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Blends, Glide and

Flooded Evaporators
Systems with a flooded evaporator pose a unique challenge when it
comes to retrofitting, but one alternative appears to have a low enough
glide to make a retrofit simple enough for the equipment owner.

BY GUS ROLOTTI
All images courtesy of Coolgas Inc.

O
wners of equipment using R-22 are aware of the refrig-
erants current phaseout. Many have taken measures
to mitigate supply shortages and equipment downtime
by saving R-22 for service by reclaiming it, replacing some of
their equipment with systems using HFCs or by using alter-
natives to R-22. A combination of these measures makes the
basis for a well-thought-out refrigerant-management plan,
which equipment owners should have in place. However,
owners of equipment that use flooded evaporators have seen
that their options for alternatives are very limited. This article
explores some of the issues affecting flooded evaporators, in
particular those dealing with blends and glide.

Definitions
Lets start by defining the terminology to ensure we are all Figure 1 Flooded evaporator schematic.
speaking the same language.
Flooded evaporators: Typically used in large applications, used and their quantity in the composition will determine
they come in several types and technologies but essentially, the final behavior. For example, when creating a blend to
a flooded evaporator is a container for liquid refrigerant. It replace R-22, manufacturers will look for components that on
becomes cold because of evaporation of the refrigerant as it average have similar pressure-temperature relationships, add a
boils off and exits. Bundles of tubes containing water, brine particular component to reduce the flammability of another
or other solutions of secondary coolants are submerged in or to improve oil miscibility. Of course, there are many ways
this pool of liquid and get cold as a result. The refrigerant to do this, which explains why there are so many replace-
and secondary coolant exchange heat, causing a phase ments for R-22.
change (refrigerant) or temperature change (secondary coolant), Glide: Since the components of a blend do not chemically
but never really come in contact with each other. Figure 1 react with each other, but rather remain more or less inde-
shows a schematic of a flooded evaporator. Please note that pendent, when a blended refrigerant goes through a phase
only the refrigerant and secondary fluid paths are shown for change at one of the heat exchangers, the composition of the
simplicity without controls, oil return lines, etc. vapor and liquid portions will be different from each other,
Blends: When two or more single-component refrig- not only at a particular point, but also all along the length of
erants (those made up of the same molecules) are mixed the exchanger. In practical terms, the refrigerant will not boil
together, the refrigerants do not chemically react to form a off at a single temperature, as a single-component refrigerant
new refrigerant, but rather behave as an average of how the would, but over a range of temperatures. This range is called
components would behave. Each individual refrigerant will glide. The higher the glide in a blend, the higher the dif-
retain its pressure-temperature relationship, boiling point, etc. ferences will be in composition between the vapor and liquid
Depending on how close the different components behave, for a given temperature and pressure. Glide plays a significant
the blend will more or less closely resemble a single-compo- role on what applications are suitable for a blend and its
nent refrigerant. The type of single component refrigerants behavior on different types of evaporators.

14 RSES Journal JULY 2014 w w w. r s e s j o u r n a l . co m


Figure 2 Temperature vs. composition for a blend of two components at constant pressure.

Incidentally, while the glide of a blend depends on tem- temperature of the vapor begins increasing. Keep in mind
perature, pressure and composition, the HVACR industry has that when referring to a constant composition, it is the total
not settled on a standard condition to report it. This leads to amounts of components A and B and not how much of each
misinformation and incorrect comparisons. When comparing component there is in the vapor or liquid phases.
the glide of different refrigerants, be sure to compare them at It should be pointed out that for the illustration, a blend
similar conditions, especially in the case of higher-glide blends. was chosen with two separate lines that do not cross each
Fractionation: Just as the components of a blend can other, which is typical of many refrigerant combinations.
be put together, they can also separate or fractionate. The However, many other configurations are possible. In one
higher the glide of a blend, the greater its tendency is to
fractionate. The amount of fractionation depends on the
pressures of each component for a given temperature, avail-
able volume for vapor and liquid in a tank or system, relative
quantities of each phase, turbulence (whether the system is
running or at rest) and many other factors.

