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Energy savings in commercial

refrigeration equipment:
High Pressure control implementation
August 2011 / White paper
by Christophe Borlein
AFF and lIIF-IIR member

Make the most of your energy

conomie dnergie dans les centrales frigorifiques: La haute pression flottante

Foreword
High Pressure control implementation is fairly easy. However
refrigerating systems are not always adapted to this regulation and
require in depth checks and sometimes modifications.
Knowing the effect of High Pressure control on the efficiency of
the installation allows to increase energy saving. Being aware of
appearance of a problem allows to take preventive actions rather
than stopping the High Pressure control, which is the case on many
installations.

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II

High Pressure control


possible effects.

conomie dnergie dans les centrales frigorifiques: La haute pression flottante

Impact of the power of the pilot-controlled


valve
Thermostatic pilot-control valves either mechanical,
or electric and electronic control an overheating
on the outlet side of the evaporator. In fact they
are modulating valves acting on the flow. When the
valve is completely open and overheating is higher
than setting, that means that the valve is too small.
(power of the evaporator should not be sufficient at
this time or Low Pressure will go down until a Low
Pressure fault is detected).
Note: following calculations are simplified and
approximate. Howeverr they allow to follow step by
step easily and understand why a multi outlets valve
is not absolutely necessary. Tables at the end are
given by the manufacturers. Data of these tables are
the only ones which shoul be taken as irrefutable.
Pilot control valves are more or less governed by
hydraulics laws as fluid is present in 2 states.
With little approximation we can state that pressure
loss varies with the square of flow.

p = aV
Danfoss data
In other words, if the pressure is reduced by 50 %,
the flow accross the valve downd by 30 %. There
should thus be a refrigerating power loss.
Figure 1 : TE Thermostatic Valve
R-22 fluid, evaporating at -12 C (2,3 bar)
condensing at 40 C (14,3 bar) down to 20 C (8,1
bar) will have a volume reduction approximately
equal to 30 % (negletcting the density variation)

1- Thermostatic Element
2- Input cartridge
3- Valve body
4-Overheating adjustment rod
5- Pressure balance

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conomie dnergie dans les centrales frigorifiques: La haute pression flottante

High Pressure

15

Using the R-22 refrigerating cycles as shown


figure 2, enthalpy is 244 kJ/kg @ 40 C, down
to 218 kJ/kg @ 20 C, ) i.e. 19 % power loss.
This change, close to 20 % does not allow the
use a traditional regular pilot-control valve to
make High Pressure control. It is thus necessary
to have another means of regulation (electronic,
analogic, electric, multi-outlets,)

030

1.6

5
1.7
s=

0.020

1.8

0.0

s=

30

1.8
20

15

0
1.9
10

0.050
1.9

0.060

.030

2.0

v= 0

40

v= 0.0

2.0

60

180

s=
80

x = 0.10
s = 1.00

0.20

218

0.30

1.20

0.40

256

0.50

1.40

294

0.60

0.70

0.80
1.60

332
Enthalpy [kJ/kg]

2.1

-20

v= 0.0

v= 0.10
0.90

370

s=

-20

0.10

-10

v= 0.0

3.00

2.00

0.070
0.080
0.090

s=

s=

v= 0

-10

0.040

s=

10

.0
v= 0

5.00

0.030

0
.008
v= 0
0
1
.0
v= 0

s=

20

140

40

.020

4.00

0.015

50

060

7.00
6.00

s=

60

030
0.0
40
0
0
.
=0

v
v=

1.7
0

70
50

0.0

v=

30

Pressure [Bar]

10.00
9.00
8.00

70

020

v=

40

20.00

0.0080
0.0090
0.010

80

60

30.00

0.0060
0.0070

160

s=

40.00

0.005

0.00

1.60
90

40

0.0

s=

00

02

0.0

0.

DTU, Department of Energy Engineering


s in [kJ/(kg K)]. v in [m^3/kg]. T in [C]
M.J. Skovrup & H.J.H Knudsen. 10-11-07

90

50.00

R22 Ref :R.C.Downing. ASHRAE Transactions 1974. Paper No. 2313.

