Refrigeration

and air
conditioning
Assignment no.1
Bole Coleman Cycle
Contents:

Introduction
Schematic
Efficiency
Comparison with reverse Carnot cycle

Submitted to: Lec Jamal Saeed

Group members:
Farhan Ellahi
Usman Ahmed Noor
Gohar shoukat

Zaigham Naseeb

Usama Zaid Malik

Bell Coleman cycle is a refrigeration cycle with processes of a reverse Brayton cycle.
Its purpose is to move heat, rather than produce work. This air cooling technique is
used widely in jet aircraft for air conditioning systems utilizing air tapped from the
engine compressors.

Schematic

T-S diagram

P-V diagram

Processes involved are:

(1) Isentropic compression (1-2):
Cold air from the refrigerator (Cabin) is drawn into the compressor cylinder where it
is compressed isentropically. Pressure & temperature increases but specific volume
decreases from condition 1 to 2. As it is isentropic compression, therefore, heat is
neither absorbed nor rejected by the air.
(2) Constant Pressure cooling process (2-3):
The warm air from the compressor is now passed into the cooler where it is cooled
at constant pressure. Temperature reduces from t 2 to t3.

Heat rejected during this process:

q2-3 = m cp (T2-T3).

(3) Isentropic Expansion Process (3-4):

After the cooling process, air passes through the expander where isentropic
expansion occurs. Pressure decreases from p 3 to refrigerator pressure p4, which is
equal to atmospheric pressure. The temperature of air during expansion falls from
t3 to t4. No heat is absorbed or rejected since it is an isentropic expansion.
(4) Constant Pressure expansion process (4-1):
The cold air from the expander is now passed to the refrigerator, here it sucks the
heat from the area to be cooled (cabin of the air craft). Due to this, the temperature

of air increases at constant pressure. Volume increases from v 4 to v1. In this way
cycle is completed and cooling occurs.

COP
COP= NET Refrigeration effect/net work supplied

Net work required W = (Wc - We) = Cp (T2 T1) - Cp (T3 T4)

R = Cp (T2 T4)

COP =

T2
T 3T 2

ADVANTAGES OF BELL COLEMAN CYCLE

1. Air is a cheaper refrigerant and available easily compared to other refrigerants
2. There is no danger of fire or toxic effects due to leakage
3. The total weight of the system per ton of refrigerating capacity is less.

DISADVANTAGES OF BELL COLEMAN CYCLE

1. Low COP
2. High running cost
3. Mass of air required per ton of refrigeration is large as compared to other systems
of refrigeration. Hence size of the system is large. Space requirement is more.
4. The danger of frosting at the expander valve is more as the air taken into the
system always contains moisture.

Comparison between Bell Coleman and Reverse Carnot cycle

The following table compares the two cycles. It mentions the process at each stage
of the cycle that the working fluid undergoes to achieve the desired state.
Proces
s
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-1

Reverse Carnot Cycle

Bell-Coleman Cycle

Reversible Isentropic
Compression
Reversible Isothermal
Compression
Reversible Isentropic Expansion
Reversible Isothermal Expansion

Isentropic Compression
Isobaric Heat Rejection
Isentropic Expansion
Isobaric Heat Addition

While both cycles follow similar path during the isentropic compression (1-2) and
expansion processes (2-3), the difference in the cycles can be observed during the
stages 2-3 and 4-1 in Bell Coleman Cycle and 2-3 and 4-1 in Carnot Cycle. In Bell
Coleman Cycle, these two processes are Isobaric whereas in Reverse Carnot Cycle,
these are Isothermal Processes.