Lab Session # 07

Objective
“Study and performance of the refrigeration model under load with study of Superheating and
super cooling phenomena.”

Apparatus
Refrigeration Model with R134a refrigerant.
Theory
1.0 Superheating
Boiling is when a liquid gains heat and transforms into a vapor. Superheat occurs when that
vapor is heated above its boiling point. Let’s say that refrigerant boils at 40 degrees at a low
pressure in the evaporator. The vaporized refrigerant is continuously heated, elevating its
temperature to become a 50-degree vapor. This increase in temperature above the boiling point is
known as superheat. The formula to calculate superheat uses the current temperature and boiling
point.
Super heat = current Temperature – Boiling Point
In this example, the superheat is 10-degrees. Superheat is critical in HVAC because it ensures
the liquid refrigerant is boiled off before it leaves the evaporator and heads to the compressor.
Even small amounts of liquid can cause detrimental damage to the compressor in an HVAC
system. While evaporation and superheat occur in the evaporator, condensation and sub cooling
occur in the condenser.
2.0 Sub-cooling
Condensation is when a vapor loses heat and turns into a liquid, but sub-cooling is when that
liquid is cooled below the temperature at which it turns into a liquid. Let’s use the same
refrigerant with a high-pressure boiling point of 120 degrees for the following example, the
refrigerant is a 140-degree vapor heading into the condenser. Once the condenser cools the
refrigerant to 120 degrees, it will begin to turn back into a liquid. But the cooling does not stop
there! Sub-cooling is also calculated using the boiling point (sometimes referred to as the
condensing point) and current temperature.

Sub-cooling = Boiling Point – Current temperature

So, if the condenser brings the refrigerant temperature down to 105 degrees, it has been sub-
cooled by 15 degrees. In the refrigeration cycle, sub-cooling is an important process that ensures
liquid refrigerant enters the expansion device. Key takeaways: superheat occurs in the evaporator
to protect the compressor, and sub-cooling occurs in the condenser to protect the expansion
device. 3.0 Super-cooling

Super cooling, also known as undercooling, is the process of lowering the temperature of a liquid
or a gas below its freezing point without it becoming a solid. It achieves this in the absence of a
seed crystal or nucleus around which a crystal structure can form. The super cooling of water can
be achieved without any special techniques other than chemical demineralization, down to −48.3
°C (−55 °F). Droplets of super cooled water often exist in stratus and cumulus clouds. An aircraft
flying through such a cloud sees an abrupt crystallization of these droplets, which can result in
the formation of ice on the aircraft's wings or blockage of its instruments and probes.

Animals utilize super cooling to survive in extreme temperatures, as a last resort only. There are
many techniques that aid in maintaining a liquid state, such as the production of antifreeze
proteins, which bind to ice crystals to prevent water molecules from binding and spreading the
growth of ice.[3] The winter flounder is one such fish that utilizes these proteins to survive in its
frigid environment. In plants, cellular barriers such as lignin, suberin and the cuticle inhibit ice
nucleators and force water into the super cooled tissue.

 Commercial application of super cooling

One commercial application of super cooling is in refrigeration. Freezers can cool drinks to a
super cooled level so that when they are opened, they form a slush. Super cooling was also
successfully applied to organ preservation at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical
School. Livers that were later transplanted into recipient animals were preserved by super cooling
for up to 96 hours (4 days), quadrupling the limits of what could be achieved by conventional
liver preservation methods.
4.0 Functioning of a compression refrigeration system
Task of refrigeration system is to transport heat energy from low temperature level to high
temperature level. As principle of thermodynamic state that this process cannot occur
independently, energy must be supplied to system from outside. This takes the form energy
provided by compressor.

Figure 1: Refrigeration Model cycle: Figure 2: Basic cycle for refrigeration with four main
components

The changes of the state plotted have following meanings:

1-2: Isentropic compression
Pv
W v = =h2−h 1
ṁr
2-3: Isobaric condensation
Q̇c =(h ¿ ¿ 2−h3) × ṁr ¿
3-4: Isenthalpic throttling
---------------------------
4-1: Isobaric evaporation
Q̇e =(h ¿ ¿ 1−h 4 )× ṁr ¿
 Observation
When sensible load is applied

Sr. # T1 P1 T2 P2 T4 P4 T5 P5 T6 P6 H1 H2 H4 H5 H6

Specimen Calculation
Temperature at inlet to compressor = T1 =

Pressure at outlet to compressor = P2 =

Temperature at outlet to compressor/inlet to condenser = T2 =

Temperature at inlet to expansion valve = T 4=¿

Temperature at outlet to expansion valve /inlet to evaporator = T5 =

Temperature at outlet to evaporator = T6 =

Pressure at inlet to compressor = P1 =

Enthalpy at inlet to compressor (Using R134a Chart) = h1 =

Enthalpy at inlet to Condenser (Using R134a Chart) = h2 =

Enthalpy at inlet to Evaporator (Using R134a Chart) = h4 =

Coefficient of Performance = COP = =

Target temperature =

Hysteresis value =

Time required (when throttle valve is controlling) to gain target =

Time required (when throttle valve is controlling) to gain target =
 Draw performance curve of the above data on p-h diagram of R134a chart.
 Student report
How does refrigeration capacity respond to falling evaporation pressure?

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How does intake pressure of compressor respond when load is applied to evaporator?

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 Lab Rubrics
Marks CLO1 – Level P4 mapped to PLO4

10 Complete understanding of the experiment with diagram of the

apparatus. Measurements of key variable of interest is carried out
confidently and proficiently. Observations table and the comments
related to the error /Student Report are described efficiently.

07 Understanding of the experiment with diagram of the apparatus help is

required with minor details. Measurements of key variable of interest
is carried out. Observations table and the comments related to the error
/Student Report are not accurately described

03 Understanding of the experiment with diagram of the apparatus help is

required with several major details. No Measurements of key variable
of interest is carried out. Observations table and the comments related to
the error /Student Report are not described

00 No understanding of the experiment with diagram of the apparatus. No

Measurements of key variable of interest is carried out. Observations
table and the comments related to the error /Student Report are not
described