EXPERIMENT NO.

1
TESTING OF A VAPOR-COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

NAME(S) 1. Camacho, Gabriel M. DATE PERFORMED: SCORE:

2. Jazul, Alfonso Yvan February 01, 2024
3. Pagkalinawan, Jerome A. DATE SUBMITTED:
4. February 08, 2024
INSTRUCTOR:
SECTION 57052
Engr. Dexter Lyndon Q. Sabusap
GROUP # 15

I. OBJECTIVE:

The activity aims to understand the working principle, characteristics, and performances of
different configurations of a vapor-compression refrigeration system.

II. LEARNING OUTCOME:

The students shall be able to:

1. Demonstrate the operation of a refrigeration system.
2. Interpret data and relate results to governing scientific principles.
3. Develop professional work ethics, including precision, neatness, safety, and ability to
follow instructions.

III. THEORY:
Refrigeration is the process of cooling substances or spaces, and a device that does this is called a
refrigerator. The basis of a refrigeration system is a thermodynamic cycle that operates between two different
temperature reservoirs: high-temperature and low-temperature regions. In order for heat to move from the
low-temperature region to the high-temperature region, work has to be done on the refrigerator in accordance
with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, specifically the Clausius statement of the Second Law.
A vapor-compression refrigeration system (VCRS) is a form of mechanical refrigeration wherein a
substance with low-boiling temperature called a refrigerant is used as the working medium. Figure 1 shows
a schematic of a VCRS. The main components of a VCRS are the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and
expansion valve.
 Figure 1. General schematic of a vapor-compression refrigeration system.
Main Components of a VCRS
Evaporator
The heat exchanger that is inside a refrigerator compartment is called the evaporator. Inside the
evaporator, liquid-vapor refrigerant exchanges heat with the air inside the refrigerant compartment, thus
converting it into saturated vapor refrigerant or a superheated vapor refrigerant.
Compressor
The purpose of the refrigerant compressor is to raise the pressure of the superheated vapor from the
evaporator thereby increasing the refrigerant temperature above the ambient air temperature that is
surrounding the refrigerator.
Condenser
The high-pressure and high-temperature superheated refrigerant from the compressor enters the
condenser. The purpose of the condenser is to condense the refrigerant back to its liquid state.
Expansion Valve
By allowing the liquid refrigerant to pass through a small orifice inside the expansion valve, the
pressure of the refrigerant goes down as well as its temperature. The temperature of now a liquid-vapor
refrigerant is much lower than the air temperature inside the refrigerant compartment, thus heat is transferred
from the air to the refrigerant which restarts the cycle.
Ideal Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
An ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle follows the processes indicated in the P-h diagram
shown in Figure 2. The processes included are:
1–2: reversible adiabatic compression from saturated vapor to the condenser pressure.
2–3: reversible rejection of heat at constant pressure de-superheating and condensation.
 3–4: irreversible expansion at constant enthalpy from saturated liquid to the evaporator pressure.
4–1: reversible addition of heat at constant pressure in evaporation to saturated vapor

Figure 2. P-h diagram of an ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle.

Actual Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle
In an actual vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, such as shown in Figure 3, the refrigerant leaving
the evaporator is superheated to ensure no liquid could enter the compressor. Liquid droplets of refrigerant
not only can negatively affect the compressor performance, but it can also accelerate the wear of the
compressor. Also, in actual vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant leaving the condenser gets
subcooled, such as shown in Figure 3. In our experiment, we will assume that the actual vapor-compression
resembles that shown in Figure 3. We will ignore the pressure drops in the heat exchangers, i.e. evaporator
and condenser.

Figure 3. Comparison between an ideal (solid line) and actual (dotted line) vapor-compression refrigeration
cycle.
▪ Refrigerating Capacity per unit mass, 𝑄𝐴 – amount of heat absorbed out of the refrigerated space per
unit mass of the refrigerant.
𝑄𝐴 = ℎ1 − ℎ4
▪ Heat Rejected per unit mass, 𝑄𝑅 – amount of heat rejected in the condenser per unit mass of refrigerant.
𝑄𝑅 = ℎ2 − ℎ3
where it is assumed that ℎ4 = ℎ3 .
▪ Compressor Work per unit mass, 𝑊 – the amount of work by the compressor to increase the refrigerant
pressure to the condensing pressure.
𝑊 = ℎ2 − ℎ1
▪ Coefficient of Performance, 𝐶𝑂𝑃
𝐶𝑂𝑃 = 𝑄𝐴 ⁄𝑊
▪ Compressor Power Input, 𝐸𝑃
𝐸𝑃 = 𝐼 × 𝑉
where 𝐼 is the electrical current, and 𝑉 is the rated voltage.