Blends, glide and fractionation


In order to visualize the complex phenomena taking place
when blends evaporate, we will use a simpler two-component
blend made of refrigerants A and B. Adding a third (or a
ECOLINE VARISPEED
fourth, fifth, etc.) component will simply increase the number
of interactions, but in essence will be similar to what is cov-
ered in the following paragraphs.
In Figure 2, the saturation temperature of the blend has
been plotted against the composition for a constant pressure.
The x axis shows the amount of component A, therefore at
x=0, pure B is at its boiling point, and at x=1, pure A is at its
boiling point.
The first thing to notice is that there are two lines. The
area above the top line, called the dew-point curve, repre-
sents an area of all vapor. The area below the bottom line,
ECOLINE ECOLINE VARISPEED TRANSCRITICAL CO2
called the bubble-point curve, represents an area of all liquid.
The area between the two lines is the glide area and repre-
sents the transition of the components from liquid to vapor. In refrigeration and air conditioning systems, energy efficiency and environmental protection play an increasingly
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at a constant composition for the given pressure), the refrig-


erant will be all liquid until we reach the bottom line. At
that point, the first bubble will form as the refrigerant begins BITZER US, Inc. // www.bitzerus.com // +1 (770) 503-9226

to evaporate. This will continue until the last drop of liquid


evaporates when the top line is reached. Beyond that point,
Circle Reader Service No. 78
w w w. r s e s j o u r n a l . co m JULY 2014 RSES Journal 15
the same as the composition at the exit. In other words, if
you were to follow a discrete amount of refrigerant, it would
enter, evaporate and exit in its totality. While the individual
compositions of vapor and liquid might be different from
each other along the evaporator path, all the refrigerant will
evaporate upon exit.
While this would cause evaporator glide, the circulating
composition in the system is the intended composition of the
refrigerant. In the case of a flooded evaporator, that is not
necessarily the case. The mass of liquid refrigerant entering
R-407C R-32 R-125 R-134a the evaporator is the same as the mass of vapor leaving
23 25 52 (otherwise the evaporator would be filling up with refrigerant)
Nominal
23 25 52 but their compositions are not the same. The reason for this
90% 22.9 24.9 52.1 is fractionation. The vapor phase inside the evaporator
Liquid 32.6 31.6 35.9 will be different from the liquid phase and richer in the
22.6 24.7 52.7 higher-pressure components. As the suction of the compressor
50%
Liquid 32.2 31.4 36.4
removes vapor from the evaporator, more and more of the
20.4 23.1 56.5
higher-pressure components are removed from the liquid and
10%
Liquid
evaporated. This will continue until a balance for the specific
29.9 30.1 40
conditions of the running system are reached and equilibrium
is established. This means that more of the higher-pressure
R-434A R-125 R-143a R-134a Isobutane components will be in circulation, and more of the lower-
63.2 18 16 2.8 pressure ones will stay behind in the evaporator. If we were
Nominal
63.2 18 16 2.8 to follow a discrete mass of refrigerant, we would see that it
90% 63.2 18 16 2.8 would enter the evaporator and separate. A portion of all the
Liquid 68.8 17.7 10.8 2.7 components would evaporate, but the portion of the higher-
62.9 18 16.3 2.8
pressure component evaporating would be larger.
50%
Liquid Figure 3 shows the changes in composition for both the
68.5 17.8 11 2.7
liquid and vapor phases of the refrigerants from the nominal.
10% 61.1 18 18 2.8
Liquid
While the compositions are those at static equilibrium,
67.1 17.9 12.2 2.7
which is not what would be happening inside the flooded
Figure 3 These tables show the liquid and vapor compo- evaporator, they illustrate to some degree the changes that
sitions for a vessel filled with 90%, 50% and 10% liquid could be expected. Notice also that while some components
compared to the nominal composition (due to rounding off only change a small amount, others have a more significant
decimals, some numbers may not add up to 100%). change as in R-134a reducing by 12% in R-407C.
The problem in this case is that the composition of the
possible configuration the two lines could actually cross each circulating refrigerant is not that of the nominal refrigerant
other. The crossing point denotes an azeotropic blend for itself. This will cause the system to behave differently since
that particular pressure, temperature and composition, and
the blend will behave as a single-component refrigerant.
The vertical distance between the bubble-point and dew-
point lines is in fact the glide of the blend at that particular
condition. Notice how much the glide can vary as the con-
stant composition line is moved horizontally.

