REFRIGERATION PLANT

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF

VARIOUS COMPONENTS
COMPRESSOR
T-01075 CP 01
PPT 1-2-1
V.G.Shenoi

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RECIPROCATING REFRIGERATING
COMPRESSOR

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 COMPRESSOR
• The compressor in a refrigeration system is essentially a pump. It is used to pump heat uphill from the cold side to the
hot side of the system. The heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the evaporator must be removed before the refrigerant
can again absorb latent heat. The only way the vaporized refrigerant can be made to give up the latent heat of
vaporization that it absorbed in the evaporator is by cooling and condensing it. Because of the relatively high
temperature of the available cooling medium, the only way to make the vapor condense is to compress it.
• When we raise the pressure, we also raise the temperature. Therefore, we have raised its condensing temperature,
which allows us to use seawater as a cooling medium in the condenser. In addition to this primary function, the
compressor also keeps the refrigerant circulating and maintains the required pressure difference between the high-
pressure and low-pressure sides of the system. Many different types of compressors are used in refrigeration systems.
The designs of compressors vary depending on the application of the refrigerants used in the system. The figure below
shows a motor-driven, single-acting, two-cylinder, reciprocating compressor.
• Compressors used in refrigeration systems may be lubricated either by splash lubrication or by pressure lubrication.
Refrigeration compressors require a lubricant with a low pour point, and low wax content to keep any oil leaving the
compressor from congealing in the evaporator. Splash lubrication, which depends on maintaining a fairly high oil level
in the compressor crankcase, is usually satisfactory for smaller compressors. High-speed or large-capacity compressors
use pressure lubrications systems.
• The sudden reduction of pressure occurring within the crankcase of a refrigeration compressor during starting causes
the release of refrigerant from the oil/refrigerant mixture. Foaming of the oil in a refrigeration compressor crankcase is
caused by refrigerant boiling out of the lube oil. The oil in the sump of a secured refrigeration compressor is heated to
reduce absorption of refrigerant by the oil. Excessive oil foaming in the crankcase of a refrigeration compressor at start
up can cause compressor damage from improper lubrication. The oil level in a refrigeration compressor, the most
accurate reading is obtained immediately after shutdown following a prolonged period of operation. The refrigerant
has had time to separate from the oil.
• Refrigerant entering the compressor should be superheated vapor. Its possible to have liquid refrigerant returned to the
suction side of a compressor due to a faulty or improperly adjusted expansion valve. A flapper valve, also known as a
beam valve, is frequently used in refrigeration compressor discharge valves, and is designed to pass liquid slugs. Some
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systems have devices installed in the compressor suction line to boil off liquid refrigerant returning to the compressor,
 • The refrigeration process is, as implied, a closed
circuit. The refrigerant is not allowed to expand to
free air. When the refrigerant coming from the
COMPRESSOR evaporator is fed to a tank the pressure in the tank
will rise until it equals the pressure in the
evaporator. Therefore, refrigerant flow will cease
and the temperature in both tank and evaporator
will gradually rise to ambient.
• To maintain a lower pressure, and, with it a lower
temperature it is necessary to remove vapour. This
is done by the compressor, which sucks vapour
away from the evaporator. In simple terms, the
compressor can be compared to a pump that
conveys vapour in the refrigeration circuit.
• In a closed circuit a condition of equilibrium will
always prevail. To illustrate this, if the compressor
sucks vapour away faster than it can be formed in
the evaporator the pressure will fall and with it the
temperature in the evaporator. Conversely, if the
load on the evaporator rises and the refrigerant
evaporates quicker, the pressure and with it the
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temperature in the evaporator will rise.
 COMPRESSOR
METHOD OF OPERATION
Refrigerant leaves the evaporator either as saturated
or weak superheated vapour and enters the
compressor where it becomes compressed.
Compression is carried out as in a petrol engine, i.e.
by the movement of a piston. The compressor
requires energy and carries out work. This work is
transferred to the refrigerant vapour and is called
the compression input.
Because of the compression input, vapour leaves the
compressor at a different pressure and the extra
energy applied causes strong superheating of the
vapour. Compression input is dependent on plant
pressure and temperature. More work is of course
required to compress 1 kg vapour 10 bar than to
compress the same amount 5 bar.

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CONDENSER
The refrigerant gives off heat in the condenser,
and this heat is transferred to a medium having a
lower temperature. The amount of heat given off
is the heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the
evaporator plus the heat created by compression
input.
The heat transfer medium can be air or water, the
only requirement being that the temperature is
lower than that which corresponds to the condensing
pressure. The process in the condenser can otherwise
be compared with the process in the evaporator
except that it has the opposite “sign”, i.e. the
conditional change is from vapour to liquid.

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EXPANSION PROCESS
Liquid from the condenser runs to a collecting tank, the
receiver. This can be likened to the tank mentioned under
section 3.1 on the evaporator. Pressure in the receiver is
much higher than the
pressure in the evaporator because of the compression
(pressure increase) that has occurred in the compressor. To
reduce pressure to the same level as the evaporating
pressure a device must
be inserted to carry out this process, which is called
throttling, or expansion. Such a device is therefore known
either as a throttling device or an expansion device. As a
rule a valve is used - a
throttle or expansion valve. Ahead of the expansion valve
the liquid will be a little under boiling point. By suddenly
reducing
pressure a conditional change will occur; the liquid begins
to boil and evaporate. This evaporation takes place in the7
evaporator and the circuit is thus complete.
HIGH & LOW PRESSURE SIDES OF A
REFRIGERATION PLANT.

There are many different

temperatures involved in the
operation of a refrigeration plant
since there are such things as
Subcooled liquid, saturated liquid,
saturated vapour and superheated
vapour. There are however, in
principle, only two pressures;
evaporating pressure and condensing
pressure. The plant then is divided
into high pressure and low pressure
sides, as shown in the sketch.
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• PRESSURE ENTHALPY DIAGRAM.docx

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RECIPROCATING COMPRESSOR
There are primarily four types of
compressors used in the air-conditioning
industry:
reciprocating, scroll, helical-rotary (or
screw), and centrifugal.
The traditional reciprocating
compressor has been used in the
industry for decades. It
contains cylinders, pistons, rods, a
crankshaft, and valves, similar to an
automobile engine.
Refrigerant is drawn into the cylinders
on the downstroke of the piston and
compressed on
the upstroke. 10
SCROLL AND HELICAL ROTARY(SCREW) COMPRESSORS

Scroll and helical-rotary (or screw) compressors have become more

common, replacing
the reciprocating compressor in most applications due to their improved
reliability and
efficiency.
These three types of compressors (reciprocating, scroll, and helical-rotary) all
work on the
principle of trapping the refrigerant vapor and compressing it by gradually
shrinking the
volume of the refrigerant. Thus, they are called positive-displacement
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compressors.
In contrast, centrifugal compressors use
the principle of dynamic compression,
which involves converting energy from
one form to another in order to increase
the pressure and temperature of the
refrigerant. The centrifugal compressor
uses centrifugal force, generated by a
rotating impeller, to compress the
refrigerant vapor.

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 RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS

• reciprocating cmprssr 1.docx

• reciprocating compressor compression strk.do
cx
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 SCROLL COMPRESSOR
• SCROLL CMPRSSR 1.docx SCROLL COMPRESSOR WRKING.docx

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HELLICAL ROTARY (SCREW)
COMPRESSOR
SCREW CMPRSSR 1.docx

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CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
CENTRIFUGAL CMPRSSR.docx

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 METHOD OF COMPRESSOR UNLOADING
• RECIPROCATING CYLINDER UNLOADERS
• SCROLL CYCLE ON AND OFF
• HELICAL ROTARY SLIDE VALVE
• CENTRIFUGAL INLET VANES
• VARIABLE SPEED

• Capacity control is commonly accomplished by unloading the

compressor. The method used for unloading generally depends on
the type of compressor.
• Many reciprocating compressors use cylinder un-loaders. Scroll
compressors generally cycle on and off. Helical-rotary compressors
use a slide valve or a similar unloading device. Centrifugal
compressors typically use inlet vanes or a variable-speed drive in
combination with inlet vanes. In addition, all four types of
compressors could use variable-speed to control their capacity.
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CAPACITY CONTROLLER

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 CAPACITY CONTROL
• Most compressors are equipped with an oil-pressure-operated automatic capacity control system. This system
unloads or cuts cylinders out of operation following decreases in the refrigerant load requirements of the
plant. A cylinder is unloaded by a mechanism that holds the suction valve open so that no gas can be
compressed.
• Since oil pressure is required to load or put cylinders into operation, the compressor will start with all
controlled cylinders unloaded. But as soon as the compressor comes up to speed and full oil pressure is
developed, all cylinders will become operative. After the temperature pull-down period, the refrigeration load
imposed on the compressor will decrease, and the capacity control system will unload cylinders pressure
accordingly. The unloading will result in reduced power consumption. On those applications where numerous
cooling coils are supplied by one compressor, the capacity control system will prevent the suction pressure
from dropping to the low-pressure cutout setting. This will prevent stopping the compressor before all
solenoid valves are closed.
• Several designs of capacity control systems are in use. One of the most common is shown in figure above. The
capacity control system consists of a power element and its link for each controlled cylinder, a step control
hydraulic relay, and a capacity control valve.
• The system's components are all integrally attached to the compressor. The suction or crankcase pressure of
the refrigeration plant is sensed by the capacity control valve to control the system. In other words, a change
in the refrigeration load on the plant will cause a change in suction pressure. This change in suction pressure
will then cause the capacity control system to react according to whether the suction pressure increased or
decreased. The working fluid of the system is compressor oil pump pressure. Compressor oil pump pressure is
metered into the system through an orifice. Once the oil passes the orifice, it becomes the system control oil
and does the work.
• Another type of capacity control uses a solenoid valve, in conjunction with an unloader head. The solenoid
valve allows the refrigerant to pass from the suction chamber to the top of the unloader piston, causing the
piston to lift and unload the cylinder. 19
 CAPACITY CONTROL
• The following functions take place when the compressor is started with a warm load on the
refrigeration system.
• Compressor oil (A) is pumped through the control oil strainer (B) into the hydraulic relay (C).
There the oil flow to the unloader power elements is controlled in steps by the movement of the
hydraulic relay piston (D). As soon as pump oil pressure reaches a power element (E), the piston
(F) rises, the lifting fork (G) pivots, and the unloader sleeve (H) lowers, permitting the suction
valve (1) to seat. The system is governed by suction pressure, which actuates the capacity control
valve (J). This valve controls the movement of the hydraulic relay piston by metering the oil bleed
from the control oil side of the hydraulic relay back to the crankcase.
• Suction pressure increases or decreases according to increases or decreases in the refrigeration
load requirements of the plant. After the temperature pull-down period with a subsequent
decrease in suction pressure, the capacity control valve moves to increase the control oil bleed to
the crankcase from the hydraulic relay. There is a resulting decrease in control oil pressure within
the hydraulic relay. This decrease allows the piston to be moved by spring action. This action
successively closes oil ports and prevents compressor oil pump pressure from reaching the
unloader power elements. As oil pressure leaves a power element, the suction valve rises and
that cylinder unloads. With an increase in suction pressure, this process is reversed, and the
controlled cylinders will load in succession. The loading process is detailed in steps 1 through 7 in
the figure above.

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 Cylinder Un-loaders Unloaded.

Most large reciprocating compressors

(above 10 tons [35 kW]) are fitted with
cylinder Un-loaders that are used to match
the compressor’s refrigerant-pumping
capacity with the falling evaporator load, by
progressively deactivating piston–cylinder
pairs.
The cylinder un-loader shown in this
example reciprocating compressor uses an
electrically actuated un-loader valve to close
the suction passage to the cylinder that is
being unloaded.
In response to a decreasing load, an electronic controller sends a signal to open a
solenoid valve. This solenoid valve diverts pressurized refrigerant vapor from the
compressor discharge to the top of the unloader valve, causing the unloader valve to
close and shut off the flow of refrigerant vapor into the cylinder. Even though the
piston continues to travel back and forth inside this cylinder, it is no longer performing
compression since it cannot take in any refrigerant vapor.
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 Cylinder Un-loaders Loaded
In response to an increasing load, the
controller sends a signal to close the
solenoid valve. This closes the port that
allows the pressurized refrigerant vapor to
travel to the top of the un-loader valve. A
controlled leakage rate around the un-
loader valve relieves the pressure,
allowing the valve to open and refrigerant
vapor to once again flow to the cylinder to
be compressed.
Another type of cylinder un-loader uses either pressure or electrically-actuated valving
mechanisms to hold open the suction valve of the piston–cylinder pair. Since the suction
valve is prevented from closing, no compression occurs in that cylinder and the discharge
valve does not open. Still other types of cylinder un-loaders divert the compressed
refrigerant vapor back to the suction side of the compressor. In contrast to the cylinder un-
loaders shown, these other methods expend energy in moving refrigerant vapor during both
the upward and downward piston strokes within the unloaded cylinders.
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 Capacity Versus Suction Temperature
A plot of compressor capacity versus suction
temperature (assuming a constant condensing
temperature) reveals that the capacity of the
compressor increases as the suction
temperature increases. As the suction
temperature, and, therefore, the suction
pressure, increases, the refrigerant vapor
becomes denser. A greater quantity of
refrigerant can be compressed in a given
compression cycle and the capacity of the
compressor is higher.

For an example nominal-30-ton [105 kW] reciprocating compressor that has six
cylinders, Figure 31 shows the capacity produced by the various stages of unloading.
Four of the six cylinders are equipped with unloaders, and two cylinders are
unloaded as a pair. The compressor, therefore, can operate with all six cylinders
loaded, with four cylinders loaded, with only two cylinders loaded, or it can shut off.
Again, these capacity curves assume the compressor is operating at a constant
condensing (discharge) pressure.
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 Alternating Cylinders On and Off

In the case of comfort-cooling applications, however, the load generally changes slowly
in small intervals. For example, assume that the load decreases from 28 tons [98.5 kW]
(B) to 25 tons [88 kW]. In response to the decreasing load, the compressor unloads to C
on the four-cylinder capacity curve where it has a pumping capacity equivalent to 20
tons [70.3 kW]. The 25-ton [88-kW] evaporator load causes the suction temperature to
rise and the capacity of the compressor increases toward D. When the load reaches D
the compressor reloads the first set of two cylinders and the compressor capacity
jumps to 31 tons [109 kW]. Because, at this point, the available compressor capacity
exceeds the evaporator load, the suction temperature decreases toward B where the
compressor is again unloaded to C.
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 Alternating Cylinders On and Off
• From this example, it becomes obvious that the compressor and
evaporator cannot reach a balance point while the evaporator load
remains between these stages of compressor loading. This example
compressor can produce a pumping capacity of 28 tons [98.5 kW] (B)
with six cylinders loaded or 22 tons [77.4 kW] (D) with four cylinders
loaded. It cannot exactly match the 25-ton [88-kW] evaporator load. As
long as the evaporator load remains between the capacities produced
by four and six cylinders, the compressor will alternate between the
two stages of loading in an effort to produce an “average” capacity of 25
tons [88 kW].
• Alternating between these stages of loading does not harm the
reciprocating compressor. The only time it should be avoided is when
the compressor must cycle between off and on to balance a load that is
less than the minimum stage of compressor loading. Excessive starting
and stopping of large reciprocating compressor motors is generally
discouraged due to the mechanical wear on a motor of that size.
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 Cycling On and Off

Scroll compressors do not have valves or unloaders. A

piece of equipment that uses scroll compressors
generally unloads by using multiple compressors and
turning them on and off, as needed, to satisfy the
evaporator load.

