OBJECTIVES

To investigate the variation of Coefficient of Performance (COPR) of a vapour compression

refrigeration system at different cooling load.

INTRODUCTION
Refrigeration cycles or we can call as thermodynamic heat pump cycles are the
conceptual and mathematical models for heat pumps and refrigerators. A heat pump is a
machine or device that moves heat from one location at a lower temperature to another
location at a higher temperature using mechanical work. Thus, a heat pump may be thought
of as a "heater" if the objective is to warm the heat sink, or a "refrigerator" if the objective is
to cool the heat source, as in the normal operation of a freezer. In either case, the operating
principles are identical. Heat is moved from a cold place to a warm place.

THEORY
A refrigeration cycle works to lower and maintain the temperature of a controlled
space by heat transfer from a low to a high temperature region. The figure below shows the
cycle of heat transfer from a low temperature to high temperature region.

High Temperature Reservoir, TH

QH

Wnet

QL
Low Temperature Reservoir, TL

The other term for the cooling effect of the refrigeration system is the Refrigeration
Duty, which it is the rate of heat being removed from the low temperature region with
specified evaporation and condensation temperatures. We use Watts as the unit for duty
measurement, where 1 ton of refrigeration = 3517W.
3.1

The Vapour Compression Cycle

Ideal refrigeration systems follow the theoretical Reversed Carnot Cycle process. In
practical refrigerators, compression and expansion of a gas and vapour mixture presents
practical problems in the compressor and expander. Therefore, in practical refrigeration,
compression usually takes place in the superheated condition and a throttling process is
substituted for the isentropic expansion.

The cycle:

12

Condensation of the high pressure vapour during which heat is transferred to

the high temperature region.

23

Adiabatic throttling of the condensed vapour from the condensing to the

evaporating pressure.

34

Evaporation of the low-pressure liquid during which heat is absorbed from the
low temperature source.

41

Isentropic compression of the vapour, from the evaporating to the condensing

pressures.

Energy Transfers Analysis

Compressor

q4-1 = h4 h1 + w4-1

If compression is adiabatic,
q4-1 = 0, and w4-1 = h1 h4 = wcomp

Power requirement,
P = (h1 h4),
where is the flow rate of working fluid per unit time.

Condenser

q1-2 = h2 h1 + w

w = 0,
therefore q1-2 = h2 h1 and
rate of heat rejection Q1-2 = ( h2 h1 )

Expansion Valve

q2-3 = h3 h2 + w

w = 0,
therefore q 2-3 = h2 h3 and
process is assumed adiabatic

q 0

therefore h2 = h3

Evaporator

q34 = h4 h3 + w

w = 0,
therefore q34 = h4 h3 and
rate of heat absorbed Q34 = ( h4 h3 )

Coefficient of Perfomance, COPref:

COPref =

q3 4
w

h4 h3
h1 h4

APPARATUS

1) TH Series Computer Linked Refrigeration Unit (Edibon).

2) TH Series Computer Controller

3) Printer

4) Thermocouple

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

a) Condenser-water and evaporator-air

Selected air as a heat source by opening valves AVS-3 and AVS-5. Then the
START button was clicked.

Water flow rate at the condenser was adjusted to 5 L/m and air flow of the
evaporator was adjusted until 50% of the maximal flow (evaporator load).

COMPRESSOR button was then clicked.

Data recording was taken by clicking START SAVING when the system has
stabilized.

Sampling rate was set at 180 second per sample.

Data was recorded for 15 minutes (5 samples @ 900 second) by clicking STOP
SAVING.

Evaporator load was ten increased to 100% and step (c) to step (f) were
repeated.

b) Condenser-air and evaporator-air

Selected air as a heat source by opening valves AVS-3 and AVS-6. Then the
START button was clicked.

Air flow of the condenser was adjusted to maximum flow (100%) and 50% of the
maximal flow at the evaporator (evaporator load).

COMPRESSOR button was then clicked.

Data recording was taken by clicking START SAVING when the system has
stabilized.

Sampling rate was set at 180 second per sample.

Data was recorded for 15 minutes (5 samples @ 900 second) by clicking STOP
SAVING.

Evaporator load was ten increased to 100% and step (c) to step (f) were
repeated.

REFERENCES
1

Fundamentals of Mechanical Refrigeration Systems,

http://www.pdhonline.com/courses/m244/m244content.pd
How to Improve Efficiency in Refrigerating Equipment,

http://www.iifiir.org/userfiles/file/publications/notes/NoteTech_17_EN.pdf
Refrigeration Load,
http://servidor.demec.ufpr.br/disciplinas/TM140/PROJETO_REFRIGERACAO/Mat

erial%20de%20estudo/REFRIGERATION%20LOAD_R02_12SI.pdf
What is Refrigeration Load,
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-refrigeration-load.htm