Refrigeration Trainor Unit (RTU)

The equipment that will be used in this experiment is a vapor-compression refrigerator that uses
R134A as the refrigerant. In this equipment, four (4) of configurations of the system can be tested by selecting
one of the four shut-off valves. Each shut-off valve connects to a specific kind expansion valve. The shut-off
valves are labelled “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D”. One of the objectives of this experiment is to compare the
performance of the system at different configurations at the same target refrigerated space temperature.
Shut-off Valve “A”: Long Capillary Tube with Liquid-to-Suction Heat Exchanger
Shut-off Valve “B”: Long Capillary Tube
Shut-off Valve “C”: Short Capillary Tube
Shut-off Valve “D”: Thermostatic Expansion Valve
IV. PROCEDURE:
1. Plug the RTU to a 230-V, 60-Hz power supply.
2. Start the RTU by turning on the circuit breaker.
3. Open the refrigerator cabinet and take note of the ambient air temperature indicated on the temperature
control unit (TCU). The TCU has a temperature sensor located inside the cabinet that measures the air
temperature.
4. Close the cabinet completely.
5. Turn on the evaporator fan and the condenser fan.
6. For the first part of the experiment, open shut-off valve “A”, and make sure the other shut-off valves are
closed.
7. Check the pressure gauges. Make sure both gauges have the same reading and are stable.
8. Set the desired air temperature in the cabinet to the target refrigerated space temperature using the TCU.
9. Turn on the temperature monitor (press and hold for 3 seconds).
10. Once the pressure is stable (Step 7), turn on the compressor.
11. Once the target refrigerated space temperature is achieve, record the following data:
• Current, A
• Voltage, V
• High and Low Side Pressures, psi
• Evaporator Exit Temperature, °C
• Compressor Exit Temperature, °C
• Condenser Exit Temperature, °C
SUGGESTION: Use your camera to quickly record all the measurements.
12. Before performing the experiments with the other configurations, turn off first the compressor, and then
turn off the fans.
13. Open the cabinet to allow the air temperature to return to room air temperature.
14. Open first valve “B”, and then close valve “A”.
15. Repeat Steps 4 through 11 to test the other configurations.
16. After performing all of the experiments, turn off first the compressor, and then turn off the fans.
17. Turn off the circuit breaker and unplug the RTU from the power supply.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND REMINDERS:

▪ When the emergency light is on, press the emergency stop button.
▪ Make sure that not all the shut-off valves are closed. This could lead to the system getting overpressure
on the condenser side.
▪ Do not poke the evaporator fan or the condenser fan.
▪ Do not touch any other valves in the RTU other than the shut-off valves for selection of system
configuration.
▪ Always follow the proper procedure for turning on and turning off of the RTU.
▪ Avoid damaging any parts of the RTU. Report to the instructor or the lab coordinator any faults or
problems of the equipment.
▪ Call the attention of the instructor should there be any unusual behavior when operating the RTU.
▪ Always unplug the RTU from the power supply when you are done with the experiments.
V. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT:

Control Panel
Temperature
Controller

Cabinet with
Evaporator fan
and Evaporator
Coil Pressure Gauge and Thermometer

Condenser

Expansion Valve

Compressor
Capillary Tube

Refrigeration Training Units (RTU) are mainly intended for market research, process
analysis, and troubleshooting on actual refrigeration systems. As complex refrigeration principles
easily demonstrate, its purpose is to minimize the amount of refrigeration that is truly observable.
It is a valuable tool for learning about refrigeration theory and practice because it is a fully
functional miniature refrigerator that has all of the essential parts of a genuine refrigerator.
 Here’s is a Picture of our group performing the experiment. We are adjusting the expansion
valve to open first the valve C and then Close the valve B in order to collect the values of
Thermometer and Pressure gauge
VI. DATA AND RESULT:

Ambient Air Temperature: 24 °C

Refrigerated Space Temperature: 19 °C

Refrigerant Temperature [°C] Absolute Pressure [psi] Electrical Power Supply

Configuration
Evap. Exit (T1) Comp. Exit (T2) Cond. Exit (T3) Low (P1, P4) High (P2, P3) Current [A] Voltage [V]
A 6.2 33.2 27.7 26 115 3.975 233.9
B 5.5 32.1 28.0 30 115 3.967 234.1
C 6.5 31.8 27.8 34 115 4.009 234.9

Refrigerant Enthalpy [kJ/kg] Refrigerating Compressor Heat

Capacity Work Rejected
Configuration Evap. Exit Comp. Exit Cond. Exit COP EP [W]
[kJ/kg] [kJ/kg] [kJ/kg]
(h1) (h2) (h3) (h4 – h1) (h2 – h1) (h2 – h3)
A 262.3 283.2 278.4 16.1 20.9 4.8 0.770 929.28
B 239.1 282.2 278.7 39.6 43.1 3.5 0.919 928.67
C 262.4 282 278.5 16.1 19.6 3.5 0.821 941.71
 COMPUTATIONS
All Refrigerant Enthalpy’s of each configuration are from “Fluid Property Calculator” at
https://irc.wisc.edu/properties/.
For Configuration A
P C B A
Condenser

CLOSE
OPEN

115

26
Evaporator
h

𝑄𝑎
Refrigerating Capacity = ℎ4 − ℎ1 ; 𝒉𝟒 = 𝒉𝟑 COP = 𝑊
𝑘𝑗 16.1 𝑘𝑗
= (278.4 − 262.3)
𝑘𝑔
= ( 20.9 ) 𝑘𝑔
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟏𝟔. 𝟏 𝑪𝑶𝑷 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟕𝟎
𝒌𝒈

