ABSTRACT

The Refrigerant Unit experiment is carried out to observe how the mechanical heat
pump and thermodynamic refrigeration unit work. The equipment that is used in the
laboratory to perform the experiment is the SOLTEQ Mechanical Heat Pump (Model:
HE165). The experiment capabilities with different objectives. For experiment 1, the objective
is to determine the power input, heat output and coefficient of performance of a vapour
compression heat pump system while for experiment 2 is to produce the performance of heat
pump over a range of source and delivery temperatures. For experiment 3, there are two
objectives which are to plot the vapour compression cycle on the p-h diagram and compare
with the ideal cycle and to perform energy balances for the condenser and compressor.

INTRODUCTION

The SOLTEQ Mechanical Heat Pump (Model: HE165) has been designed to provide
students with a practical and quantitative demonstration of a vapour compression cycle, and is
suitable for all course levels (intermediate and undergraduate). Refrigerators and heat pumps
both apply the vapour compression cycle, although the applications of these machines differ,
the components are essentially the same.
The Mechanical Heat Pump is capable of demonstrating the heat pump application
where a large freely available energy source, such as the atmosphere is to be upgraded for
water heating. The unit will be of particularly interest to those studying Mechanical
Engineering, Energy Conservation, Thermodynamics, Building Services,
Engineering, Plant and Process Engineering, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.

Chemical

OBJECTIVES

Experiment 1: Determination of power input, heat output and coefficient of performance

-To determine the power input, heat output and coefficient of performance of a vapour
compression heat pump system.
Experiment 2: Production of heat pump performance curves over a range ofsource and
delivery temperatures
-To produce the performance of heat pump over a range of source and delivery temperatures.
Experiment 3: Production of vapour compression cycle on p-h diagram and energy balance
study
-To plot the vapour compression cycle on the p-h diagram and compare with the ideal cycle.
-To perform energy balances for the condenser and compressor.

THEORY

When enough heat is released from a glass of water, the water will freeze to ice. When
that heat is absorbed by the ice, the ice will melt. Heat has its own laws, called the laws of
thermodynamics. One of those laws is that heat will move from a place that has a lot of heat
to a place that has less heat, or another way to put it is that heat will move from a place of
higher intensity to a place of lower intensity. From refrigeration theory, air conditioning and
refrigeration equipment is designed to create a cold area that acts as a "heat sponge" that will
soak up heat from air or food. The heat is then moved to a place where it can be released
safely and efficiently. The second point is to understand about refrigeration theory has to do
with why we use evaporators and condensers. When a liquid like water or refrigerant absorbs
enough heat to start boiling, what's happening is that the added heat energy causes the
vibration of the liquid's molecules to speed up to the point where they move far apart from
each other. When the molecules of liquid reach a certain distance from each other, the liquid
changes into a vapor. This is called boiling, evaporating, or vaporizing. A liquid absorbs some
levels of heat as it changes state to a vapor and air conditioning and refrigeration equipment is
designed to use this point of refrigeration theory by keeping a constant flow of refrigerant
vaporizing and absorbing heat in the evaporator. The evaporator is the "heat sponge" area, and
the refrigerant vaporizing inside of it is absorbing the heat. When vapor cools and releases
enough heat energy, it's molecules will slow down and move closer together to the point
where the vapor changes into a liquid. This is called condensation, and it's also a change of
state. To condense, a vapor must release the same level of heat that it absorbed when it
vaporized. Air conditioning and refrigeration uses this point of refrigeration theory by causing
refrigerant to cool and condense in the condensing unit. The refrigerant repeats this cycle
continuously, absorbing heat in the evaporator and releasing it in the condenser.

APPARATUS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

R-134-A Compressor
Evaporator
Water inlet and water outlet
Filter dryer
Power supply
Water
Valve

PROCEDURES

General Start-up Procedures

1. Both of the water source and the drain were checked before being connected,
then water supply is opened and the flow rate of cooling water was set to be at 1.0
LPM.
2. Checked that the drain hose at the condensate collector is connected.
3. The power supply was connected and switched on the main power follows by main
switch at the control panel.
4. Then the refrigerant compressor was switched on until the pressure and temperature
were in stabilizing condition.
General Shut-down Procedures
1. The compressor was switched off, followed by main switch and power supply.
2. The water supply was closed and make sure that there was no water left running.

Experiment 1: Determination of power input, heat output and coefficient of

performance
1. The apparatus was step up.
2. The flow rate of cooling water was adjusted to 40%.
3. The system was run for 15 minutes.
4. Recorded all the data into the experimental data sheet.
Experiment 2: Production of heat pump performance curves over a range of
source and delivery temperatures
1. .By continuing the steps in experiment 1, we adjusted the cooling water flow rate to
60% and the data was recorded.
2. The experiment was repeated with reducing water flow rate so that the cooling.water
outlet temperature increases by about 3C.
3. The similar steps was repeated until the compressor delivery pressure reaches around
14.0 bars.
4. All the steps were repeated by different ambient temperature.

