SECTION5

COMMERCIALREFRIGERATION
UNIT23
COMPRESSORS

UNITOBJECTIVES

Afterstudyingthisunit,thereadershouldbeableto

Explainthefunctionofthecompressor
Discusstheconceptofcompressionratio
Listcommoncompressorsfoundinrefrigerationsystems
Describefourdifferentmethodsofcompression
Describethecomponentpartsofreciprocatingcompressors

FUNCTIONOFTHECOMPRESSOR
Consideredtheheartoftherefrigerationsystems
Compressorsarevaporpumps
Responsibleforloweringthepressureonthesuction
sideofthesystem
Responsibleforincreasingthepressureonthe
dischargesideofthesystem
Suctiongasfromtheevaporatorentersthe
compressor
Refrigerantisdischargedtothecondenser

COMPRESSIONRATIO
Comparespumpingconditionsforcompressors
Definedasthehighsidepressure(psia)dividedby
thelowsidepressure(psia)
Highcompressionratiocanleadtooverheated
compressoroil
Highcompressionratioleadstoreducedrefrigerant
flowthroughthesystem
Reducedrefrigerantflowreducessystemcapacity

COMPRESSIONRATIOEXAMPLES
R12compressor
169psighighside,2psiglowside
183.7psiahighside,16.7psialowside
183.7psia16.7psia=11:1compressionratio

R134acompressor
184.6psighighside,0.7in.Hg.vacuumlowside
199.3psiahighside,14.35psialowside
199.3psia14.35psia=13.89:1compressionratio

TWOSTAGECOMPRESSION

Lowersthecompressionratio
Utilizestwocompressors
Onecompressordischargesintosuctionoftheother
Alsoreferredtoascompoundcompression
Oftenusedwhenthecompressionratioofasingle
compressorsystemexceeds10:1
Oftenusedinlowtemperaturecommercialand
industrialstorageapplications

TWOSTAGECOMPRESSION
Discharge

Discharge

Suction
Suction
21psig

100psig169psig

FIRSTSTAGE

SECONDSTAGE

TYPESOFCOMPRESSORS
Reciprocating

Fullywelded,hermeticcompressors
Semihermeticcompressors
Opendrivecompressors
Beltdrivenanddirectdrivecompressors

Screwcompressors
Rotarycompressors
Scrollcompressors
Centrifugalcompressors

WELDEDHERMETIC
RECIPROCATINGCOMPRESSORS

Motorandcompressorcontainedinaweldedshell
Cannotbefieldserviced
Typicallyathrowawaycompressor
Consideredtobealowsidecomponent
Cooledbysuctiongasfromtheevaporator
Lubricatedbythesplashmethod

SEMIHERMETICCOMPRESSORS

Boltedtogether,canbefieldserviced
Housingismadeofcastiron
Hasahorizontalcrankshaft
Smallercompressorsaresplashlubricated
Largercompressorsusepressurelubricationsystems
Oftenaircooled
Pistonheadsarelocatedatthetopofthecompressor

OPENDRIVECOMPRESSORS

Canbedirectdriveorbeltdrivencompressors
Musthaveashaftsealtopreventleakage
Boltedtogether,canbefieldserviced
Beltdrivencompressorshavethecompressorand
motorshaftsparalleltoeachother
Beltdrivencompressorsusebeltsandpulleys
Directdrivecompressorshavethecompressorand
motorshaftsconnectedendtoend

OTHERCOMPRESSORTYPES

Screwcompressor

Usedinlargecommercial/industrialapplications
Usestwomatching,taperedgears,andopenmotordesign

Rotarycompressor

Usedinresidentialandlightcommercialapplicationsprimarily
indomesticrefrigerators

Scrollcompressor

Usesamatchedsetorscrollstoachievecompression
Becomingmorepopularfortheirabilitytohandleliquid
refrigerantwithoutcompressordamage

Centrifugalcompressors

Usedextensivelyforairconditioninginlargestructures

RECIPROCATINGCOMPRESSOR
COMPONENTS

Crankshaft

Transfersmotormotiontothepiston
Createsthebackandforthmotionofthepiston

Connectingrods
Connectsthecrankshafttothepistons

Pistons
Slideupanddowninthecylinder
Usedtocompressandexpandtherefrigerant

RECIPROCATINGCOMPRESSOR
COMPONENTS(contd)

Refrigerantcylindervalves(suction)

Durable,flexiblesteel
Locatedonthebottomofthevalveplate
Openwhenrefrigerantisintroducedtothepump

Refrigerantcylindervalves(discharge)
Durable,flexiblesteel
Openwhenrefrigerantisdischargedfromthepump
Locatedonthetopofthevalveplate

Suction line

Discharge line

Head

Discharge valve

Valve plate

Rings

Suction valve

Piston

Connecting Rod

Crankshaft

RECIPROCATINGCOMPRESSOR
COMPONENTS(contd)
Compressorhead
Holdsthetopofthecylinderanditscomponentstogether
Containsbothhighandlowpressurerefrigerant

Mufflers
Designedtoreducecompressornoise

Compressorhousing
Encasesthecompressorandsometimesthemotor

BELTDRIVEMECHANISMS

Motorpulleyiscalledthedrivepulley
Compressorpulleyiscalledthedrivenpulley
Pulleyscanbeadjustedtochangecompressorspeed
DrivesizexDriverpm=DrivensizexDrivenrpm
Shaftsmustbeproperlyaligned
Pulleyswithmultiplegroovesmustusedmatched
setsofbelts