80

60.00

-20

408

20

40

60

80

100

446

Figure 2 : R22 Refrigeration Cycles condensing at 40C and


20C

484

120

0.15

High Pressure
The R-404A, evaporating at -12 C (3,1 bar)
condensing at 40 C (17,2 bar) down to
20 C (9,9 bar) with a reduction of volume
approximately equal to 31 % (identical to R-22)
(see refrigerating cycles figure 3). The enthalpy
is 112 kJ/kg @ 40 C and 143 kJ/hg @ 20 C.
Power loss is of 9%. This variation is acceptable
and does not prevent the installation to operate
correctly.

20

00

0.

R404A Ref :DuPont SUVA HP62

30.00

03

0.0

DTU, Department of Energy Engineering


s in [kJ/(kg K)]. v in [m^3/kg]. T in [C]
M.J. Skovrup & H.J.H Knudsen. 10-11-07

50
20.00

50

0.0060
0.0070
120
0.0080
0.0090
0.010

0.00

1.60

60

40

0.00

s=

40.00

0.015

40

s=

0
1.8

0.040

s=

8.00

0.030

s=

1.7

5
1.6
10

100

1.7

20

10.00
9.00

0.020

s=

7.00

0.050

1.8

6.00

0.060

s=

5.00

-10

0.070

Pressure [Bar]

30

1.9

4.00

0.080
0.090

s=
1.9

0.10

s=

3.00

-20

x = 0.10

2.00
180

-30
0.20
s = 1.00

0.30

216

0.40

1.20

0.50

252

0.60

0.70
1.40

288

0.80

0.90

1.60

324
Enthalpy [kJ/kg]

-20

360

20

40

396

60

80

0.15

432

Figure 3 : R-404A Refrigeration Cycles condensing at 40C and 20C

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High pressure
This is illustrated by the selection tables of the pilot-control valves manufacturers (Danfoss):

R22

Power capability - 40C 10C range


Part number

Pressure loss in the valve Dp bar

Nb of outlets
2

10

12

16

14

Evaporation temperature -10C


TX 2/TEX 2-0.15

TX 2/TEX 2-0.3
TX 2/TEX 2-0.7
TX 2/TEX 2-1.0
TX 2/TEX 2-1.5
TX 2/TEX 2-2.3
TX 2/TEX 2-3.0
TX 2/TEX 2-4.5
TEX 5-3
TEX 5-4.5
TEX 5-7.5
TEX 5-12

0X
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4

0.37
0.79
1.6
2.2
3.9
5.8
7.4
9.1
11.1
15.4
22.7
32.3

0.47
0.96
2
2.9
5.1
7.6
9.6
11.8
14.3
19.7
28.7
41.1

0.53
1.1
2.3
3.3
5.9
8.7
11
13.5
16.3
22.4
32.7
46.8

0.57
1.2
2.5
3.6
6.4
9.5
16 18 %
12
14.7
17.7
24.3
35.6
51

0.6
1.2
2.6
3.8
6.8
10.1
12.8
15.6
18.8
25.7
37.8
54.1

Power capability - 40C 10C range


Part number

Pressure loss in the valve Dp bar


4
6
8
10

Nb of outlets
2

TS2/TES 2-0.11

TS2/TES 2-0.21
TS2/TES 2-0.45
TS2/TES 2-0.6
TS2/TES 2-1.2
TS2/TES 2-1.7
TS2/TES 2-12.2
TS2/TES 2-2.5
TES 5-3.7
TES 5-5.0
TES 5-7.2
TES 5-10.3

0X
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4

Evaporation temperature -10C


0.26
0.53
0.96
1.3
2.3
3.4
4.4
5.3
7.9
10.9
16
22.9

0.33
0.66
1.2
1.7
3
4.4
5.6
6.9
10.1
13.9
20.4
29.1

0.38
0.73
1.4
1.9
3.4
5
6.4
7.8
11.3
15.6
23
32.9

0.39
0.4
0.76
0.78
1.4
1.5
2
2
3.6
3.7
5.4
5.5
6.8 5 9 % 7
8.3
8.5
12
12.4
16.6
17
24.5
25.1
35
36