Experiment 3: Production of vapour compression cycle on p-h diagram and energy

balance study
1. Followed the general start-up steps.
2. The flow rate of cooling water was adjusted to 40% and let the system run for 15
minutes.
3. All data was recorded in the experiment.

RESULT
Experiment 1: Determination of power input, heat output and coefficient of performance.
Cooling water flow rate, FT1
Cooling water flow rate, FT1
Cooling water inlet temperature, TT5
Cooling water outlet temperature, TT6
Compressor power input
Heat output
COPH

%
LPM
C
C
W
W
No unit

40.3
2.015
27.7
28.9
160
167.95
1.04968

Experiment 2: Production of heat pump performance curves over a range of source and
delivery temperatures.
Test
Cooling water flow rate, FT1
Cooling water flow rate, FT1
Cooling water inlet temperature, TT5
Cooling water outlet temperature, TT6
Compressor power input
Heat output

%
LPM
C
C
W
W
7

30.0
1.50
27.9
29.8
158
197.95

50.0
2.50
27.9
29.2
160
225.74

70.0
3.50
28.0
28.7
165
170.17

Coefficient of performance, COPH

NO UINT

1.2528

1.4109

1.0313

Experiment 3: Production of vapour compression cycle on p-h diagram and energy balance
study.
Refrigerant flow rate, FT2
Refrigerant flow rate, FT2
Refrigerant pressure (low), P1
Refrigerant pressure (high), P2
Refrigerant temperature, TT1
Refrigerant temperature, TT2
Refrigerant temperature, TT3
Refrigerant temperature,TT4
Cooling water flow rate,FT1
Cooling water flow rate, FT1
Cooling water inlet temperature,TT5
Cooling water outlet temperature,TT6
Compressor power input

%
LPM
Bar(abs)
Bar(abs)
C
C
C
C
%
LPM
C
C
W

60.6
0.76
1.9
6.7
25.6
74.0
28.2
21.1
40.0
2.0
27.9
29.5
157

CALCULATION.
EXPERIMENT 1
L
VOLUMETRIC FLOWRATE = FLOW RATE (%) 5 MIN
= 0.403 5
L
= 2.015 MIN
OUTPUT HEAT = Q DENSITY
2.015L 1 m3
1 min
997 kg 4180 J

(28.9 27.7)
3
= min
1000 L 60 s
kg. C
1m
= 167.95 W
COPH =

OUTPUT HEAT
POWER INPUT
167.95
160

= 1.04968
EXPERIMENT 2

L
VOLUMETRIC FLOWRATE, Q = FLOW RATE (%) 5 MIN
= 0.3 5
L
= 1.5 MIN
OUTPUT HEAT = MASS FLOW RATE CpH2O TEMPEARATURE CHANGE
= Q DENSITY CpH2O TEMPEARATURE CHANGE
1.5L 1 m3
1 min
997 kg 4180 J

(29.8 -27.9)
= min
1000 L 60 s
kg. C
1 m3
= 197. 95 W
COPH =

OUTPUT HEAT
POWER INPUT
166.7
158

= 1.0523
*CALCULATION IS REPEATED FOR FLOW RATE 50 % AND 70 % .

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PERFORMANCE CURVES FOR HEAT PUMP (COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE, OUTPUT HEAT AND POWER INPUT) VERSUS WATER OUTPUT TEMPERATUR
250
225.74
PERFORMANCE CURVE FOR HEAT PUMP ( POWER INPUT) VERSUS WATER OUTPUT
TEMPERATURER
197.95
200
170.17
165
160 158
150
PERFORMANCE CURVES FOR HEAT PUMP (COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE, OUTPUT HEAT

COEFFICI
NT OF PERFORMANCE,
OUTPUTOUTPUT
HEAT TEMPERATURE
AND POWER INPUT
AND EPOWER
INPUT) VERSUS WATER

100

50
PERFORMANCE CURVES FOR HEAT PUMP (COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE, OUTPUT HEAT
AND POWER INPUT) VERSUS WATER OUTPUT TEMPERATURE

1.03 1.41 1.25

0
28.5 29 29.5 30

WATER OUTPUT TEMPERATURE, C

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EXPERIMENT 3
Find h1 and h2 using interpolation from superheated R-134a table
PRESSURE = 1.9bar = 0.19 MPa
At T = 25.6 C TO FIND h1
PRESSURE(MPa)
TEMPERATURE(C

0.18
h (kJ/kg)

)
20
25.6
30

270.60
X
279.27

0.19
h (kJ/kg)

0.2
h (kJ/kg)

h1

270.20
y
278.91

Using interpolation
279.27x 3025.6
=
x270.6 25.620
1.7858 x = 491.9075
x = 275.45kJ/kg
278.91 y 3025.6
=
y 270.2 25.620
1.7858 y = 491.23
y = 274.08kJ/kg
274.08h 1 0.20.19
=
h1275.45 0.190.18
2h1 = 549.53
h1 = 274.77kJ/kg
* REPEAT CALCULATION TO FIND h2 = 312.72 kJ/kg at T = 74C and P = 0.67MPa

