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OPERATING MANUAL

FOR

VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE TEST RIG

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VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE TEST RIG

OBJECTIVE:
1. To study vapour compressor cycle
2. To calculate the C.O.P. of unit
3. To calculate cooling capacity

APPARATUS: Domestic Refrigerator Test Rig.

The unit is equipped with a hermetically sealed compressor, condenser, evaporator, freezer,
various controls such as receiver with valve fitting, Rota meter for R-134. By pass valves,
pressure gauges, capillary tube, voltmeter, Amp meter and Temperature indicator with
Thermocouple sensing probes.

THEORY:

EVAPORATOR:
The liquid refrigerant from the condenser at high pressure is fed through a throttling device to an
evaporator at a low pressure. On absorbing the heat to be extracted from media to be cooled, the
liquid refrigerant boils actively in the evaporator and changes state. The refrigerant gains latent
heat to vaporize at saturation temperature/pressure and further absorbs sensible heat from media
to be cooled and gets fully vaporized and super-heated. The pressure and temperature in the
evaporator can be determined by the “Temperature-Pressure Relation chart” Table 1.
There are different types of evaporators used to different types of evaporators used for different
applications and are accordingly designed. These are at the form of cooling coils coils (fined or
prime surface type) made out of copper or steel or shell and tube coolers (flooded or direct
expansion type), Raceway type of Baudlet Coolers, for Ice Accumulation or Ice Banks etc.

COMPRESSOR:
The compressor is known as the heart of the refrigeration system. It pumps the refrigerant vapour
in refrigeration in refrigeration cycle as the heart pumps blood in the body. The low temperature,
pressure, superheated vapour from the evaporator is conveyed through suction line and
compressed by the compressor to a high pressure, without any change in gaseous state and the
same is discharged into condenser. During this process heat is added to the refrigerant and
known as heat of compression. The compressor should have a compression ratio to raise the
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pressure of refrigerant to such a level that the saturation temperature of the discharged refrigerant
is higher than the temperature of the available cooling medium, to enable the super-heated
refrigerant to condense at normal ambient condition.
Different types of compressors are reciprocating, rotating and centrifugal and are used for
different applications.

CONDENSER:
The heat added in the evaporator and compressor to the refrigerant is rejected in condenser at
high temperature/high pressure. This super-heated refrigerant vapour enters the condenser to
dissipate its heat in three stages. First on entry the refrigerant losses its super-heat, it then losses
its latent heat at which the refrigerant is liquefied at saturation temperature pressure. This liquid
loss its sensible heat, further and the refrigerant leave the condensers as a sub-cooled liquid.
The heat transfer from refrigerant to cooling medium (air or water) takes place in the condenser.
The sub-cooled liquid from condenser is collected in a receiver (wherever provided) and is then
fed through the throttling device by liquid line to the evaporator.
There are several methods of dissipating the rejected heat into the atmosphere by condenser.
These are water cooled, air cooled or evaporative cooled condensers.
In the water cooled condenser there are several types viz. shell and tube, shell and coil, tube in
tube etc. In evaporative cooled condensers both air and water are used. Air cooled condensers are
prime surface type, finned type or plate type.
The selection of the type depends upon the application and availability of soft water.

THROTTLING DEVICE:
The high pressure liquid from the condenser is fed to evaporator through a throttling device
which should be designed to pass maximum possible liquid refrigerant to obtain a good
refrigeration effect. The liquid should be properly sized to have minimum pressure drop.

The throttling device is a pressure-reducing device and a regulator for controlling the refrigerant
flow. It also reduces the pressure from the discharge pressure to the evaporator pressure without
any change of state of the liquid refrigerant.
The types of Throttling Devices are :
 Capillary tubes
The most commonly used throttling device is the Capillary Tube for applications upto approx. 10
refrigeration tons. The capillary is a copper tube having a small dia-orifice and is selected, based
on the system design, the refrigerant flow rate, the operating parameters (such as suction and
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discharge pressures), type of refrigerant, capable of compensating any variations/fluctuations in

load by allowing only liquid refrigerant to flow to the evaporator.

