Standard Vapour Compression Refrigeration System

(VCRS)
 As shown in the figure the standard single stage, saturated vapour
compression refrigeration system consists of the following four
processes:

Process 1-2: Isentropic compression of saturated vapour in compressor

Process 2-3: Isobaric heat rejection in condenser
Process 3-4: Isenthalpic expansion of saturated liquid in expansion device
Process 4-1: Isobaric heat extraction in the evaporator
 Comparing with Carnot cycle, it can be seen that the standard
vapour compression refrigeration cycle introduces two
irreversibilities:
1. Irreversibility due to non-isothermal heat rejection (process 2-3) a
2. Irreversibility due to isenthalpic throttling (process 3-4).

 The heat extraction (evaporation) process is reversible for both

the Carnot cycle and VCRS cycle.
 As a result, one would expect the theoretical COP of standard
cycle to be smaller than that of a Carnot system for the same heat
source and sink temperatures.
Comparison between Carnot and standard
VCRS
 Due to these irreversibilities, the
cooling effect reduces and work
input increases, thus reducing the
system COP.
 Thus there is a reduction in refrigeration effect when the isentropic
expansion process of Carnot cycle is replaced by isenthalpic
throttling process of VCRS cycle, this reduction is equal to the
area d-4-4’-c-d (area A2) and is known as throttling loss. The
throttling loss is equal to the enthalpy difference between state
points 3 and 4’,

 It is easy to show that the loss in refrigeration effect increases as

the evaporator temperature decreases and/or condenser temperature
increases.
 The heat rejection in case of VCRS cycle also increases when
compared to Carnot cycle.

 The heat rejection in case of

Carnot cycle (1-2’’-3-4’) and
VCRS (1-2-3-4) is given by:
 Hence the increase in heat rejection rate of VCRS compared to
Carnot cycle is equal to the area 2’’-2-2’ (area A1). This region is
known as superheat horn, and is due to the replacement of
isothermal heat rejection process of Carnot cycle by isobaric heat
rejection in case of VCRS.

 Since the heat rejection increases and refrigeration effect reduces

when the Carnot cycle is modified to standard VCRS cycle, the
net work input to the VCRS increases compared to Carnot cycle.
 The net work input in case of Carnot and VCRS cycles are given by:

 The increase in net work input in VCRS cycle is given by:

To summarize the refrigeration effect and net work input of VCRS

cycle are given by:
  The COP of VCRS cycle is given by:

If we define the cycle efficiency, ηR as the ratio of COP of VCRS

cycle to the COP of Carnot cycle, then :
 Unlike Carnot COP, the cycle
efficiency depends very much on
the shape of T s diagram, which
in turn depends on the nature of
the working fluid.
Analysis of standard vapour compression refrigeration system
 A simple analysis of standard vapour compression refrigeration
system can be carried out by assuming:

a) Steady flow;
b) Negligible kinetic and potential energy changes across each
component, and
c) No heat transfer in connecting pipe lines. The steady flow energy
equation is applied to each of the four components
1. Evaporator: Heat transfer rate at evaporator or refrigeration
capacity, is given by:
2. Compressor: Power input to the compressor, is given by:
4. Expansion device: for the isenthalpic expansion process, the kinetic
energy change across the expansion device could be considerable,
however if we take the control volume, well downstream of the
expansion device, the kinetic energy gets dissipated due to viscous
effects, and

The exit condition of the expansion device lies in the two-phase

region, hence applying the definition of quality (or dryness fraction),
we can write:
Cont.…

 The COP of the system is given by:

Cont.…

 At a given compressor speed, V1 is an indication of the size of the

compressor.
 We can also write, the refrigeration capacity in terms of volumetric
flow rate as:
 Vapour Compression Refrigeration Systems:
Performance Aspects And Cycle Modifications
 Performance of a standard VCRS cycle
 The performance of a standard VCRS cycle can be obtained by varying
evaporator and condensing temperatures over the required range.
 For a given condenser temperature as evaporator temperature increases
the specific refrigeration effect increases marginally.
 It can be seen that for a given evaporator temperature, the refrigeration
effect decreases as condenser temperature increases.