Compressor Work = ℎ2 − ℎ1 EP = 𝐼 𝑥 𝑉
𝑘𝑗
= (283.2 − 262.3) 𝑘𝑔 = (3.973)(233.9)
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟐𝟎. 𝟗 𝒌𝒈
𝑬𝑷 = 𝟗𝟐𝟗. 𝟐𝟖 𝑾

Heat Rejected = ℎ2 − ℎ3
𝑘𝑗
= (283.2 − 278.4)
𝑘𝑔

𝒌𝒋
= 𝟒. 𝟖 𝒌𝒈
 For Configuration B

C B A Condenser

CLOSE
115 OPEN

30
h Evaporator

𝑄𝑎
Refrigerating Capacity = ℎ4 − ℎ1 ; 𝒉𝟒 = 𝒉𝟑 COP = 𝑊
𝑘𝑗 39.6 𝑘𝑗
= (278.7 − 239.1) 𝑘𝑔 = ( 43.1 ) 𝑘𝑔
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟑𝟗. 𝟔 𝑪𝑶𝑷 = 𝟎. 𝟗𝟏𝟗
𝒌𝒈

Compressor Work = ℎ2 − ℎ1 EP = 𝐼 𝑥 𝑉
𝑘𝑗
= (282.2 − 239.1)
𝑘𝑔
= (3.967)(234.1)
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟒𝟑. 𝟏 𝑬𝑷 = 𝟗𝟐𝟖. 𝟔𝟕 𝑾
𝒌𝒈

Heat Rejected = ℎ2 − ℎ3
𝑘𝑗
= (282.2 − 278.7) 𝑘𝑔
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟑. 𝟓 𝒌𝒈
 For Configuration C

P
C B A Condenser

CLOSE
OPEN
115

34
h Evaporator

𝑄𝑎
Refrigerating Capacity = ℎ4 − ℎ1 ; 𝒉𝟒 = 𝒉𝟑 COP = 𝑊
𝑘𝑗 16.1 𝑘𝑗
= (278.5 − 262.4) 𝑘𝑔 = ( 19.6 ) 𝑘𝑔
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟏𝟔. 𝟏 𝑪𝑶𝑷 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟐𝟏
𝒌𝒈

Compressor Work = ℎ2 − ℎ1 EP = 𝐼 𝑥 𝑉
𝑘𝑗
= (282 − 262.4) 𝑘𝑔 = (4.009)(234.9)
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟏𝟗. 𝟔 𝒌𝒈 𝑬𝑷 = 𝟗𝟒𝟏. 𝟕𝟏 𝑾

Heat Rejected = ℎ2 − ℎ3
𝑘𝑗
= (282 − 278.5) 𝑘𝑔
𝒌𝒋
= 𝟑. 𝟓 𝒌𝒈
VII. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS:
In doing the experiment we accumulated the needed data we need to compute the findings of our
experiment. Experimentation is necessary to gain a complete understanding of its operational characteristics
in order to optimize efficiency and reliability. We review the results of an experiment evaluating a vapor-
compression refrigeration system in this discussion, focusing on significant factors such system efficiency,
refrigerant properties, and coefficient of performance (COP. We observe that the COP is changing throughout
our test under a variety of operating situations, including temperature variations in the condenser and
evaporator in configuration (A, B and C). By looking at these differences, we can adjust the set temperature
to improve the performance and efficiency of the system. We notice that configuration A and C are almost
similar in results specially in the refrigerant capacity of the system. This could be by the reason of the
performance we do while doing the experiment since we fully open the expansion valve C and then close the
expansion valve B. The results of the experiment contributed to our understanding of the vapor-compression
refrigeration system's.
Overall, the results we gather are reasonable and it aligns with the data we collect which are the low
and high temperature, evaporator, compressor, condenser, and lastly the expansion valve exit this are the
key factor that are used in computing the data needed.

VIII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:

We conclude That testing the functionality of a Refrigeration trainer system. provides insightful
information on several operational factors, including the system's ability to cool, airflow, temperature
variations, energy efficiency, component performance, refrigerant levels, and general state. With the use of
this data, well-informed decisions may be made about upkeep, fixes, and other additions meant to improve
the efficacy and efficiency of the system. The purpose of the performance test is to determine the refrigeration
system's true cooling capacity so that its stated capabilities may be compared. It assesses how airflow is
distributed across the conditioned room to guarantee even cooling in every section. The test determines
whether the system can reach the intended temperature drop and whether it is successful in cooling the room
by monitoring the temperature differential between supply and return air.

Furthermore, the test makes it easier to conduct a more thorough assessment of each air
conditioning system component, including the compressors, fans, and condensers. It evaluates the levels
and pressures of refrigerant and notifies the user of any possible problems or performance difficulties that
can jeopardize the system's overall operation. This check verifies that the system maintains the proper
quantities of refrigerant and functions within the pressure range provided by the manufacturer, both of which
are essential for optimal performance.