Elements of Mechanical Engineering [17EME14]

MODULE-5

REFRIGERATION AND AIRCONDITIONING

5.1. REFRIGERATION:
Refrigearation is the knowledge of producing and maintaining temperature below that of
surrounding. This means the remove of heat from a substance to be cooled. Hence Heat is always made
to flow from downhill from a hot body to a cooler one, until both bodies are at the same temperature.

In simple, refrigeration means the cooling of or removal of heat from system. The equipment
employed to maintain the system at a low temperature is termed as refrigerating system and the system
which is kept at lower temperature is called refrigerated system.

Most of the commercial refrigeration is produced by the evaporation of a liquid called

refrigerant. Mechanical refrigeration depends upon the evaporation of liquid refrigerant and its circuit
includes the equipment’s are evaporator, compressor, condenser and expansion valve.

It is used for preservation of food, manufacture of ice, solid carbon dioxide and control of air
temperature and humidity in the air-conditioning system.

5.1.1. PRINCIPLE OF REFRIGERATION:

It works on Second law of thermodynamics which states that
it is impossible to construct on engine working on a thermodynamic
cycle to transfer heat from lower temperature to higher temperature
without the aid of an external energy.

Thus in refrigerator power is to be supplied to remove the

heat continuously from a refrigerated space to maintain lower
temperature that the surrounding temperature.

Figure 5.1: Principle of Refrigerator

5.1.2. APPLICATION OF REFRIGERATION:

1. Ice making.
2. Transportation of foods above and below freezing.
3. Industrial air- conditioning.
4. Comfort air- conditioning of hospitals, hotels, theatres etc.
5. Chemical and related industries to preserve the things.
6. Processing food products and beverages.
7. Oil refining and synthetic rubber manufacturing.

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8. Sophisticated machines such as CNC machines, PC’s, electronic gadgets perform well only in
AC atmosphere.

5.1.3. DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY OF REFRIGERATION AND AIR-

CONDITIONING:

 Refrigerating effect: It is the rate of absorption of heat from the refrigerating cycle by the
refrigerant in a refrigerating process.
 Ice making capacity: It is the ability of a refrigerator or refrigerating process to make an ice
from water at room temperature.
 One ton of refrigeration: The capacities of refrigerating system are rated in terms of “Ton of
refrigeration”. It is defined as; “One ton of refrigeration is the capacity of a refrigeration
system/process/equipment to extract heat from one ton of water at 0 0C and convert it into
one ton of Ice in 24 hours”.

In SI units, the value of 1 Ton of refrigeration =

Where, 334.5 kJ/kg is the latent heat of evaporation

Therefore; 1 Ton of refrigeration = 231.944 kJ/min

Practically, Value of 1 Ton of refrigeration = 210 kJ/min = 3.5kW

 Co-efficient of Performance (COP): The performance of a refrigeration system is expressed by

a term known as the “Co-efficient of performance”, which is defined as the ratio of heat absorbed
by the refrigerant while passing through the evaporator to the work input required to compress
the refrigerant in the compressor. OR. It is defined as the ratio of quantity of heat absorbed to the
work supplied in a process.

COP is greater than 1. The higher the COP, the higher the cooling efficiency

 Relative COP: The COP can also be estimated theoretically by thermodynamic equations. The
ratio of actual measured COP to the theoretical COP is known as relative COP.

Where, Actual COP= Ratio of Q and W actually measured during a test.

Theoretical COP = Ratio of theoretical values of Q and W obtained by applying

laws of thermodynamics to the refrigeration cycle.

5.2. REFRIGERANT:

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It is defined as any substance that absorbs heat through expansion and loss it through
condensation in a refrigeration system. OR. It is a medium of heat transfer which absorbs
heat by evaporating at a low temperature and gives up heat by condensing at high temperature
and pressure.
5.2.1. CLASSIFICATION OF REFRIGERANTS:
The refrigerants are classified as follows:
1. Primary refrigerants: these are working medium or heat carries which directly take part in
the refrigeration system and cool substance by absorption of latent heat. Ex: Ammonia,
Carbon dioxide, Sulphur dioxide, Methyl chloride etc.
2. Secondary refrigerants: these are circulating substance which are first cooled with the help of
the primary refrigerants and are then employed for cooling purposes. Ex: Ice, Co 2 etc.