 It can also be observed that the volumetric refrigeration effect increases

rapidly with evaporator temperature due to the increase in specific
refrigeration effect and decrease in specific volume of refrigerant
vapour at the inlet to the compressor.
 Modifications a standard VCRS cycle
Subcooling and superheating:
 In actual refrigeration cycles, the temperature of the heat sink will
be several degrees lower than the condensing temperature to
facilitate heat transfer.
 Hence it is possible to cool the refrigerant liquid in the condenser
to a few degrees lower than the condensing temperature by adding
extra area for heat transfer.
 In such a case, the exit condition of the condenser will be in the
subcooled liquid region. Hence this process is known as
subcooling.
 Similarly, the temperature of heat source will be a few degrees
ONT…

higher than the evaporator temperature,

 hence the vapour at the exit of the evaporator can be superheated
by a few degrees.
 If the superheating of refrigerant takes place due to heat transfer
with the refrigerated space (low temperature heat source) then it is
called as useful superheating as it increases the refrigeration effect.

 On the other hand, it is possible for the refrigerant vapour to

become superheated by exchanging heat with the surroundings as
it flows through the connecting pipelines. Such a superheating is
called as useless superheating as it does not increase refrigeration
effect.
 CONT…

 Subcooling is beneficial as it increases the refrigeration effect by

reducing the throttling loss at no additional specific work input.
 Also subcooling ensures that only liquid enters into the throttling device
leading to its efficient operation.

 It can be seen from the T-s diagram that without

subcooling the throttling loss is equal to the
hatched area b-4’-4-c, whereas with subcooling
the throttling loss is given by the area a-4”-4’-
b.
 Thus the refrigeration effect increases by an
amount equal to (h4-h4’) = (h3-h3’).
CONT…

 Useful superheating increases both the refrigeration effect as well

as the work of compression. Hence the COP (ratio of refrigeration
effect and work of compression) may or may not increase with
superheat, depending mainly upon the nature of the working fluid.

 Even though useful superheating

may or may not increase the COP
of the system, a minimum amount
of superheat is desirable as it
prevents the entry of liquid
droplets into the compressor.
 Use of liquid-suction heat exchanger:
 Required degree of subcooling and superheating may not be
possible, if one were to rely only on heat transfer between the
refrigerant and external heat source and sink .

 One way of achieving the required amount of subcooling and

superheating is by the use of a liquid-suction heat exchanger
(LSHX).

 A LSHX is a counterflow heat exchanger in which the warm

refrigerant liquid from the condenser exchanges heat with the cool
refrigerant vapour from the evaporator.
A single stage VCRS system with Liquid-to-Suction Heat Exchanger (LSHX)
 If we assume that there is no heat exchange between the
surroundings and the LSHX and negligible kinetic and potential
energy changes across the LSHX, then, the heat transferred between
the refrigerant liquid and vapour in the LSHX, QLSHX is given by:
CONT…
 If we take average values of specific heats for the vapour and
liquid, then we can write the above equation as;

 Since the specific heat of liquid (cp,l) is larger than that of vapour
(cp,v), i.e., cp,l > cp,v, we can write:

 This means that, the degree of subcooling (T3-T4) will always be

less than the degree of superheating, (T1-T6). If we define the
effectiveness of the LSHX, εLSHX as the ratio of actual heat
transfer rate in the LSHX to maximum possible heat transfer rate,
then:
CONT…
CONT…
 This gives rise to the possibility of an interesting cycle called as
Grindley cycle, wherein the isentropic compression process can be
replaced by an isothermal compression leading to improved COP.

 Grindley cycle offers higher COP,

achieving isothermal compression with
modern high-speed reciprocating
and centrifugal compressors is difficult in
practice. However, this may be possible
with screw compressor where the
lubricating oil provides large heat transfer
rates.

Grindley cycle on T-s coordinates

Actual VCRS systems
 The cycles considered so far are internally reversible and no
change of refrigerant state takes place in the connecting pipelines.
However, in actual VCRS several irreversibilities exist. These are
due to:
1. Pressure drops in evaporator, condenser and LSHX
2. Pressure drop across suction and discharge valves of the
compressor
3. Heat transfer in compressor
4. Pressure drop and heat transfer in connecting pipe lines
Actual VCRS cycle on P-h and T-s diagrams
 Unit of Refrigeration
The unit of refrigeration is kW or TR
TON OF REFRIGERATION ( TR )
1 TR = 12’000 Btu/hr BRITISH
UNITS
1 TR = 3.517 KW SI UNITS

An ordinary household refrigerator (Domestic )