", Ph.D. Thesis
, Baghdad University ,1998.
- Hazim , H. N. ," Component Matching of a Simple Vapor
Compression Refrigeration System " , M.Sc. Thesis , University of
Baghdad , 2000 .
- " SANDEN Compressors Catalogue " , SANDEN Corporation .
- Sadler ,E. M.," Design Analysis of a Finned-Tube Condenser
for a Resdentail Air-Conditioner Using R-22" , M.Sc. Thesis ,
Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S.A. , 2000 .
- Mustafa , A.T. , " Analysis of a Vapor-Compression Refrigeration
System with Outdoor Air Temperature Effects" , M.Sc. Thesis ,
Technology University,2006.
- Saeed , R. S. ,"A Study on Design Parameter of PlateFin and Tube
Condenser and Direct Expansion Evaporator ", M.Sc. Thesis
,Technology University ,2006.
- " PRODIT Instruction Manual : Instrumented Automobile AirConditioner Unit", PRODIT Engineering company , Italy , 2003 .
- ASHRAE Handbook-2000 ," HVAC System and Equipment",
ASHRAE , 2000.
- Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute," Refrigeration
and Air- Conditioning " , Prentice-Hall Inc. , U.S.A. , 1998 .
- Cengel , Y. A. , " Thermodynamics : An Engineering Approach " ,
McGraw- Hill Inc. , U.S.A. , 1994 .
99