DIRECTDRIVECOMPRESSOR
CHARACTERISTICS

Directdrivecompressorsturnatthesame
speedasthemotorused
Motorshaftandcompressorshaftmustbe
perfectlyalignedendtoend
Motorshaftandcompressorshaftsare
joinedwithaflexiblecoupling

RECIPROCATINGCOMPRESSOR
EFFICIENCY
Determinedbyinitialcompressordesign
Fourprocessestakeplaceduringthecompression
process

Expansion(reexpansion)
Suction(Intake)
Compression
Discharge

COMPRESSIONPROCESSEXPANSION

Pistonisthehighestpointinthecylinder
Referredtoastopdeadcenter
Boththesuctionanddischargevalvesareclosed
Cylinderpressureisequaltodischargepressure
Asthecrankshaftcontinuestoturn,thepiston
movesdowninthecylinder
Thevolumeinthecylinderincreases
Thepressureoftherefrigerantdecreases

Suction valve
closed

Discharge valve
closed

Pressure of the
refrigerant in the
cylinder is equal to
the discharge
pressure

Refrigerant
trapped in the
cylinder

Pistonmovingdownwardinthecylinder

COMPRESSIONPROCESSSUCTION
Asthepistonmovesdown,thepressuredecreases
Whenthecylinderpressurefallsbelowsuction
pressure,thesuctionvalveopens
Thedischargevalveremainsintheclosedposition
Asthepistoncontinuesdownward,vaporfromthe
suctionlineispulledintothecylinder
Suctioncontinuesuntilthepistonreachesthelowest
positioninthecylinder(bottomdeadcenter)
Atthebottomofthestroke,suctionvalvesclose

Mostoftheenergythatenteringthecompressorinthesuctioncylinderislatentheat.

Suction valve
open

Discharge valve
closed

Pressure of the
refrigerant in the
cylinder is equal to
the suction
pressure

Suction gas
pulled into the
compression
cylinder

Pistonmovingdownwardinthecylinder

COMPRESSIONPROCESS
COMPRESSION
Pistonstartstomoveupwardsinthecylinder
Thesuctionvalveclosesandthedischargevalve
remainsclosed
Asthepistonmovesupwards,thevolumeinthe
cylinderdecreases
Thepressureoftherefrigerantincreases
Compressioncontinuesuntilthepressureinthe
cylinderrisesjustabovedischargepressure

Suction valve
closed

Discharge valve
closed

Pressure of the
refrigerant in the
cylinder is equal to
the suction
pressure

Volume is
decreasing,
compressing the
refrigerant

Pistonmovingupinthecylinder

COMPRESSIONPROCESS
DISCHARGE
Whenthecylinderpressurerisesabovedischarge
pressure,thedischargevalveopensandthesuction
valveremainsclosed
Asthepistoncontinuestomoveupwards,the
refrigerantisdischargedfromthecompressor
Dischargecontinuesuntilthepistonreachestop
deadcenter

Whatdoyouthinkmayhappenifbothofthevalvesremainclosedonanupstroke?

Suction valve
open

Thegasleavingthecompressoris
verywarm.

Pressure of the
refrigerant in the
cylinder is equal to
the discharge
pressure

Discharge valve
closed
Discharge gas
pushed from the
compression
cylinder

Pistonmovingupinthecylinder

Clearancevolumeofthespace
betweenthebottomofthevalve
plateandthetopofthepistonat
topdeadcenter?

LIQUIDINTHECOMPRESSION
CYLINDER

Ifliquidentersthecylinder,damagewilloccur
Liquidscannotbecompressed
Liquidsluggingcancauseimmediatedamagetothe
compressorcomponents
Commoncausesofliquidsluggingincludean
overfeedingmeteringdevice,poorevaporatorair
circulation,lowheatload,defectiveevaporatorfan
motorandafrostedevaporatorcoil

 Page439DiscusValvedesign

SYSTEMMAINTENANCEAND
COMPRESSOREFFICIENCY
Highsuctionpressuresandlowdischarge
pressureskeepthecompressionratiolow
Dirtyevaporatorscausesuctionpressuretodrop
Lowsuctionreducescompressorpumpingcapacity
Dirtycondensersincreaseheadpressure
Compressionratioisincreasedbydirtyorblocked
condenserandevaporatorcoils

UNITSUMMARY1
Thecompressorisresponsibleforpumping
refrigerantthroughtherefrigerationsystem
Thecompressorlowersthepressureonthelowside
ofthesystemandincreasesthepressureonthehigh
sideofthesystem
Thecompressionratiocomparespumping
conditionsforcompressors
Comp.Ratio=Highside(psia)Lowside(psia)

UNITSUMMARY2
Twostagecompressionusestwocompressors
whereonecompressordischargesintothe
suctionofthesecondcompressor
Usedwhenthecompressionratioforsingle
stagecompressionishigherthan10:1
Commoncompressortypesincludetherotary,
thereciprocating,thescroll,thescrewandthe
centrifugal

UNITSUMMARY3
Hermeticcompressorsarefactoryweldedandnot
fieldserviceable
Semihermeticcompressorsareboltedtogether
andcanbeservicedinthefield
Opendrivecompressorshavethemotorseparate
fromthecompressor
Opendrivecompressorscanbedirectdriveor
beltdriven

UNITSUMMARY4
Reciprocatingcompressorsareequippedwith
suctionanddischargevalves
Thesuctionanddischargevalvesopenandcloseto
facilitatetheexpansion,suction,compressionand
dischargeprocesses
Compressorscanbecomedamagedifliquidenters
Highsuctionpressuresandlowdischargepressures
willhelpkeepthecompressionratiolow