ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Refrigeration Cycles
(C&B Chapter 11)

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Summary
Thermodynamic cycles Reversed Carnot is it useful? Ideal VC refrigeration cycle vapour-compression An example Summary

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Learning Objectives
Understand the basic concepts of refrigeration Familiarity with actual equipment used in these cycles Able to describe and analyse the fluid behaviour in the cycle Compute and interpret coefficient of performance for Carnot and actual cycles Describe and understand cycles inefficiencies

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

A reminder
Refrigerator: target is QL work is Wnet,in COPR=QL/Wnet Heat pump: target is QH work is Wnet,in COPHP=QH/Wnet

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

The Reversed Carnot Cycle Useful?

Reversed Carnot is not useful for a real refrigeration cycle

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Reversed Carnot Efficiencies

Refrigerator:

COPR, Carnot

1 TH 1 TL
1 T 1 L TH

Heat pump:

COPHP ,Carnot

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

The Ideal V-C Refrigeration Cycle

Sat.liq. Super. vap.

Isentropic comp Liq.vap.. Sat vap.

Courtesy: Cengel and Boles

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Ideal V-C Refrigeration Cycle

Basis for refrigeration plants 1 2 Reversible isentropic compression of a gas isentropic (compressor) 2 3 Constant pressure heat rejection (gas liquid in isobaric condenser) isenthalpic 3 4 Irreversible expansion of liquid (valve) 4 1 Constant pressure heat absorption (liquid vapour in evaporator) isobaric

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Ideal V-C Refrigeration (P-h)

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Performance of the cycle

12 balance

Win m(h2 h1 )
23 balance

QH m( h2 h3 )
34 balance

h3 h4
41 balance Overall balance: E (QL QH ) Win
ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

QL m(h1 h4 )

Actual Refrigeration cycles

Compressor nonideal Subcooled liquid

Pressure drop losses

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

An actual V-C cycle

Condenser operating at 0.8MPa Evaporator operates at 0.14MPa Saturated liquid from the condenser Saturated vapour out of the evaporator Now Draw onto a P-h diagram for R-134a If 5kg/s of R-134a is circulating, what is:
QH, QL and Win ? COPR ?

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

1 bar=105 Pa

3 PH PL 4 1 2

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Analysis M=5 kg/s; PH=0.8MPa, PL=0.14 MPa h1= h2= h3= h4= 390 kJ/kg 430 kJ/kg 245 kJ/kg 245 kJ/kg
Win=m(h2-h1) = 5 kg/s (430-390) kJ/kg =200 kW QH=m(h2-h3) = 5 kg/s (430-245) kJ/kg =925 kW

QL=m(h1-h4) = 5 kg/s (390-245) kJ/kg =725 kW Check QH=QL+W

So COPR = QL/W = 725/200 = 3.6

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Analysis
COPcarnot ? TL = -19C TH = which one? =40C or 32 C
Use Lower TH (- Cant dump 32 at 40)

COPcarnot

= 1 / (TH/TL -1) = 1 / (305/254 -1) = 4.98

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Summary
Refrigeration/Heat pumps based on idealised cycle Carnot cycle provides best performance indicator Irreversibilities in cycle always exist COP measures are important in practical applications

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics