GuidetoGoodCommercial

RefrigerationPractice


Part1

Introduction

BritishRefrigerationAssociation

InstituteofRefrigeration



Issue1October2009
 GuidetoGoodCommercialRefrigerationPracticePart1
Introduction

CONTENTS

1.0 FOREWARDBYTHEPRESIDENTSOFBRAANDIOR

1.1 PURPOSEOFTHEGUIDE

1.2 THEVAPOURCOMPRESSIONCYCLE

1.2.1 GENERAL

1.2.2 COMPRESSOR

1.2.3 CONDENSER

1.2.4 EXPANSIONVALVE

1.2.5 EVAPORATOR

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1.0FORWARDBYTHEPRESIDENTOFTHEBRAANDIOR

WearedelightedthatthisneweditionoftheGuidetoGood
CommercialRefrigerationPracticehasbeenupdatedtoreflectthe
manychangesintheindustry,notleastthelegislationaffecting
refrigerants,theincreaseddemandformoreenergyefficientsystem
andtheincreaseinhealthandsafetylegislationthathasadirect
effectonallemployees.TheBRAandIORhavecooperatedto
producethisGuide,thusgivingitthefullendorsementofthemain
organizationsrepresentingtherefrigerationsector.
Wetrustthatyouwillfinditscontentessentialforyourbusiness.

EddieGittoes JaneGartshore
PresidentBRA PresidentIOR

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1.1 PURPOSEOFTHEGUIDE

The Guide to Good Commercial Refrigeration Practice has been produced to advise
organizationsandtheiremployeesongoodpracticerequirementsacrossallthedisciplines
of refrigeration practice. Emphasis is placed on the importance of design, through
installation,commissioning,operationandmaintenance,servicingofbreakdownsupto,and
including,decommissioningofcomponentsandsystemsisprovidedbytheGuide.TheGuide
also deals with the importance of health and safety and environmental requirements and
thestandardsthataretobeobservedthroughoutallareasofrefrigerationpractice.

1.2 THEMECHANICALREFRIGERATIONPROCESS

Thisshortsectionoffersashortdescriptionofthemechanicalrefrigerationthermodynamic
process.

1.2.1 GENERAL

Mechanicalrefrigerationisathermodynamiccycleusingarefrigerantastheworkingfluid.
Therefrigerantabsorbsheatfromthemediumtobecooledandrejectsheattoasourceof
coolingusuallyairorwater.Invapourcompressionsystemstherefrigerant,changesphase
fromaliquidtoavapourandbackagain.Liquidrefrigerantabsorbsheatinthesystem
evaporatorandvaporises,whichisthencompressedandpassedintothecondenserwhere
heatisrejectedreturningtherefrigeranttotheliquidphase.Thepressuresinthe
evaporatorandcondenseraredeterminedbythesizeoftheheatexchangesurfaces,the
pumpingcapacityoftheCompressor(sweptvolume)andtheflowratesandtemperatures
ofthecooledandcoolingmediums.Evaporatorsandcondenserscontainamixtureof
liquidandvapourinequilibriumandthereforethereisadefinedrefrigerantpressure
temperaturerelationshipknownassaturationproperties.

Asimplifiedrefrigerationcircuitisshownbelow:

Thesaturationpressure/temperaturerelationshipisanimportantparameterinthe
selectionoftherefrigeranttobeused.Arefrigerantisselectedsothatitdoesnot

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havetoohighortoolowpressuresfortheevaporatingandcondensingtemperatures
required.Thepressureintheevaporatorshouldnotbebelowatmosphericpressure.The
condensingpressureisusuallylimitedto25bar(g)andrefrigerantsareselectedsothat
theirsaturatedvapourpressuredoesnotexceedthispressure.Howevernewrefrigerants
suchasR410Awithapproximately30%higherpressuresarenowavailable.Caremustbe
takentoensuresystemstrengthisadequate.

