Lebanese University

Faculty Of Technology -
Department of Industrial Engineering and Maintenance

Course :

Technology and Thermal

Maintenance
TTM
Academic Year 2020 / 2021

Dr. H. AMMAR
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Chapter 2 : Refrigerators and heat pumps

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1 – Introduction :
- From the study of thermodynamics, we know that the heat flows naturally from high-temperature regions to
low-temperature ones without requiring any devices.
- Systems undergoing cycles of the type (a) is called a power cycle. (deliver work to surroundings)
- The transfer of heat from a low-temperature region to a
high-temperature one requires special devices called
refrigerators and heat pumps.
- Refrigerators and heat pumps are cyclic devices, and the working fluids used in the refrigeration cycles are called
refrigerants.
- The energy transferred by heat into the system undergoing
Refrigeration/heat pump cycle from the cold body, and heat is
discharged from the system to the hot body. To accomplish
these energy transfers requires a net work input.

(a) Power cycles.

(b) Refrigeration and heat pump cycles. 3
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From thermodynamics

➢ The general form of the conservation of mass through an open system :

 time rate of change of   time rate of flow   time rate of flow  • •

dmcv
 mass contained within

 =  of mass in across −  of mass out across 
    
=  mi −  me
dt
 the control volume at time t  inlet i at time t  exit e at time t  i e

➢ The energy of a system is conserved when the fluid is undergoing a refrigeration cycle. It’s only converted to
another form. The energy balance, when the fluid is passing through an open system, is given by :

 time rate of change   net rate at which   net rate at which   net rate of energy 
 of the energy   energy is being   energy is being   transfer into the 
       
 contained within  =  transferred in  −  transferred out  +  control volume 
       
 the control volume at   by heat transfer   by work   accompanying 
 time t   at time t   at time t   mass flow 

• •  • Vi 2  •  Ve2 
0 = Qcv − Wcv +  mi  hi + + gzi  −  me  he + + gze 
i  2  e  2 

➢ The entropy production of any component of a thermodynamic system should be σ ≥ 0

➢ If σ = 0. the process is called reversible 6
Refrigerator and heat pump are used to

• space heating;
• heating and cooling of process streams;
• water heating for washing, sanitation and cleaning;
• steam production;
• drying/dehumidification;
• evaporation;
• distillation;
• concentration.

Heat Pumps provide a means to very efficiently move heat

around, and work both in the winter and the summer

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Differences between heat pumps and refrigerators.

➢ Refrigerators and heat pumps are essentially the same devices.

they differ in their objectives only.

➢ QL is the magnitude of the heat removed from the refrigerated

space at temperature TL ,QH is the magnitude of the heat rejected
to the warm space at temperature TH

➢ The refrigerator maintains the refrigerated space at a low

temperature by removing heat from it. Discharging this heat to a
higher-temperature medium is merely a necessary part of the
operation.

➢ The heat pump maintains a heated space at a high temperature.

This is accomplished by absorbing heat from a low-temperature
source, such as well water or cold outside air in winter, and
supplying this heat to a warmer medium such as a house

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➢ In a heat pump it’s desired to get
higher temperature in the
condenser. Tcond = 20 to 50C̊

➢ In a refrigerator it’s desired to get

lower temperature in the
evaporator Tevap = 5 to -30C̊

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2 – Ordinary household refrigerator.:

A heat pump is actually a refrigerator that is used inversely.

The household refrigerator is a good example of the
application of this cycle. The useful effect is the removal of
heat from the food.

Ex : Tevaporator = -5 C
ͦ to -20 C
ͦ
Trefrigerator = 3 C
ͦ
Tfreezer = -18 ͦC
Tcondensor = 35 C
ͦ
Qcondensor = Qevaporator + Wcompressor

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3 – Enthalpy and entropy diagrams :
The use of the enthalpy or entropy diagram allows in a simple way to represent the evolution of the
refrigerant fluid during each process of the refrigeration cycle.

3.1 – Enthalpy diagram (Mollier diagram – Pressure/enthalpy)

The "Mollier" diagram is very useful in the study of refrigeration cycles. Using this diagram, it is easy to see the
changes that occur as the refrigerant moves from one part of the cycle to another. The enthalpy diagram is the
most widely used in the refrigerator and heat pump industries.
The following physical properties are shown on these diagrams :
- Temperature "T"
- Pressure "P"
- Specific volume "v"
- Specific enthalpy "h"
- Specific entropy "s"
- Quality "x“ (x: mass of vapor / total mass) 12
Example

Liquid

Liquid - Vapor
Vapor

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a- In region I (sub-cooled region):
- isothermal lines are vertical
- the refrigerant is entirely at the liquid state (x = 0) I

b- In region II (superheated region):

II
- isothermal lines are almost vertical at low pressures III
(descending)
-the refrigerant is entirely in the superheated state
(x= 1)

c- In region III (2 phases region):

- isothermal lines are horizontal
- the refrigerant is in the state of mixing

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If the refrigerant on the saturated liquid curve (pt
"A") absorbs heat at constant pressure, the
evaporation will occur without changing the
temperature until it reaches the curve of saturated
vapor (pt “B").

The amount of heat absorbed from A to B :

•
Q = m (hB − hA )

The latent heat of vaporization (at constant pressure and temperature) is defined by :

h fg = hB − hA = hg − h f

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3.2 – Entropy diagram (Temperature/entropy)

The entropy S is another physical property of the refrigerants. It is a measure of the molecular disorder of the
system.
S is defined as the ratio of heat added to a substance to the "absolute" temperature at which this heat is added
[S = Q/T]. It is particularly useful in the analysis of refrigerant compression.
➢ The entropy "S" of a system increases if the system tends to its equilibrium: ΔS> 0
➢ The entropy of an isolated system can therefore only:
a- increases [irreversible process], or
b- remains constant [reversible process]
➢ The entropy S is maximum if the system is at equilibrium

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4– The Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle :

The vapor-compression refrigeration cycle has four components: evaporator, compressor, condenser, and
expansion (or throttle) valve. The most widely used refrigeration cycle is the vapor-compression refrigeration
cycle. In an ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant enters the compressor as a saturated
vapor and is cooled to the saturated liquid state in the condenser. It is then throttled to the evaporator pressure
and vaporizes as it absorbs heat from the refrigerated space.

The ideal vapor-compression cycle consists of four processes.

Process Description
1-2 Isentropic compression in the compressor
2-3 Constant pressure heat rejection in the condenser
3-4 Throttling in an expansion valve
4-1 Constant pressure heat addition in the evaporator
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The P-h diagram is another convenient diagram
often used to illustrate the refrigeration cycle.

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4.1 – The compressor
In an ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant at low pressure and temperature enters the
compressor at state 1 as saturated vapor and is compressed isentropically to the condenser pressure P2. The
temperature of the refrigerant increases during this isentropic compression process to well above the temperature
of the surrounding medium. The energy rate balances for a control volume enclosing the compressor give

•
Wcomp = m (h2 − h1 )

4.2 – The condenser

The refrigerant then enters the condenser as superheated vapor at state 2 and leaves as saturated liquid or
compressed liquid at state 3 as a result of heat rejection to the surroundings. The temperature of the refrigerant at
this state is still above the temperature of the surroundings. the rate of heat transfer from the refrigerant is :

•
Qcon = m (h2 − h3 )

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4.3 – The Throttling device
The saturated liquid refrigerant at state 3 is throttled to the evaporator pressure by passing it through an expansion
valve or capillary tube. The temperature of the refrigerant drops below the temperature of the refrigerated space
during this process. The throttling occurs at constant enthalpy as there’s no energy transfer by heat or work.

h3 = h4

4.4 – The evaporator

The refrigerant enters the evaporator at state 4 as a low-quality saturated mixture, and it completely evaporates by
absorbing heat from the refrigerated space. The refrigerant leaves the evaporator as saturated vapor and reenters
the compressor, completing the cycle.

•
Qevaporator = m (h1 − h4 )

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5– Energy balance and COP
➢ All four components associated with the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle are steady-flow devices
➢ Based on the first law of thermodynamics, the steady flow energy equation on a unit–mass basis reduces to

Qcond = Qevap + Wcomp

h2 – h3 = (h2 – h1 ) + (h1 – h4 )

The COP is defined by the amount of heat transfer to the work Qcond

done by the compressor. For refrigerators and heat pumps

Qevap
operating on the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, the COP Wcomp

can be expressed as :
Qevaporator Qcondenser
COPrefrigeration = COPheat pump =
Wcompressor Wcompressor

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Example 1

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Example 2

refrigerator–freezer unit with one compressor.

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