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1.

0 ABSTRACT

The experiment of refrigeration unit was conducted by using the SOLTEQ mechanical heat pump
and thermodynamic refrigeration unit. The experiment was conducted in three different ways
together with their objective. The first objective is to determine the power input, heat output and
coefficient of performance of a vapor compression, while the second is to produce the
performance of heat pump over a range of source and delivery temperatures, and the last one is
to produce a vapor compression cycle on p-h diagram and perform energy balance study. The
experiment was started by running the general start-up procedure and follows with the other
experiment. At the end of the experiment, the SOLTEQ refrigeration unit is shut-down properly
according to the given shut-down procedure. Later the water supply is connected and the main
power is switched follows with switching on of refrigerant compressor. Next, is proceeded by
varying the cooling water flow-rate for each of the experiments. For all the three experiment
conducted with the flow-rate of 40% for first and third experiment and in range from 10% to
80% for second experiment. Then, data is tabulated and calculated to find the power input, heat
output, and COP; for 40% cooling water flow rate the result are 160 W, 0.87834 kW, and 5.4896
respectively. While, for second experiment, the performance curve shown a right expectation as
theory that is when temperature of water increase, the COP and heat delivered is decreased,
however power input does not showed same pattern that is no changed through the experiment.
Lastly, p-h diagram is plotted to observe the equipment performance against the theoretical p-h
diagram, the result show the same. Energy balance also was carried out at the condenser and
compressor shows that 2.2504 kW and 0.3837 kW respectively.

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2.0 INTRODUCTION

The refrigeration unit apparatus has been designed to provide a practical and quantitative
demonstration of a vapor compression cycle, or the refrigeration cycle which is crucial in any
appliances involving cooling and also heating processes. Refrigerators and heat pumps both
apply the vapor compression cycle, although the applications of these machines quite differ, the
components are essentially the same.

The refrigeration unit is able to demonstrate the result or effect when the flow rate of
cooling water is adjusted to a certain percent. This will allow the study of the performance curve
and efficiency of refrigeration unit with respect to the varying flow rates and other manipulating
variables. Furthermore, this apparatus will also help in the study of the energy balance study.
This apparatus is equipped with control valves for the cooling water flow rate, pressure,
temperature and compressor power output display which will make it easier to conduct the
experiments with the accurate data display [1].

3.0 OBJECTIVES

1. To determine the power input, heat output and coefficient of performance of a vapor
compression heat pump system.

2. To produce the performance of heat pump over a range of source and delivery
temperatures.

3. To produce a vapor compression cycle on p-h diagram and perform energy balance study.

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4.0 THEORY

A heat pump is a device that provides heat energy from a source of heat to a destination called a
"heat sink". Heat pumps are designed to move thermal energy opposite to the direction of
spontaneous heat flow by absorbing heat from a cold space and releasing it to a warmer one. A
heat pump uses some amount of external power to accomplish the work of transferring energy
from the heat source to the heat sink.

Power input in a vapor compression heat pump system is the power presented to the input
terminals of the system. The power absorbed, utilized, or otherwise dissipated by the heat pump
system [3].

While air conditioners and freezers are familiar examples of heat pumps, the term "heat pump" is
more general and applies to many HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) devices used
for space heating or space cooling. When a heat pump is used for heating, it employs the same
basic refrigeration-type cycle used by an air conditioner or a refrigerator, but in the opposite
direction - releasing heat into the conditioned space rather than the surrounding environment. In
this use, heat pumps generally draw heat from the cooler external air or from the ground. In
heating mode, heat pumps are three to four times more efficient in their use of electric power,
than are simple electrical resistance heaters.

The Coefficient of Performance - COP - is the ratio of heat output to the amount of energy input
of a heat pump.

Figure 4.1: COP curve of a heat pump

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COP can be expressed as:

COP = hh / hw

Where,

COP = Coefficient of Performance

hh = heat produced (Btu/h)

hw = equivalent electric energy input (Btu/h) = 3413 Pw

where

Pw = electrical input energy (W)

If a heat pump delivers 3 units of heat for every unit of energy input - the COP is 3.

1 kW = 1000 W = 3413 Btu/h [4]

While, a performance curve is also important in analyzing a heat pump system. By using the
performance curve, the required energy to give the required performance of the heat pump can be
determined by finding the area under the curve. Hence, it makes the performance curve of a heat
pump useful. Below is the example of a performance curve of a heat pump [5].