Blends and the evaporator


Now that the behavior of blends and the construction of a
flooded evaporator have been explained, it is time to look at
how blends behave in them.
When refrigerant passes through a direct-expansion
evaporator, all of it will change from liquid to vapor. The Figure 4 Comparison of glide for common R-22 alternatives
composition of the blend at the inlet of the evaporator is at the same conditions.

16 RSES Journal JULY 2014 w w w. r s e s j o u r n a l . co m


pressures will be higher, especially at the condenser and the Gus Rolotti is the Vice President of Technical Sales and Marketing
system will typically lose capacity and efficiency or experi- for Coolgas Inc., a division of A-Gas Americas. He has worked
ence other performance issues. in the HVACR industry on refrigerant-related issues for more
than 30 years, now with Coolgas Inc., and previously with
Solutions refrigerant and auto A/C manufacturers. He can be reached via
Owners of systems with flooded evaporators have few e-mail at gus.rolotti@coolgas.com. For more information, visit
options if they want to retrofit their R-22 equipment. www.coolgas.com.
Mechanical changes may offer some
improvement. In general, when high-
glide blends are used, depending on Mastercool is the leading manufacturer of
the application and running condi- professional quality A/C manifold gauge sets.
Our manifold gauge sets are constructed of
tions, they have typically limited suc- the finest materials and machined with
cess. The best approach is to use a
refrigerant with low glide that will
minimize the issues described above.
precision to the highest quality standards.

EVERY MANIFOLD BUILT


is...
Figure 4 shows a comparison of the
IS BUILT TO LAST

BACK TO BASICS
glide of some of the different R-22
alternatives in the market today.
Out of the long list of R-22 alterna-
tive refrigerants, only one has a glide
that appears low enough to be used in COLOR CODED GAUGES
flooded evaporator systems, R-434A. FOR EASY REFRIGERANT
It has been used successfully in many IDENTIFICATION
flooded evaporator retrofits in Europe.
While it is difficult to predict exactly
what glide is low enough to operate
properly, it is clear that the lower the
glide, the better the chances are in
avoiding these problems and achieving
optimal performance. R-434A has a
glide of 3F, while the closest refrig- TRUE THERMOCOUPLE
erant in the list is at almost double VACUUM SENSOR
that. The most common and best-per- DOWN TO 1 MICRON
forming R-22 alternative refrigerants
(R-407A and R-407C) have a glide
about three times that value, mak-
ing them clearly unsuitable for the
application. There are other low-glide
refrigerants that could be used, such
as R-404A or R-507A, but their use
would require significant and costly FREE FLOATING
system changes due to their operating PISTON VALVE
conditions. PROVIDES
MAXIMUM
SEAL
Summary
Systems with a flooded evaporator pose
a unique challenge when it comes to
retrofitting, due to the potential for
fractionation. One alternative, R-434A, 1 Aspen Drive Randolph, NJ 07869
appears to have a low enough glide to www.mastercool.com
make a retrofit simple enough for the
equipment owner.
Circle Reader Service No. 79
w w w. r s e s j o u r n a l . co m JULY 2014 RSES Journal 17

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