Section 4 - Refrigeration and AC Plant Flashcards
List certain properties that refrigerant should include?
- Non Toxic
- Non Flammable
- Non Explosive
- Non Corrosive
- Leaks are easy to detect
- Operate under low pressure
- Chemically stable
- Don’t react with oil in the system
- Low boiling temp
- Low condensation temperature point, to allow sea water to be coolant
- High enthalpy of evaporation to produce good cooling effect per KG of vapour pumped.
- Low vapour volume per KG. therefore reducing compressor size
- Pressure difference between evaporating pressure and condensing pressure should be as little as possible to increase pumping efficiency.
- Relatively low cost
- Available worldwide
What is the terminology used for refrigerant?
Refrigerant 22
R22
What is the Montreal Protocol?
It is an international agreement that was founded after the effects of CFC and HCFC showed the damage to the ozone layer and restrictions were put in place.
What are the 3 values calculated for refrigerant environment rating?
GWP - The Global Warming Potential
TEWI - The Total Equivalent Warming Impact
ODP - The Ozone Depletion Potential
What are the 3 types of blended refrigerant?
- Azeotrope
- Near Azeotrope
- Zeotrope/ Non Azeotrope
Describe the 4 main components of a refrigeration system?
The Compressor
The compressor compresses the refrigerant as a gas, adding pressure to give a force to move it around the system. The compressor is commonly a reciprocating type, driven by an electric motor.
The Condenser
The condenser changes the refrigerant gas from a vapour into a liquid by transferring the enthalpy of condensation from the refrigerant to the cooling water. Most commonly found to be a shell and tube heat exchanger.
The Expansion Valve
The expansion valve lowers the liquid refrigerant temperature and pressure by controlling the flow of refrigerant.
The Evaporator
A series of heat exchanger grids inside the refrigeration chamber. The evaporator transfers the enthalpy of evaporation from the contents of the chamber to the refrigerant. In doing this the refrigerant changes state from a liquid to a vapour (boiling) then to a superheated gas. After leaving the evaporator the refrigerant returns to the compressor.
What are the 3 phases/ states of refrigerant?
- As a Liquid
- As a Vapour (or saturated gas)
- As a Gas ( or superheated gas)
Explain a Pressure- Enthalpy Diagram with an aid of a sketch?
To the left of the left-hand curve the refrigerant will exist as a liquid. Under the curve the refrigerant will exist as a vapour. To the right of the right-hand curve the refrigerant will exist as a gas.
- From 1 to 2 Evaporator process
- From 2 to 3 Compressor process
- From 3 to 4 Condenser process
- From 4 to 1 Expansion valve process
(2>3) represents the amount of superheat.
(4>1) represents the amount of sub-cooling.
Explain Superheat?
Superheat is then any temperature of a gas above the boiling point of that liquid.
For example, Water boiled at 100 degrees creates steam. if the steam is heated to 101 degrees then it has been superheated by 1 degree.
Explain Saturation?
The point where a change of state in a substance is taking place.
Explain Subcooling?
Subcooling is any temperature of a liquid or solid below its saturation temperature.
Example, Instead of boiling our 100 degree water by adding heat, we shall remove heat from the 100 degree water. As heat is removed from the liquid water it‘s temperature will drop below its boiling (saturation) temperature. Water at 99 degrees has been subcooled by one degree C.
Explain the difference between a Sensible Heat and Latent Heat?
Sensible heat is heat that can be measured by a thermometer. Anytime heat is added or removed from a substance and a temperature change occurs.
Latenheat is when a gas changed to liquid at a constant temperature as a thermometer cannot detect it.
What is the Bubble Point?
This is the point at which the first vapour is produced from the liquid refrigerant on changing phase.
What is the Dew Point?
The point at which the first liquid is produced in changing phase from a vapour to a liquid.
List the main protection devices on a Refrigeration plant?
- Low Pressure (LP) Control Switch
- High Pressure (HP) Cut Off
- Low oil pressure cut off
- Compressor lifting cylinder head
- Unloading gear
- Cylinder head relief valve/ bursting disk
- Oil separator
- Drier unit