0.63
1.3
2.7
4
7.1
10.5
13.3
16.2
19.5
26.7
39.4
56.3

0.64
1.3
2.8
4.1
7.3
10.8
13.6
16.6
19.9
27.3
40.4
57.7

0.64
1.3
2.8
4.1
7.3
10.8
13.8
16.8
20.1
27.6
40.9

58.4

R404A/R 507
12
0.4
0.78
1.5
2
3.7
5.5
7
8.5
12.4
17
25.2
36.2

14
0.4
0.78
1.5
2.1
3.7
5.5
7
8.5
12.3
16.9
25.2
36.1

16
0.4
0.78
1.5
2.1
3.7
5.5
6.9
8.5
12.2
16.8
25.2

36.1

Power losses with the R-404A can be neglected.

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conomie dnergie dans les centrales frigorifiques: La haute pression flottante

Conclusion
A refrigerating equipment using R-404A and
correctly sized regular pilot-control valve can
move to High Pressure control with no change.

as checking the good restarting must be made


during the time the high pressure goes down to
its minimal value.

Flash gaz

Impact on the heat recovery

Usually flash gas does not happen when High


Pressure control is correctly implemented.
This phenomenon (when associated with the
HP control) may arrive in semi-season when
the installation is operating at low power and
condensers fans at full mode. This involves
a small temperature difference of between
condenser and outside.

Heat recovery is more and more implemented


on cold stores. It is done at several places of the
installation:

Consequently, added cooling is too small to


compensate the pressure losses through the
valve.

HP control and heat recovery are not inevitably


incompatible. These two solutions bring pretty
large energy savings. It is thus necessary to
carry out studies on a case-by-case basis
to find adjustments allowing to reduce total
consumption.

Moreover the temperature of the room where


is located the liquid container can reduce
added cooling. To avoid this phenomenon
it is necessary that the regulation limits the
temperature difference between outside
temperature and condenser. Other solution is
to use that supercooling as a datum in the HP
control to pilot the regulation. Installation of an
external supercooling is an other solution to
solve this problem.
Refrigerant accumulation
During winter time, HP control tends to
accumulate more liquid in the condenser,
especially if the gravitating flow of this one is not
efficient. If the liquid container cannot store the
difference between summer and winter, it will be
necessary to re-consider the exhaust flow, the
size of the bottle or to limit the minimal value of
the high pressure.
Discharge temperature
High Pressure reduction involves a reduction
of discharge temperature. This reduction
can intervene on the performances of the oil
separator. It will be necessary to make sure that
the difference between condenser and discharge
temperature is large enough to allow a correct
separation.

cooling;
condensation;
oil cooling;
cylinder heads cooling.

System instability
For various reasons the system can become
unstable in LP or HP.
Regarding HP side, instability leads to frequent
startings of fans, which can reduce motors life
time.
This dysfunction may have 2 origins:
An incorrect adjustment of the PID loops (or
another kind of regulation). In this case, it is just
necessary to make a correct adjustment,
Not enough regulation stages of the fans. Work
on the PID can reduce the problem. It might be
necessary to use more ventilation stages or a
variable speed drive.
Regarding LP side, frequent starting cycles of
the compressors strongly increase the risks
of breakage. The regulation cannot really be
blamed since normally it was not changed. When
the HP is reduced, the compressors provide
much more refrigerating power. Operating time
between 2 thresholds is thus reduced. When the
number of compressors is small, this problem is
frequent. Use of a variable speed drive is thus a
perfect solution.

Oil flow reduction


With screw compressors, oil is generally put
in circulation by the difference in pressure
between the HP and LP (at least 4 bars). It
will be necessary to maintain this difference
of pressure even with a HP regulation. The
pressure valve will have to be adjusted to a
value equal or lower than the high pressure. It is
also necessary to take into account the possible
stops of the installation where the pressure gap
will be reduced. Adjustment of the valve as well
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This document has been


printed on recycled paper
12/2010

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