Refrigerationeffect(extractionofheat)isachievedbythecirculatingrefrigerantaroundthe
system.Animportantcharacteristicoftherefrigerantisitslatentheat.Refrigerantswitha
highlatentheatrequirelowermassflowthroughthesystemthanthosewithalowlatent
heattoachievethesamerefrigerationeffect.Thecompressorcirculatesrefrigerantaround
thesystem.

1.2.2 COMPRESSOR

Thecompressorcompressestherefrigerantvapourformedintheevaporatortothe
pressurerequiredforcondensation,andcirculatesthemassofrefrigerantrequiredto
achievethedesiredheatextractionrate.Compressorsaremechanicaldevicesandthe
compatibilityoftherefrigerantandthecompressorlubricatingoiliscriticaltothesuccessof
thesystem(seeSection8.5.4).Thecompressormanufacturersrecommendedlubricant
shouldalwaysbeused.

1.2.3 CONDENSER

Thecondenserisaheatexchangerusedtorejectheatfromthehighpressurerefrigerant
vapourtothecoolingmedium.Thiscanbeair,waterorbrine.

Iftherefrigerantiscondensedusingaliquid,thecondenserwillbeshellandtubeorplate
heatexchanger.

1.2.4 EXPANSIONVALVE

Highpressuresubcooledliquiddrainingfromthecondenserenterstheexpansiondevice
whereitspressureisreducedtoevaporatorpressure.Theexpandedliquidpressure/
temperaturefallstothatoftheevaporatorsaturationpressure/temperature.This
expansionprocessresultsintheformationofvapour,sometimestermedflashgas.The
refrigerantuseddeterminesthesizeofthisdevice.

1.2.5 EVAPORATOR

Theevaporatorisaheatexchangercontainingboilingrefrigerantlocatedinthedisplaycase
orcooler,whichtransfersheatbetweenthecooledmedium(air,waterorbrine)andthe
boilingrefrigerant.Therearetwobasictypesofevaporator:

DirectExpansion(DX)evaporator,wheretherefrigerantisinsideacoils/tubes.Refrigerant
entersfromtheexpansiondeviceasalowpressureliquid/vapourmixture.Evaporationof
theremainingliquidtakesplace,andtherefrigerantleaves

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asasuperheatedvapour.Providingoilismisciblewiththerefrigerant,oilshouldnotcollect
intheevaporatortubes.

FloodedEvaporatoriswheretherefrigerantisintheshellandthemediumtobecooledisin
thetubes.Floodedevaporatorsaresometimesusedinchillers.Oilcollectsintheshellof
floodedevaporatorsbecauseitisnotreturnedwiththesuctionvapours,asisthecasewith
DXevaporators.Liquidandvapoursareseparatedinfloodedevaporatorsandoilremains
withtheliquidrefrigerant.Alternativearrangementsmustbeprovidedtoreturnoiltothe
compressor.

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ThisGuideispublishedinthefollowingParts:

Part1Introduction
Part2SystemDesignandComponentSelection
Part3SafetyRegulations,StandardsandDirectives
Part4SystemInstallation
Part5SystemCommissioning
Part6SystemMaintenanceandService
Part7SystemandComponentDecommissioningandWasteDisposal
Part8RefrigerantsandRetrofitting
Part9AssessmentofSkillsRelatedCompetenceandTraining

TheBRAandIORdisclaimallliabilitytoanypersonforanythingorfortheconsequencesof
anythingdoneoromittedtobedonewhollyorpartlyinrelianceuponthewholeorany
partofthecontentsofthisGuidancedocument.

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PublishedBy:

BritishRefrigerationAssociation
2WalthamCourt,MilleyLane,HareHatch,Reading,Berkshire,RG109THUnitedKingdom
TelNo:+44(0)1189403416FaxNo:+44(0)1189406258
email:info@feta.co.uk

InstituteofRefrigeration
KelvinHouse,76MillLane,Carshalton,SurreySM52JR,TelNo:+44(0)2086477033Fax
No:+44(0)2087730165
email:ior@ior.org.uk

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