Figure 4.2: Performance curve of heat pump system

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5.0 APPRATUS AND MATERIALS

SOLTEQ mechanical heat pump and thermodynamic refrigeration unit.

SOLTEQ Refrigeration Unit

6.0 PROCEDURES

Start-up procedure

1) The units and all the instrument were checked to ensure there are in proper condition
prior in running the experiment.
2) The water source and drain were checked to ensure there are connected and then the
water supply was opened and the cooling water flow rate set at 1.0 LPM.
3) Ensure that the drain hose at the collector is connected.
4) The power supply was connected and the main power was switched on follows by the
main switch at the control panel.
5) The refrigerant compressor switched on. Since the temperature and pressure are constant
the unit is now ready for the experiment.

Shut-down procedures

1) The compressor was switched off, follows by the main switch and power supply.
2) The water supply closed proper in avoiding any occurrence of left running water.

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Experiment 1 : Determination of power input, heat output and coefficient of performance.

Procedures

1) The general start-up procedure was performed.


2) The cooling water flow rate adjusted to 40%
3) The system was left ran for 15 minutes.
4) All the necessary readings were recorded in the experimental data sheet.

Experiment 2 : Production of heat pump performance curves over a range of source and delivery
temperatures.

Procedures

1) The general start-up procedures was performed.


2) Cooling water flow rate adjusted to 80%.
3) The system was run for 15 minutes.
4) All the necessary readings were recorded into the experimental data sheet.
5) The experiment was repeated by reducing the water flow rate so that the cooling
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water outlet temperature increased by 3 C.

Experiment 3 : Production of vapor compression cycle on p-h diagram and energy balance
study.

Procedures

1) The general start-up procedures performed.


2) The cooling water flow rate adjusted to 40% and the system allowed to run for 15
minutes.
3) All the necessary readings were recorded into the experimental data sheet.

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7.0 RESULT

Experiment 1: Determination of power input, heat output and coefficient of performance


Cooling Water Flow Rate, FT1 % 40

Cooling Water Inlet Temperature, TT5 C 21.4

Cooling Water Outlet Temperature, TT6 C 27.7

Compressor Power Input W 160

8.0 SAMPLE CALCULATION


1. To determine the power input, heat output and coefficient of performance of a vapour
compression heat pump system
I. Mass flow rate
1Cooling water flow rate (LPM) =

= = 2 L/min
3
water = 1000kg/m
Convert: 0.03333 Kg/s

II. Power input = 160 W


III. Heat output

=+)

1To find hout and hin, refer property table, extrapolate


Temperature, C Enthalpy, KJ/kg
20 83.915
21.4 = 89.7712
25 104.83
27.7 = 116.1214
30 125.74

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) KJ/kg
= 0.87834 KW
IV. Coefficient of performance

COP = = W of desired output/ W of required input

Experiment 2: Production of heat pump performance curves over a range of source and delivery
temperatures

Test 1 2

Cooling Water Flow Rate, FT1 % 73 12.7

Cooling Water Inlet Temperature, TT5 C 29.1 28.9

Cooling Water Outlet Temperature, TT6 C 30.0 33.3

Compressor Power Input W 157 157

1. The calculation is repeated to find the mass flow rate, heat output, and COP, and the result
as follow

Parameter Test 1 Test 2

, kg/s 0.060833 0.01058

, KJ/kg 121.9762 121.1398

, KJ/kg 125.74 139.534

, KW 0.2289645 0.1947

COP

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2. Plotting the performance curve

Performance curve COP againts temperature outlet


1.5
1.45

1.4
COP

1.35

1.3

1.25

1.2
29.5 30 30.5 31 31.5 32 32.5 33 33.5
Temperature delivered, C

Figure 7.1: the data shown decrease exponentially

Performance curve Heat delivered against temperature outlet


0.235

0.23

0.225
, KW

0.22

0.215
Heat transfer

0.21

0.205
0.2

0.195

0.19
29.5 30 30.5 31 31.5 32 32.5 33 33.5
Temperature outlet, C

Figure 7.2: Heat pump curve of the heat delivered

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Performance curve of Power input agains Tout
180

160
Compressor Power Input, W

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
29.5 30 30.5 31 31.5 32 32.5 33 33.5
Temperature outlet, C

