EME2146 APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS

Objective(s)
The objective of this experiment is to familiarize us with the operation of a domestic refrigerator and to
calculate COP (Coefficient of Performance) and compare to an ideal cycle and a Carnot cycle.

Introduction
Refrigerators are common application is used to keep food fresh, and to cold down beverages.
Refrigerators are cyclic devices, and the working fluids used in the refrigeration cycles are called
refrigerants. The principle of refrigerator is that to remove the heat to the warm space. As by this, work
in must be inserted to remove the rejected heat to the warm environment.
Another device that transfers heat from a low temperature to high temperature is called Heat pump.
Basically, Heat pump and refrigerators are the same devices except the difference in objective. The
objective of refrigerator is t maintain the refrigerate space at a low temperature by removing heat from
it. Discharging this heat to a higher temperature medium is merely a necessary part of the operation, no
the purpose.
The performance of refrigerators is expressed in terms of Coefficient of performance (COP), defined as

Introduction The reversed Carnot cycle

The Carnot cycle is a totally reversible cycle that consists of two reversible isothermal and two isentropic
processes. It has the maximum thermal efficiency for the given temperature limits, and it serves as a
standard against which actual power cycles can be compared.
Since it is a reversible cycle, all four processes that comprise the Carnot cycle can be reversed. Reversing
the cycles does also reverse the directions of any heat and work interactions. The result is a cycle that
operates in the counterclockwise direction on T-s diagram, which is called the reversed Carnot cycle. A
refrigerator or a heat pump that operates on the reversed Carnot cycles is called a Carnot refrigerator or
a Carnot heat pump.
The coefficient of performance of Carnot refrigerators and heat pumps are expressed in terms of
temperatures as

EME2146 APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS

Apparatus
A model refrigerator and a stopwatch
Procedure
The machine was turn on by turning on the power. After the machine is turned on, the freezer
temperature was set to the first setting which is to . After the machine is set up and all the piping
valves is opened, time is recorded to clock the decrease in temperature and the data is recorded after
the compressor is switched on. Once the temperature has reached
, all the data is recorded in and
tabulated onto a piece of paper.
After the first setup is complete, the second set up is set up by decrease the freezing temperature to
. The same procedure is carried on the second set up and all the data is tabulated according to the
set up.
Analysis of Data
The data is collected by 2 different settings and each of the reading of temperature is labelled by the
following terms
The refrigerant temperature at the compressor inlet
The refrigerant temperature at the compressor outlet
The refrigerant temperature at the condenser outlet
The refrigerant temperature at the condenser inlet
The freezer compartment temperature
The ambient temperature

Model
Refrigerator
Readings
25.6
46.7
39.6

Temperature,
T

Freezer setting:
Time, Temperature,
t(s)
T

Time,
t(s)

9
8
7

30
55
95

3
2
1

224
263
304

39.2
0
25

6
5
4

128
160
191

337

0.2bar
20bar
0.025
235
0.65

EME2146 APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS

Model
Refrigerator
Readings
27.8
30.1
39.3
39.0
0
25

Temperature,
T

Freezer setting: -5
Time, Temperature,
t(s)
T

Time,
t(s)

9
8
7

29
54
91

1
0
-1

334
375
415

6
5
4
3
2

126
164
207
245
289

-2
-3
-4
-5

460
501
541
587

0.2bar
20bar
0.025
240
0.65

Results and Discussion

1. Determine the coefficient of performance of the refrigeration cycle for freezer-compartment
temperature at
. In particular, your analyses must include the comparison with ideal cycle
and the reversed Carnot cycle
Solution
For Actual Refrigeration cycle

Therefore from the data of temperature and the pressure inlet we can obtained Enthalpy for the
following refrigerant 134-a:

For ideal refrigeration cycle,

EME2146 APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS

For reversed Carnot Cycle

Where

and

2. Sketch the T-s and p-h diagrams of the refrigeration cycle for freezer compartment temperature
setting at
. In particular, your sketches must include the comparison with ideal
refrigeration cycle and the reversed Carnot cycle.
Solution
All of the sketches will be attached at the next page of this report
3. Plot the freezer-compartment temperature as a function of time, the freezer-compartment
temperature settings as the parameter. In particular, the freezer compartment temperature
must initialize at
Solution
The graph will be shown in next page
Conclusion and Recommendation
In this experiment, student are supposed to understand and differentiate the characteristics of actual
refrigeration cycle, ideal refrigeration cycle and reversed carnot cycle by analyzing both of the T-s and ph diagram.
In this experiment, we found that several of error that we made. First of all the unit of inlet and outlet
pressure should not be in Kbar instead, this was taken in bar. Initially, the reading mistook the reading of
the pressure and record it as negative which is out of the logic. Due to this reading, students are unable
to calculate the ideal and actual refrigeration cycle.
COP for both refrigerator and heat pump basically can be calculated by calculating the desired output
over the required input.