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 Helical Rotary Compressor Un-loader
SLIDE VALVE:
The helical-rotary compressor used as the
example in this clinic is unloaded using a
slide
valve that is an integral part of the
compressor housing. Other helical-rotary
The position of the slide valve along compressor designs may use a variety of
the rotors controls the volume of methods to vary capacity. Some of these
refrigerant vapor delivered by the methods are similar in function to the slide
compressor, by varying the amount of valve presented in this clinic. One major
rotor length actually used for determining factor is whether the
compression. By changing the position compressor is designed to unload in steps,
of the slide valve, the compressor is like a reciprocating compressor, or if it has
able to unload variable unloading.
to exactly match the evaporator load,
instead of unloading in steps like the
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reciprocating compressor discussed
 Helical Rotary Compressor Un-loader
SLIDE VALVE

At full load, the slide valve is closed. The compressor pumps its maximum volume of
refrigerant, discharging it through the discharge port. As the load on the compressor decreases,
the slide valve modulates toward the open position. The opening created by the valve
movement allows refrigerant vapor to bypass from the rotor pockets back to the suction side of
the compressor. This reduces the volume of vapor available for the compression process. It also
reduces the amount of rotor length available for compression. In this manner, the volume of
refrigerant that is pumped by the compressor is varied, unloading it to balance the existing load.

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 CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR
UN-LOADER

Inlet Vanes

A common method of modulating the capacity of a centrifugal compressor is to

use a set of vanes installed at the inlet of the compressor impeller. While a survey
of other centrifugal compressor designs shows that there are other methods of
capacity control, many of them function in a manner similar to the inlet vanes
presented in this section of the clinic.
Inlet vanes “preswirl” the refrigerant before it enters the impeller. By changing
the refrigerant’s angle of entry, these vanes lessen the ability of the impeller to
take in the refrigerant. As a result, the compressor’s refrigerant-pumping capacity
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decreases to balance with the evaporator load.
 SHAFT SEALS
• Where the crankshaft extends through the crankcase, a leakproof seal
must be maintained to prevent the refrigerant and oil from escaping
and also to prevent air from entering the crankcase when the pressure
in the crankcase is lower than the surrounding atmospheric pressure.
This is accomplished by crankshaft seal assemblies. There are several
types of seals including the rotary seal, and the diaphragm. The rotary
seal shown right consists of a stationary cover plate and gasket, a
rotating assembly which includes a carbon ring, a neoprene seal, a
compression spring, and compression washers. The sealing points are
located (1) be-tween the crankshaft and the rotating carbon rings, and
sealed by a neoprene ring; (2) between the rotating carbon ring and
the cover plate, and sealed by lapped surfaces; and (3) between the
cover plate and the crankcase, and sealed by a metallic gasket. The
seal is adjusted by adding or removing metal washers between the
crankshaft shoulder and the shaft seal compression spring
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STATIONARY BELLOWS SEAL
A stationary bellows seal is illustrated
left. It consists of a bellows clamped to
the compressor housing at one end to
form a seal against a rotating shaft seal
collar on the other. The sealing points are
located (1) between the crankcase and
the bellows, and sealed by the cover
plate gasket; (2) between the crankshaft
and the shaft seal collar, and sealed by a
neoprene gasket; and (3) between the
surface of the bellows nose and the
surface of the seal collar, and sealed by
lapped surfaces. The stationary bellows
seal is factory set for proper tension and
should not be altered.

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ROTATING BELLOWS SEAL
The rotating bellows seals, figure right,
consists of a bellows clamped to the
crankshaft at one end to form a seal
against a stationary, removable shaft
seal shoulder on the other end. The
sealing points are located (1) between
the crankshaft and bellows, and sealed
by a shaft seal clamping nut; (2)
between the removable shaft seal
shoulder and the crankcase and sealed
by a neoprene gasket; and (3) between
the bellows nose piece and the shaft
seal collar, and sealed by lapped
surfaces. This type seal is also factory
set. 32