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2.0 Theory
Refrigeration is a process of moving heat from one location to another in controlled conditions.
The work of heat transport is traditionally driven by mechanical work, but can also be driven by
heat, magnetism, electricity, laser, or other means. Refrigeration has many applications, including,
but not limited to: household refrigerators, industrial freezers, cryogenics, and air conditioning.
Heat pumps may use the heat output of the refrigeration process, and also may be designed to be
reversible, but are otherwise similar to air conditioning units.
Refrigeration has had a large impact on industry, lifestyle, agriculture and settlement patterns. The
idea of preserving food dates back to at least the ancient Roman and Chinese empires. However,
mechanical refrigeration technology has rapidly evolved in the last century, from ice harvesting to
temperature-controlled rail cars. The introduction of refrigerated rail cars contributed to the
westward expansion of the United States, allowing settlement in areas that were not on main
transport channels such as rivers, harbors, or valley trails. Settlements were also developing in
infertile parts of the country, filled with new natural resources. These new settlement patterns
sparked the building of large cities which are able to thrive in areas that were otherwise thought to
be inhospitable, such as Houston, Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada. In most developed countries,
cities are heavily dependent upon refrigeration in supermarkets, in order to obtain their food for
daily consumption. The increase in food sources has led to a larger concentration of agricultural
sales coming from a smaller percentage of existing farms. Farms today have a much larger output
per person in comparison to the late 1800s. This has resulted in new food sources available to
entire populations, which has had a large impact on the nutrition of society.
There are several of refrigeration system components, but they can be divided into four main
components as follows:
1. Evaporator: The liquid refrigerant from the condenser at high pressure is fed through a
throttling device to an evaporator at a low pressure. On absorbing the heat to be extracted
from Media to be cooled, the liquid refrigerant boils actively in the evaporator and changes
state. The refrigerant gains latent heat to vaporizes at saturation temperature/ pressure and
further absorbs sensible heat from media to be cooled and gets fully vaporized and super
heated. The temperature-pressure relation chart table can determine the pressure and
temperature in the evaporator.
2. Compressor: The low temperature, pressure, superheated vapour from the evaporator is
conveyed through suction line and compressed by the compressor to a high pressure, without
any change of gaseous state and the same is discharge into condenser. During this process
heat is added to the refrigerant and known as heat of compression ratio to raise the pressure of
refrigerant ton such a level that the saturation temperature of the discharge refrigerant is
higher than the temperature of the available cooling medium, to enable the super heated
refrigerant to condense at normal ambient condition.
3. Condenser: The heat added in the evaporator and compressor to the refrigerant is rejected in
condenser at high temperature/ high pressure. This super heated refrigerant vapour enters the
condenser to dissipate its heat in three stages. First on entry the refrigerant loses its super
heat, it then loses its latent heat at which the refrigerant is liquefied at saturation temperature
pressure. This liquid loses its sensible heat, further and the refrigerant leaves the condenser as
a sub cooled liquid. The heat transfer from refrigerant to cooling medium (air or water) takes
place in the condenser. The sub-cooled liquid from condenser is collected in a receiver
(wherever provided) and is then fed through the throttling device by liquid line to the
evaporator. There are several methods of dissipating the rejected heat into the atmosphere by
condenser. These are water-cooled, air cooled or evaporative cooled condensers. In the water-
cooled condenser there are several types viz. Shell and tube, shell and coil, tube in tube etc. In
Evaporative cooled condenser, both air and water are used. Air-cooled condensers are prime
surface type, finned type or plate type. The selecting of the type depends upon the application
and availability of soft water.
4. Metering device / expansion valve: The high-pressure liquid from the condenser is fed to
evaporator through device, which should be designed to pass maximum possible liquid
refrigerant to obtain a good refrigeration effect. The liquid line should be properly sized to
have minimum pressure drop. The throttling device is a pressure-reducing device and a
regulator for controlling the refrigerant flow. It also reduces the pressure from the discharge
pressure to the evaporator pressure without any change of state of the pressure refrigerant.
3.0 Apparatus/Equipment
a) General Cycle Refrigeration and AC Trainer (RBA-GCR-C)
b) General Cycle Refrigeration and AC Experiment Manual (RBA-GCR-C)
i. List of items that comes with general cycle refrigeration and AC trainer.
4.i.1 General Cycle Refrigeration and AC Trainer :
Condenser with fan
Evaporator with fan
Hermatic compressor
Control panel
Accumulator
Pressure gauge and pressure controls
Expansion device (TXV)
Filter Drier
Sight glasses
Manual valves
4.i.2 Experiment manual of General Cycle Refrigeration and AC Trainer (RBA-
GCR-C)
ii. Setting up the general cycle refrigeration and AC trainer
4.ii.1 Unpack the General Cycle Refrigeration and AC trainer from its package
4.ii.2 Do inventory of the General Cycle Refrigeration and AC trainer parts
according to the list in point 4.1 above.
4.ii.3 Check the trainer to ensure there is no damage during delivery
4.ii.4 Ensure the MCB, Main power switch, compressor switch, condenser fan
switch and evaporator fan speed controller ( in the control panel), are in OFF
position.
4.ii.5 Plug in the AC power cable to power source.
4.ii.6 Ensure that the manual valve (MV) MV1,MV2 and MV3 are opened.
4.ii.7 Turn On the MCB and Check the voltage should be 220/240 VAC. Turn ON
the Main Power Switch, Evaporator Fan Speed controller, Condenser Fan
Switch and Compressor Switch.
4.ii.8 If the system running well, the trainer ready to operate for doing the
experiments.
4.ii.9 Turn OFF the system by turning OFF the compressor switch,Evaporator fan
speed controller, condenser fan switch, main power switch and MCB.
Disconnect the AC power cable from power supply.
4.ii.10 Return all equipment to respective place.
iii. Using the Trainer
4.iii.1 Before operationg the General Cycle Refrigeration and AC trainer make sure
that you understand the function of components of the trainer and read the
experiment procedures completely.
iv. Safety Information
4.iv.1 Ensure the the voltage should be 220/240 VAC. 50/60 Hz.
4.iv.2 Ensure that the condenser fan switch and evaporator fan speed controller are
running before turning ON the compressor switch for safety operation of the
system.
4.iv.3 You need idle time from one experiment to the next experiment at least 3
minutes to balance the pressure in the system.
5.0 Procedure
6.0 Discussion
i. What is the function of evaporator in the system?
-Its primary duty is to remove heat from the inside of your vehicle. A secondary benefit is
dehumidification. As warmer air travels through the aluminum fins of the cooler
evaporator coil, the moisture contained in the air condenses on its surface.
ii. What is the function of condenser in the system?
-In a cooling cycle of a refrigeration system, heat is absorbed by the vapor refrigerant
in the evaporator followed by the compression of the refrigerant by the compressor.
The high pressure and high temperature state of the vapor refrigerant is then
converted to liquid at the cond. It is designed to condense effectively the compressed
refrigerant vapor.
8.0 Reference
1. http://www.ref-wiki.com/technical-information/161-refrigeration-/32540-evaporator-
function.html
2. http://www.labtech.org/resources/
3. http://www.airconditioning-systems.com/condenser.html