Summary:
The working pressures, temperatures and states of the refrigerant in different parts of the
refrigeration cycle are shown in Figure.
There are mainly two pressure operating in the refrigeration cycle, commonly known as the high
side and the low side. The “high-side as referred to high pressure prevailing from compressor
onward right up to the inlet of the throttling device and from the throttling device up to the
suction of the compressor is called the “low side”.

VAPOUR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION CYCLE DIAGRAM

(Mollier Diagram)
Earlier the state of the refrigerant in various parts of the refrigeration system, along with the
pressure, temperatures etc. have been covered. It is now necessary to understand the individual
thermodynamic processes that make up the cycle and also understand the effect of change in a
particular part of the cycle on the overall complete cycle. These aspects are greatly simplified by
the use of proper charts and diagrams, in which the process, and the complete cycle can be
graphically represented for different conditions.
There are two types of representation in use which are :
1. The pressure-enthalpy (Ph) diagram – also known as the Mollier Diagram.
2. The temperature-entropy diagram
Of these the pressure-enthalpy (Ph) diagram is more commonly used and is explained hereunder.

Mollier Diagram :
The Mollier of pressure-enthalpy (Ph) diagram for a refrigerant is a graph with a number of
curves from which various properties of the refrigerant under different conditions or phases can
be read.
The curves are drawn by using the values taken from thermodynamic tables of the refrigerant,
both at saturation and super-heated conditions. The pressure is represented on the ordinate (left
vertical line) and the enthalpy (total heat content) in Btu/lb. is taken on abscissa (bottom
horizontal line).
Since pressure and temperature have definite relation at saturation, the horizontal pressure lines
can also represent constant temperatures and the diagrams are also termed as temperature-
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enthalpy diagram. The charts include a curve which indicates saturation line showing different
states of refrigerants.

The chart is divided into three areas, which are separated from each other :
(a) Saturated liquid
(b) Saturated vapour
(c) The area in between the two having a mixture of liquid and vapour.

Processes

1. Points falling on the left side of saturated liquid curve represent sub-cooling.
2. Points on the right side of saturated vapour curve represent super-heating.
3. The horizontal distance between the two curves represent difference in enthalpy level
between saturated vapour and liquid at specific pressure and is equal to Latent Heat of
vaporization at the saturation pressure/temperature.
For known values of saturation pressures on high side and low side (Ph) diagram or Mollier
Diagram is shown in Figure.

For simplification only saturated pressures are assumed. Four processes in refrigeration cycle are
explained below:

(a) Compression: In compressor (vertical 1,2 on diagram) the compression is assumed as

adiabatic (constant enthalpy). No heat is added or subtracted to the refrigerant vapour
from outside. The vapour is saturated at the beginning and end of compression. In actual
practice, the vapour are super-heated at beginning and end of compression – shown in
dotted line 1‟-2‟.
The temperature and pressure of refrigerant vapour is raised during compression.
(b) Condenser: In condenser (horizontal line 2-3 on diagram)- the condensation of
refrigeration takes place at constant pressure. The drop in enthalpy (total heat content) is
equal to latent heat of condensation (or vaporization) at saturation pressure. The process
is shown by line 2-3 on diagram. The liquid at point 3 is saturated. In actual practice, the
vapour is super-heated at beginning of condensation and sub-cooled at end of
condensation. The process is shown by line 2‟2-2‟2. The refrigerant changes its state
from vapour to liquid in this process.
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(c) Throttling: In Throttling Device (shown by line 3-4 in diagram) this is an adiabatic
process, the pressure drop occurs is refrigerant at constant enthalpy i.e. no heat transfer
occurs between refrigerant and outside. The refrigerant is saturated liquid point 3 and
mixture of vapour and liquid at point 4. For sub-cooled liquid the process is shown by
dotted line 3‟4‟.
(d) Evaporation: In Evaporator (shown by line 4-1 in diagram) the evaporation of liquid
refrigerant takes place at constant pressure. The refrigerant gains latent heat from
surrounding medium to be cooled. The refrigerant is saturated vapour at end of
evaporation at point 1. The net refrigerating effect is obtained by projection of 1 and 4 on
line 0-x i.e. 91-04. In actual cycle, taking sub-cooling of liquid refrigerant in condenser
and super-heating of refrigerant vapour in evaporator, the net refrigerating effect would
be 01-04‟. It is seen to obtain better refrigerating effect, sub-cooling in condenser and
super-heating in evaporator is essential.