Figure 7.3: There are no changes in compressor power input

Experiment 3: Production of vapour compression cycle on p-h diagram and energy balance study
Table 7.3: Data recorded
Refrigerant Flow Rate, FT2 % 60.5
Refrigerant Pressure (Low), P1 Bar(abs) 1.9
Refrigerant Pressure (High), P2 Bar(abs) 6.8
Refrigerant Temperature, TT1 C 26.5
Refrigerant Temperature, TT2 C 77.6
Refrigerant Temperature, TT3 C 29.3
Refrigerant Temperature, TT4 C 22.2
Cooling Water Flow Rate, FT1 % 39.7
Cooling Water Inlet Temperature, TT5 C 29.0
Cooling Water Inlet Temperature, TT6 C 30.5
Compressor Power Input W 157

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1. Determination enthalpy of refrigerant
1 hTT1 at 26.5 C and 1.9 bar (Refer property table; superheated refrigerant-134a)

1.9 bar = 0.19 MPa

0.18 0.19 0.20


P, MPa
T, C h, enthalpy KJ/kg

20 270.59 270.385 270.18

26.5 Blank hTT1 = 276.03025 Blank

30 279.25 279.07 278.89

hTT2 at 77.6 C and 0.68 MPa

0.6 0.68 0.7


P, MPa
T, C h, enthalpy KJ/kg

70 309.73 308.61 308.33

77.6 Blank hTT2 = 306.22824 Blank

80 319.55 318.534 318.28

1 hTT3 and hTT4 at 29.3C and 22.2C(Property table; refrigerant-134a)


Pressure, KPa Enthalpy, KJ/kg

650 263.77

hf 680 hTT3 = 264.526


700 265.03

650 85.26

hg 680 hTT4 = 87.396


700 88.82

Plotted of p-h diagram

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Vapour compression cycle on the p-h diagram

0.8
87.396, 0.68 264.526, 0.68 306.2282, 0.68
0.7
3 2
0.6 2'
Pressure (MPa)

0.5
0.4

0.3

0.2 4 1

0.1 87.396, 0.19 276.03025, 0.19


0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300
Enthalphy,h (KJ/Kg)

Figure 7.4: graph of pressure vs. enthalpy

1 Theoretical graph of vapour compression cycle

Figure 7.5: The P-h diagram of an ideal vapour-compression refrigeration cycle


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2. Energy balance (Sample Calculations)
1On the condenser

Refrigerant flow rate, LPM = x 1.26 LPM

1= 1.26 LPM = 0.7623 LPM

Convert: = 0.012705 kg/s

= +
=

= KJ/kg

1On the compressor

= KJ/kg

9.0 DISCUSSION
This experiment was conducted in three different objectives in order to study the behavior of
mechanical heat pump and thermodynamic refrigeration unit. The objective of first tryout was to
determine compressor power input and it was recorded at 160 W as it needs to compresses the
low pressure refrigerant vapour from the evaporator and compresses it into a high pressure
vapour. Next, the enthalpy, h, (from thermodynamic property table) at recorded temperature was

used to calculate the heat output, Qh, and 0.87834 KW was obtained as it is to supply heat to a
warm medium. Also in the this first tryout, the coefficient of performance was determined which
is the ratio of heat output to the amount of energy input of a heat pump, and is valued about

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For the second experiment, the procedure was repeated at distinct cooling water flow rate
wherein at about 73% and data was recorded, after that the cooling water flow rate is
manipulated until the temperature shown increment to about 3 C and this was done to produce
the performance of heat pump over range of source such as COP, heat delivered, power input and
delivery temperatures. From the data obtained, cooling water flow rate percentage was decreased
to 12.7% as the temperature increased and the power input of the compressor is static from 157
W. From the COP obtained in first trial is 1.4584 means that the addition of 1 kW of electrical
energy is needed to have a released of 1.4584 kW of heat at the condenser and this also applied
to the second trial wherein the temperature was increased. Then, several graphs was plotted,
against the temperature delivered to observe the behavior of the heat pump as the source is
manipulated

As showed in figure 7.1 and 7.2, as the temperature of cooling water flow rate is increase
the COP of heat pump is decrease, this pattern similarly as heat delivered to the surrounding by
the heat pump. This is explained by the efficiency of a heat pump are depends on the several
factor. Especially, the temperature difference between waste heat source and potential user is an
important factor. The temperature difference between condensation and evaporation temperature
mainly determines the efficiency; the smaller the difference, the higher the COP value. Other
than that, system control and efficiency of peripheral equipment like fans are also affect the
value of COP. However, as seen in figure 7.3, the power input, 157 W by the compressor was
unchanged though the temperature increased. This is maybe due to the machine is utilized digital
instrument for data acquisition, this way of recording data may have some disadvantages which
is the data should appeared in the digital displays encountered slight delay to signal a actual data
for recording.

Furthermore, to plot the vapor compression cycle on the p-h diagram, the cooling water
flow rate was set up at 40% and the all data is recorded as in table 7.3. Then, enthalpy, h for each
of recorded temperature and pressure is referred to the property table of saturated and
superheated refrigerant. Next, p-h diagram was plotted and showed in figure 7.4 is similar to the
theoretical p-h diagram, where form line 2-2 represent cooling of the superheated gas in the
condenser down to the saturated vapor temperature. The remainder of the condensing takes place

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from 2-3 where latent heat is removed. While line 3-4 is where the liquid/vapor is passed
through an expansion device, the pressure is reduced without any enthalpy change. Finally, line
4-1 is where the liquid/vapor is evaporated completely to a gas and where enthalpy is extracted
from surroundings.

Lastly, the energy balance for the condenser and compressor is calculated to observe the
heat output from the equipment. At the condenser, as the hot vapor enters, cool air is blown
across it and since air is cooler than refrigerant in about 2.2504 kW of heat is released to the
warm environment, while 0.3837 kW is needed by the compressor to produce the work so that
the low pressure refrigerant vapor from the evaporator is compressed into a high pressure vapor.

10.0 CONCLUSION

The experiment ran with two different flow-rates that give different in recorded data. In
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the early experiment of flow-rate of 40% the inlet and outlet temperature are 21.4 C and 27.7 C
respectively. While for 73% fused flow-rate the inlet and outlet temperature are 29.1 and 30.0
respectively. Thus, it shows that the cooling water in the refrigerant unit had undergone heating
process. It is can be said that the temperature had transferred from hot surface to cold surface.
The data showed for 40% cooling water flow rate the result power input, heat output, COP are
160 W, 0.87834 kW, and 5.4896 respectively. While, for second experiment, the performance
curve shown a right expectation as theory that is when temperature of water increase, the COP
and heat delivered is decreased, however power input does not showed same pattern that is no
changed throughout the experiment. Lastly, p-h diagram is plotted to observe the equipment
performance against the theoretical p-h diagram, the result show the same as theory. Energy
balance also was carried out at the condenser and compressor shows that 2.2504 kW and 0.3837
kW respectively. In the nut shell, through first experiment has gone successfully, while second,
the performance curve quite difficult to drawn and develop as, the third trial for pressure
manipulated to 14 bar was not done as it is difficult for the equipment to achieve required
pressure. Whereas, for experiment three p-h diagram and energy balance was successfully done.

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11.0 RECOMMENDATION

At the end of the experiment, few recommendations to make amend:

1Consult with the laboratory technician a day before to ensure the experiment is conducted
smoothly and properly without due any damage to equipment.

2It is also advised to have a higher pressure flow of water supply, so that the flow-rate of both
water inlet and outlet can be easily adjusted and maintained.

3Ensure allowing the equipment to warm up around 15 minute or more to adjust its condition
to operating state

4As the experiment was conducted in cold surrounding (air-conditioned), it may affect the
condenser. Should in the future, equipment may operate at place in the standard room
temperature in order to obtain accurate data.

5Periodically ensure the equipment maintenance to achieve accuracy and cleaning of


peripheral equipment like fan that may affect the COP

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12.0 REFERENCES

[1] Brain, Marshall, and Sara Elliott. "How Refrigerators Work" 29 November 2006.
HowStuffWorks.com. <http://home.howstuffworks.com/refrigerator.htm> 16 March 2015.

[2] Refrigerant Lab, n.d, http://www.kazuli.com/UW/3A/ME%20354/Thermo%20Lab.htm,


16 March 2015

[3] What is Power Input, n.d, http://www.dictionaryofengineering.com/definition/power-


input.html, 17 March 2015

[4] Heat Pump Efficiency Ratings, http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/heat-pump-efficiency-


ratings-d_1117.html, 17 March 2015

[5] Heat Pump Performance, n.d, http://inspectapedia.com/aircond/Heat_Pump_COP.php, 17


March 2015

[6] Vapor Compression Cycle, n.d, http://www.alephzero.co.uk/ref/vapcomcyc.htm, 18 March


2015

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