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Find hc3 and hc4 (CHOOSE hf) from saturated R-134a table at given T and by using
interpolation
T (C)
28.2
21.1

h (kJ/kg)
90.89
80.73

h1 = 274.77kJ/kg
h2 = 312.72kJ
h3 = 90.89/kg
h4 = 80.73kJ/kg

Condenser energy balance

Refrigerant flow rate, LPM =

coolingwaterflowrate( )
x 1.26 LPM
100

60.6 x 1.26
100

= 0.76536 LPM
0.76536 L
1 min

Mass flow rate =

1m 3
1000 L

1.2726 x 105 m3
s

Ein

Eout

QH

mh 3mh 4

QH

= m(h3h4 )

1 min
60 s
1000 kg
m3

=0.012726kg/s (90.89-80.73) kJ/kg

13

= 1.2726 x 10-5 m3/s

= 0.012726kg/s

= 0.2566 kJ/s

Compressor energy balance

W =m ( h2h 1)

0.012726 kg
( 312.72274.77 ) kJ /kg
s

0.483 kJ /s

From the value that calculated, p-h diagram can be constructed

h

Pressure

(kJ/kg)

(Mpa)

274.77

0.31

312.72

0.8

90.89

0.8

80.73

0.8

80.73

0.31

14

Experimental graph

GRAPH PRESSURE AGAINST ENTHALPY

0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6

PRESSURE (MPa)

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
70

120

170

220

ENTHALPY, h (kJ/kg)

15

270

320

DISCUSSION
This experiment was carried out to calculate the performance each of the equipment in
the refrigerant unit. In the first experiment, the power input of the heat pump was recorded at
160W in order to absorb 17.95 W heat from the surroundings in order to make sure the
environment temperature is kept at 17.95 W. The coefficient of performance of the heat pump
used is1.049689. From this experiment we know that the function of equipment is to heat up
the temperature of environment.
For the second experiment, the same step as the first experiment was repeated at
different cooling water flow rate which is at 30%, 50% and 70%. From the experiment, the
power input for the heat pump is different for each water flow rate, which are, 158W, 160W
and 165W respectively. The power input varies as the cooling water flow rate increase. From
the experiment, the flow rate is directly proportional to the input power of compressor. The
same method was used to calculate the rate of heat transfer and the coefficient of performance
(COP) for the heat pump. The COP calculated for cooling water flow rate at 30%, 50% and
70% is 1.2528, 1.4109 and 1.0313 respectively.
In the third experiment, the change in pressure and temperature for refrigerant R-134A
after passing condenser and compressor was recorded. The enthalpy was calculated using
interpolation to calculate the change of enthalpy at compressor and condenser. At the
compressor the superheated refrigerant was compressed from 0.19MPa at 25.6C to 0.6Mpa
at 74 C and the enthalpy calculated is 274.77kJ/kg and 312.72kJ/kg respectively. The R134A enters the compressor superheated then compressed at constant entropy the leaves as
superheated. The refrigerant then enter the condenser at temperature of 31.3C at 0.8MPa and
leave the condenser at temperature at 21.5C at 0.8MPa. The pressure is constant because the
condenser undergoes the heat rejection or change in phase from liquid to vapour process at
constant pressure. The enthalpy calculated at 31.3C and 21.5C is 131.17/kg and 90.19kJ/kg
respectively. The enthalpy is directly proportional to the temperature change due to heat loss

16

to the surrounding when the refrigerant enter the condenser. This will lead to the power output
or heat output will decrease due this process.

CONCLUSION
The power input, heat output and coefficient of performance of a vapour compression
heat pump system,

COPH H

are 160 W, 167.95 W and 1.04968 respectively for Experiment

1. In Experiment 2, the purpose was to produce the performance of heat pump over a range of
source and delivery temperatures and it is shown in the calculation section. While Experiment
3 was conducted to plot the vapour compression cycle on the p-h diagram and compare with
the ideal cycle and to perform energy balances for the condenser and compressor. The plotted
graph has been shown in the calculation part and from the energy balance, W is 0.483
kJ/s.
From all the experiment, it can be said that the higher flow rate of water, the lower the
coefficient of performance. For temperature, the lower the flow rate, the higher the
temperature of refrigerator. The power input is constant for all water flow rates that are
around 160 W to 162 W. The objective of all the experiment has been achieved.

17

RECCOMMENDATION
1. The experiment is repeated a few times to get more accurate result.
2. Ensure that the mechanical heat pump had been run and warm up early for 15 minutes
before begin the experiment. It should be notice that the surrounding of the laboratory
also affected the result, thus, it hard to get an accurate reading.

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REFERENCE
1. Sontag, Borgnakke, Van Wylen. Fundamentals of Thermodynamics. Sixth edition.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2003. 5,7, 434 449.
2. http://www.energy.gov/energysaver/heat-pump-systems
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump?
4. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/seclaw.html

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