Summary:
From Mollier diagram the following are known :
 Sequence of various process involved in the refrigeration cycle.
 Refrigerating effect, compression, condensation, throttling.
Following can be computed from Mollier diagram :
 Refrigerating effect.
 Heat equivalent of work done in compression
 Pressure drop in throttling device
 Coefficient of performance and power requirements
 Efficiency of refrigeration cycle
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OPERATING PROCEDURE

1. Switch „ON‟ the main board. Check voltage. It should not be less than 190 volt.
2. Close the Rota meter inlet and outlet valves.
3. Open the hand stuff off valves
4. Start the unit. Start the compressor.
5. Check down the readings of the various pressure gauges. Absence of any reading will
indicate the blockage of pipe line or leakage of gas.
6. Put the calculated mass of the water in freezer and note the temperature.
7. Run the unit for half an hour and note following readings :
(a) Suction pressure i.e. Compressor inlet
(b) Discharge pressure i.e. Compressor outlet
(c) Compressor inlet temperature
(d) Compressor outlet temperature
(e) Condenser outlet temperature
(f) Temperature of water placed in Freezer
8. Switch „OFF‟ compressor then switch „OFF‟ the main board.

IMPORANT CAUTIONS :
1. Check the voltage. It should not be less than 200/240 volts. Single phase 50 Hz AC
supply.
2. Wherever the compressor is switch „OFF‟, do not switch „ON‟ the compressor before five
minutes interval.
3. Avoid sudden opening/closing of the hand shut off valve in the line to prevent float
hunting and possible glass tube leakage or breakage.

OBSERVATION AND CALCULATIONS

Temperature before compression i.e. Suction Temp T1 =
Temperature after compression i.e. Discharge Temp T2 =
Temperature after condenser T3 =
Initial temperature of water placed in Freezer T4 =
Mass of water placed in Freezer = 0.25 kg./hr.
Mass of refrigerant flow m (gas) = kg/min.
Gauge pressure before compression P11 = PS
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i.e. suction pressure

P1‟ PSI
Absolute suction pressure P1 = ---------- + 1 kg/cm2
14.22

= kg/cm2

P21 PSI
Absolute Discharge pressure P2 = ----------- + 1 kg/cm2
14.22

From PH Chart of 134a

Take P1 T1 Calculate H1 = KJ/kg.
Take P2 T2 Calculate H2 = KJ/kg
P3 T3 Calculate H3 = KJ/kg
.
As evaporation is constant enthalpy process
So H3 = H4
Refrigerating effect = H1 – H4 KJ/kg.
Work done by compressor = H2 – H1 KJ/kg.

Refrigerating effect
C.O.P. = -----------------------------------
Work done by compressor

H1 – H4
C.O.P. = -------------
H2 – H1

(H2 – H1) x m x 427

H.P. of unit = ------------------------- H.P.
4500 x 4.184

(H1 – H4) m
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vapour compressor cap in Ton = ---------------- Tons

50 x 4.184

TABELS

SECTION DISCHARGE AFTER SUCTION DISCHARGE

COLD AIR
TEMP TEMP COND. PR. PR.
S.NO.
T1 T2 T3 T4 P1 P2

EXP.

REF.
H.P. OF
H1 H2 H3 = H4 C.O.P. CAPACITY
S.No. UNIT
(IN TON)

EXP.

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