5.2.2. PROPERTIES OF REFRIGERANTS:

1. Thermodynamic properties:
a. Low boiling point.
b. Low freezing point.
c. A good refrigerant should have high critical temperature.
d. Refrigerant should have high latent heat of vaporization: It should be as large as possible
to reduce the weight of the refrigerant to be circulated in the system or to absorb
maximum heat in the liquid state.
2. Physical properties:
1. Low specific heat in liquid phase: to cool to lower temperature.
2. Low specific volume: to have smaller compressor capacities.
3. High thermal conductivity: High heat transfer co-efficient when thermal conductivity is
high.
4. Low viscosity: to reduce the friction and pumping cots.
5. High electrical insulation.
3. Chemical properties:
1. Non toxicity: should not cause irritant.
2. Nonflammable and non-explosive.
3. Non corrosiveness.
4. High chemical stability
5. No effect on the quantity of stored products like flower etc.
6. Colorless and odor less.
4. Other properties:
1. High COP

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2. Ease of leakage location

3. Ease of handling
4. Low power consumption/ ton of refrigeration.
5. Availability and low cost.
5.2.3. COMMONLY USED REFRIGERANTS:
 Air and water: Aircrafts and absorbent in Vapor absorption refrigeration system.
 Ammonia: Used in Ice plant, cold storage plants etc.
 Sulphur dioxide: In household refrigerators.
 Carbon dioxide: In marine refrigerators.
 Methyl chloride: Domestic and Industrial refrigerators.
 Freon (F12andF22): F12 used in domestic refrigerators and F22 in air conditioning
1. Air and Water: These are one of the first developed refrigerants and they are having good
general properties such as colorless, odorless, easily and cheaply available, non-toxic, non-
flammable, non-corrosive etc. but they are not very efficient compared to recently developed
ones and so are not used much. Air being lighter is used as refrigerant in aircraft and also where
completely non-toxic medium is needed. Water is still used as absorbent in vapour absorber
refrigeration system.
2. Ammonia: Ammonia as a refrigerant is employed in refrigerators operating on the absorption
principles. Because of its high latent and low specific volume it produces high refrigeration
effect even in small refrigerators. Because of its toxic, flammable, irritating and food destroying
properties makes it unsuitable for domestic refrigerators. But it is widely in cold storage, ice
making plants etc.
3. Sulphur dioxide: It has better thermodynamic properties, it has low refrigerating effect and high
specific volume, therefore large capacity and high speed compressors are required. Since it
combines with water and forms sulfurous and sulfuric acids which are corrosive to metals and
also very toxic so these refrigerants are not preferred.
4. Carbon dioxide: The efficiency of the refrigerators are less when the refrigerant is carbon
dioxide and it is used only in making of dry ice (Solid carbon dioxide) and marine refrigeration
and its having good properties like colorless, odorless, non-toxic, non-flammable, non-corrosive
etc.
5. Methyl chloride: It is also colorless, odorless, generally non-flammable, and non-toxic but it
will catch the fire at certain occasions and hence it is not preferred.
6. Freon: Freon group of refrigerants is used almost universally domestic refrigerators. These
refrigerants are colorless, odorless, nontoxic, nonflammable, non-explosive and noncorrosive.
The Freon-12 and Freon-22 are two Freon refrigerants commonly used in domestic refrigerator
and air-conditioners. It has been found that these refrigerants posing a major threat to the global
environment through their role in the destruction of ozone layer.

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5.3. TYPES OF REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS:

1. Ice refrigeration system.
2. Air refrigeration system.
3. Vapour absorption refrigeration system.
4. Vapour compression refrigeration system.
5. Special refrigeration system:
1. Adsorption refrigeration system.
2. Cascade refrigeration system.
3. Mixed refrigeration system.
4. Vortex tube refrigeration system.
5. Thermoelectric refrigeration system.
6. Steam jet refrigeration system.
Among all these refrigeration system, only two refrigeration systems are abundantly used they
are: Vapour absorption refrigeration system and Vapour compression refrigeration system.
5.3.1. PARTS OF A REFRIGERATOR:
Mechanical refrigeration depends upon the evaporation of liquid refrigerant and it includes the
following parts: 1. Evaporator, 2. Compressor, 3. Condenser and 4. Expansion valve

