Thermo-006H

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

Illustration of Refrigeration with Aspen HYSYS V8.0

1. Lesson Objectives

Learn how to specify compressors, heaters, and valves in Aspen HYSYS

Understand a refrigeration loop

2. Prerequisites

Aspen HYSYS V8.0

Introductory thermodynamics

3. Background
In a typical refrigeration system, the refrigerant starts at room temperature and ambient pressure. It is
compressed, which increases the refrigerants temperature and pressure so it i s a superheated vapor. The
refrigerant is cooled by air with a fan so that it is close to room temperature. At this point, its pressure remains
high and the refrigerant has been condensed to a liquid. Then, the refrigerant is allowed to expand through an
expansion valve. Its pressure decreases abruptly, causing flash evaporation, which reduces the refrigerants
temperature significantly. The very cold refrigerant can then cool a fluid passed across a heat exchanger (e.g.,
air in an air conditioner). Of course, for an AC unit to work, the air that is used to cool down the super-heated
refrigerant must be air outside of the room; the air that is cooled by the cold refrigerant is the air inside the
room.
The examples presented are solely intended to illustrate specific concepts and principles. They may not
reflect an industrial application or real situation.

4. Aspen HYSYS Solution

Problem Statement
Determine the cooling capacity of 300 kgmole/h of CFH2-CF3 when allowed to expand from 10 bar to 1 bar.

Thermo-006H

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

Aspen HYSYS Solution

4.01.

Create a new simulation in Aspen HYSYS V8.0.

4.02.

Create a component list. In the Component Lists folder select Add. Add 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane to
the component list.

4.03.

Create a fluid package. In the Fluid Packages folder, select Add. Select NRTL as the property package.

4.04.

Move to the simulation environment. Click the Simulation button in the bottom left of the screen. In
the Home ribbon, select EuroSi as the Unit Set.

4.05.

Add a Compressor, a Cooler, a Heater, and a Valve to the main flowsheet.

Thermo-006H

4.06.

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

Double click on the compressor (K-100). Create an Inlet stream called Vapor, an Outlet stream called
SuperHeat-Vapor, and an Energy stream called Q-Comp.

Thermo-006H

4.07.

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

In the Worksheet tab, specify an outlet Pressure of 10 bar.

Thermo-006H

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

4.08.

Double click the Cooler (E-100). Select SuperHeat-Vapor as the Inlet stream, create an Outlet stream
called Liquid, and create an Energy stream called Q-Cool.

4.09.

In the Worksheet tab, specify an outlet Temperature of 30C. In the Parameters form under the Design
tab, enter a Delta P of 0.

Thermo-006H

4.10.

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

Double click the valve (VLV-100). Select stream Liquid as the Inlet stream and create an Outlet stream
called LowP.

Thermo-006H

4.11.

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

In the Worksheet tab specify an outlet Pressure of 1 bar.

Thermo-006H

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

4.12.

Double click on the heater (E-101). Select stream LowP as the Inlet stream, select stream Vapor as the
Outlet stream, and create an Energy stream called Q-Heat.

4.13.

In the Worksheet tab, specify an outlet Temperature of 25C. In the Parameters form under the Design
tab, specify a Delta P of 0.

Thermo-006H

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

We must now specify the molar flowrate and composition of the refrigerant. Double click any stream,
for example stream Liquid. Enter a Molar Flow of 300 kgmole/h. In the Composition form specify a
Mole Fraction of 1 for the refrigerant.

Thermo-006H

4.14.

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

The flowsheet will now solve.

10

Thermo-006H
4.15.

Revised: Nov 6, 2012

Check results. To view the cooling capacity of this refrigeration loop, double click energy stream Q-Heat.
The stream is removing 1.26e006 kcal/h, or approximately 350 kcal/sec.

5. Conclusions
Refrigeration is a process where heat moves from a colder location to a hotter one using external work (e.g., a
compressor). We know that vaporization of a liquid takes heat. If there is no external heat available, the heat
will come from the liquid itself by reducing its own temperature.

6. Copyright
Copyright 2012 by Aspen Technology, Inc. (AspenTech). All rights reserved. This work may not be
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of
AspenTech. ASPENTECH MAKES NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, WITH
RESPECT TO THIS WORK and assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. In no event will AspenTech be
liable to you for damages, including any loss of profits, lost savings, or other incidental or consequential
damages arising out of the use of the information contained in, or the digital files supplied with or for use with,
this work. This work and its contents are provided for educational purposes only.

AspenTech, aspenONE, and the Aspen leaf logo, are trademarks of Aspen Technology, Inc.. Brands and
product names mentioned in this documentation are trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.

11