HEAT PUMP COMPONENTS

Refrigerant
- The liquid/gaseous substance that
circulates through the heat pump,
alternately absorbing, transporting
and releasing heat.
Reversing valve
- It controls the direction of flow of
the refrigerant in the heat pump and
changes the heat pump from
heating to cooling mode or vice
versa.
Coil
- A loop, or loops, of tubing where
heat transfer takes place. The
tubing may have fins to increase the
surface area available for heat exchange.
Evaporator
- A coil in which the refrigerant absorbs heat from its surroundings
and boils to become a low temperature vapor. As the refrigerant
passes from the reversing valve to the compressor, the
accumulator collects any excess liquid that didnt vaporize into a
gas. Not all heat pumps, however, have an accumulator.
Compressor
- It squeezes the molecules of the refrigerant gas together,
increasing the temperature of the refrigerant.
Condenser
- A coil in which the refrigerant gives off heat to its surroundings
and becomes a liquid.
Expansion Device
- It lowers the pressure created by the compressor. This causes
the temperature to drop, and the refrigerant becomes a low-
temperature vapor/liquid mixture.
 HEATING CYCLE
The compressor pumps out high pressure, superheated vapor. The vapor
leaves the compressor and the passes through the reversing valve.
Refrigerant flows through the insulated, indoor line to the finned indoor coil.
Air from the indoor blower removes heat from the refrigerant vapor warming
the indoor air and heating the house. When enough heat is removed, the
vapor condenses into a high-pressure liquid. The liquid temperature is
slightly warmer than indoor air temperature. This warm, high-pressure leaves
the indoor coil, flows through the small copper refrigerant liquid line, and
exits the building. At the end of the liquid line, the refrigerant passes through
a metering device into the outdoor coil, reducing its pressure and
temperature. As the cool liquid, under reduced pressure, enters the outdoor
coil surface, it expands and absorbs heat from the outdoor air passing over
the finned surface. Heat, from the outdoor air, causes the low-pressure liquid
to evaporate. The refrigerant is now a cold vapor. The cold refrigerant vapor
travels through the larger, outdoor vapor line into the 4-way reversing valve.
The reversing valve directs the refrigerant into the accumulator. The
accumulator holds liquid refrigerant and refrigerant oil and controls their flow
back to the compressor. They flow out through a small port inside the
accumulator bottom. Refrigerant vapor flows through the suction line to the
intake of the compressor. The cycle then repeats until the Thermostat is
satisfied
 COOLING CYCLE
System operation is basically the same as during the heating cycle. The main
difference is the position of the reversing valve that reverses the flow of
refrigerant. Setting the thermostat to the cooling mode automatically powers
the solenoid valve in the reversing valve. The compressor pumps out high-
pressure, superheated refrigerant vapor. The vapor leaves the compressor
and passes through the reversing valve. It flows through the outdoor vapor
line to the finned outdoor coil. Air from the outdoor fan removes heat from
the refrigerant vapor. When enough of the latent heat is removed, the vapor
will condense into a high-pressure liquid. The liquid temperature is slightly
warmer than ambient air temperature. This warm, high-pressure liquid leaves
the leaves the outdoor coil, and flows through a metering devices, reducing
its pressure and thus its temperature. As the liquid, under reduced pressure,
enters the indoor coil surface, it expands and absorbs heat from the indoor
air passing over the finned surface. Heat, from the indoor air, causes the low-
pressure liquid to evaporate and cools the indoor air. The refrigerant is now a
low pressure, low temperature cool vapor. The refrigerant vapor travels
through the insulated vapor line to the 4-way reversing valve. The reversing
valve directs the refrigerant into the accumulator. The accumulator stores
 liquid refrigerant and refrigerant oil flow back into the compressor.
Refrigerant vapor flows through the suction line to the compressor. The
cycles will then repeat until the Thermostat is satisfied.

HEAT PUMP TRAINER

Objective:
To determine the coefficient of performance (COP) of heat pump
trainer
Theory:
Mechanical Heat Pump is defined as an assembly of different
parts of the system
used to produce a specified condition of air within a required
space or building. An ideal system should maintain correct
temperature, humidity, air-purity, air-movement and noise level.
Always, it is not possible to maintain all the above factors
mentioned and a compromise should be made to make the
system economic. The main function of the heat pump is to
maintain body at a temperature that is higher than the
atmosphere. Though the body may be insulated some heat, say
QH is flowing out of the body to the atmosphere. Such heat QH is
supplied to the body so that its temperature is maintained. For
this work W is supplied which removes heat QL from atmosphere
which is at temperature TL and supplies heat QH to the body.
QL + W = QL
Here the heat pump maintains the body at a temperature TH
which is higher than
atmospheric temperature TL. For this it does work W.
Description:
The compressor is used for pumping the refrigerant through the
system. The
condenser is the forced water-cooled type for which heat
exchanger has been provided.
Capillary Tube is provided as an expansion device for evaporator.
A temperature indicator with multi-point selection switch has
been provided to get the various temperatures viz.

T1 = Refrigerant Temperature at Suction, 0C

T2 = Refrigerant Temperature at Discharge, 0C
T3 = Refrigerant Temperature before Expansion, 0C
T4 = Refrigerant Temperature after Expansion, 0C
T5 = Temperature of Water in evaporator tank, 0C
T6 = Temperature of Water out evaporator tank, 0C
T7 = Temperature of Water inlet to Condenser, 0C
T8 = Temperature of Water outlet of Condenser, 0C
The selection of any of the temperature can be made by rotating
the selection switch to the respective channel. We have provided
four pressure gauges for indicating pressures at compressor
suction P1, compressor discharge P2, after condenser P3, after
Capillary Tube P4. Energy-meter is provided for measuring power
input to the compressor.
Experimental Procedure:
1. Switch on mains supply.
2. Switch "ON" the condenser motor and then switch "ON" the
compressor.
3. Please do not start the compressor when condenser motor is
"OFF". First switch "ON"
the condenser motor and then switch "ON" the compressor.
4. By using selector switch on temperature indicator, note the
temperature T1, T2, T3, T4, T5,
T6, T7 and T8 in the observation table.
5. Note the pressures of R-134(a) gas in the circuit by noting
pressures P1, P2, P3, and P4 in
the observation table.
6. Note down the energy-meter reading (i.e., time taken in
seconds for the wheel to
complete one revolution)
7. Repeat the above procedure to get different sets of readings
every 10 minutes till you get
fairly constant temperatures of the consecutive readings. Confirm
this by taking one
more set of readings
8. Calculate the COP as per the procedure of calculations given
below.
9. Switch off all the switches after you complete the experiment.