Figure 5.2: Parts of Refrigerator

 Evaporator: The evaporator is the most important part of the refrigerator. It is a cooling unit.
It consists of a coil form of metal tube kept in the medium which is desired to cool. The
purpose of this coil is to provide more surface area over which the medium can come in
contact and at the same time a passage through which refrigerant can flow. The refrigerant in
the form of liquid enters the evaporator, it absorbs the heat from the medium and will
gradually change from a liquid to a mixture of liquid and finally to vapour.
 Compressor: The compressor is commonly used to increase the pressure and temperature of
the refrigerant and cause the refrigerant to flow from one part of system to other.
 Condenser: It is made of either finned tubing or tubing interlaced with wire to increase the
heat transfer area. In condenser the refrigerant vapour gives off its latent heat to the air and
consequently condenses into liquid so that it can be re-circulated in the refrigeration cycle.
 Expansion valve: An expansion valve is serves as a device to reduce the pressure and
temperature of the liquid refrigerant before it passes to the evaporator

5.3.2. VAPOUR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATOR (VCR):

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Out of all refrigeration systems the vapour compression refrigerator system is the most important
system from the view point of commercial and domestic utility. In this system the working fluid is a
vapour (Freon F-12).

Figure 5.3 Vapour compression refrigerator cycle

It readily evaporates and condenser or changes alternatively between the vapour and liquid
phases without leaving the refrigerating plant. During evaporation, it absorbs heat from the cold
body. This heat is used as its latent heat for converting it from the liquid to vapour. In condensing or
cooling, it rejects heat to external body, thus creating a cooling effect in the working fluid.

This refrigeration system thus acts as a latent heat pump since it pumps its latent heat from the
cold body and rejects it to the external hot body or cooling medium, the principle upon which the
vapour compression system works.

In a simple vapour compression system fundamental process are completed in one cycle. They
are: Compression, Condensation, Expansion, and Vaporization. The flow diagram of such a cycle is
shown in figure above.

The refrigerant in the form of vapour at low pressure and temperature enters to the compressor
where it is compressed isentropically and subsequently its temperature and pressure increases. This
vapour after leaving the compressor enters the condenser where it is condensed into high pressure
liquid and heat is transferred from the hot compressed refrigerant vapour to cooling medium and is
collected in a receiver tank. From the receiver tank it passes through the expansion valve here it is
throttled down to a lower pressure and has a low temperature. It finally passes on to the evaporator
where it absorbs heat from the surrounding or circulating fluid being refrigerated and vaporizes to
low pressure and the cycle is repeated.

5.3.3. VAPOUR ABSORPTION REFRIGERATION (VAR):

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A Vapour absorption refrigerator uses some vapour which is highly soluble at low temperature
water and can be easily separated by the application of heat. The vapour generally used for the above
purpose is the ammonia vapour, Simple absorption system as shown in figure below.

Figure 5.4 Vapour absorption refrigerator cycle

The low pressure ammonia vapour leaving the evaporator is absorbed in the low temperature
water in the absorber. Here heat is rejected from the ammonia vapour. The strong solution of ammonia
and water is pumped to generator where it gets heated with the help of an external heating source and
increases its pressure. Then the solution is heated in the generator to high pressure and high temperature,
hence ammonia vapours are separated from water. The weak ammonia solution from the generator is
passed through a heat exchanger where it gives its sensible heat to the incoming strong ammonia
solution and thereby increases the overall performance of the system. The weak ammonia solution from
the heat exchanger enters the absorber through pressure reduction valve.

The ammonia vapour from the generator is passed to the condenser where vapours reject heat to
cooling medium. The condensed ammonia liquid passes through expansion valve in which the pressure
and temperature is reduced. The low temperature, low pressure liquid ammonia passes through the
evaporator and takes out the heat from refrigerated space and vapourises. The cycle is repeated.

5.3.4. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE VAPOUR ABSORPTION AND VAPOUR

COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM:

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Sl. Vapour absorption refrigeration Vapour compression refrigeration

Principle
No. system system
1. Working method Refrigerant vapour is absorbed and Refrigerated vapour is compressed.
heated.
2. Type of energy supplied Heat energy Mechanical energy
3. Maintenance Less More
4. Operation Quiet in operation as there is no Noisy due to the reciprocating
compressor. compressor.
5. COP (Co-efficient of COP is relatively lower, it will be COP is relatively high, it reduces at
performance) maximum or less but at the part and part loads.
full loads COP is same
6. Refrigerant Ammonia Freon - 12
7. Cost Low High
8. Size Compact Bulky
9. Leakage of refrigerant No Leakage Chances are more

5.4: AIR CONDITIONING:

Air conditioning is defined as the simultaneous control of temperature, humidity (moisture
content of air), motion (circulation and air movement) and purity (air filtering and cleaning) of air within
an enclosed space. Generally air-conditioning is divided into: 1. Comfort air conditioning, 2. Industrial
air- conditioning.

 Comfort air conditioning: The artificial cooling of air and conditioning it to provide maximum
comfort to human beings. It is used in houses, offices, shops, and hospitals etc.
 Industrial air conditioning: The conditional atmosphere which is required in the processing or
manufacturing plant. It is used in food processing, textile, paper etc.

5.4.1. PRINCIPE OF AIR- CONDITIONING:

Air conditioner continuously draws the air from a indoor space to be cooled, cools it by the
refrigeration principles and discharge back into the same indoor space that needs to be cooled. This
continuous cyclic process of drawing, cooling and recirculation of the cooled air keeps the indoor space
cool at the required lower temperature needed for comfort cooling or industrial cooling purposes.

5.4.2. APPLICATIONS OF AIR CONDITIONER:

1. Industrial applications: To control chemical and bio-chemical reactions. Example:

Photographic industry, Textile, Printing, Machine tool industry. Etc.
2. Commercial applications: Theaters, Hotels, Banks, Etc.
3. Transportation applications: Automobiles, Trains, Ships, Aircrafts Etc.
4. Special Applications: TV Centers, Computer control rooms, Automatic telephone exchange
buildings, Hospitals Etc.

5.4.3. ROOM AIR CONDITIONER:

The A.C unit is installed in the window. Its main components are:

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(i) Evaporator, (ii) Compressor, (iii) Air filter, (iv) Capillary tube, (v) Motor, and (vi) Fans.

Fig 5.5 shows the room air conditioner. A room air conditioner provides cooling by drawing
warm air from the space or room over the evaporator (indoor coil). The air gives up its latent and
sensible heat as it passes over this coil. Humidity is reduced, since air is cooled below its dew point, and
water precipitates out of the air. Cooled, drier air then is delivered back to the space or room by the
evaporator fan. The compressor raises the pressure of the refrigerant, which increases its temperature to
a level higher than that of the outside air. Heated refrigerant vapor flows on to the condenser (outside
coil), where it is cooled by a fan blowing outside air over the coils. When cooled, the refrigerant
condenses to a high pressure liquid. The resulting liquid refrigerant flows through a capillary tube where
its pressure and temperature are reduced. The refrigerant then reenters the evaporator — and the cycle
repeats. The motor operates both the evaporator fan and the condenser fan.

Figure 5.5 Room Air-conditioner

5.4.4. SPLIT AIR CONDITIONERS

A window air conditioner split into two parts is a split air conditioner. It is a new development
and invented to avoid compressor noise which is irritating in nature.
It has been developed on the basis of three things:
1. The sound level inside the room is high due to compressor,
2. The condenser needs cooling from outside the room,
3. An opening of the size of a window is needed extra to accommodate the air conditioning
system

Components of a split air conditioning system

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1. The first compartment consists of the evaporator and its fan, air filter and grills and it is
placed inside the room,
2. The second compartment consists of the condenser and its fan and the compressor, which is
placed outside the room.
Working

 Similar to that of a window air conditioner.

 Refrigerant vapor gets compressed in the compressor to high pressure and are fed in t the
condenser. These vapors get condensed by forced convection and turn into liquid before getting
into the expansion valve.
 It is then throttled in the expansion valve and passes through a long pipe to get evaporated in the
evaporator. The evaporator with the circulating fan is kept inside the room where heat is
absorbed and liquid refrigerant evaporates in to its vapors. These vapors are sucked by the
compressor and the cycle is complete

Figure 5.6 Air-conditioner

5.4.3. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE REFRIGERATOR AND AIR

CONDITIONER

Sl.
No. REFRIGERATOR AIR CONDITIONER

1 Maintains the temperature of space well It controls temperature, Humidity,

below surroundings Quality and purity of air
2 Always cools to lower temperature Cools in summer and heats in winter

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3 Unit is located inside the room Evaporator and expansions valve are
placed inside, Compressor and
Condenser are placed outside
4 Fan and blower is not required Fan and blower is required
5 Capacity is high Capacity is low
6 More in weight Light in weight
7 Mainly used to preserve perishables Used for providing congenial
atmosphere for human comfort.

TheoryQuestions:

1. Explain with neat sketch the working of a vapour Compression refrigeration refrigeration?

2. Explain with neat sketch the working of a vapour Absorption refrigeration refrigeration?

3. Name the commonly used refrigerants.

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