Table 1 : experimental data

Atmosphere temperature: 28˚C Atmosphere pressure: 0.1009 MPa

SYMB UNI NUMBER OF EXPERIMENT
PARAMETER
OL T 1 2 3 4 5
Compressor
inlet T1 ˚C -4.4 -3.3 -2.6 5.1 12.5
temperature

Compressor
outlet T2 ˚C 48.6 60.3 62.6 63.3 66.5
temperature

Expansion
Refrigerant
valve inlet T3 ˚C 32.3 36.2 41.3 46.2 49.6
(R-134a)
temperature

Evaporator
inlet T4 ˚C -22.5 -11.3 -2.4 5.5 10.8
temperature

Mass flow
r
m kg/s 0.002 0.0033 0.0044 0.006 0.0073
rate

Condenser Gauge PCg MPa 0.76 0.9 1.050 1.2 1.35

Pressure Absolute PCabs MPa 0.8609 1.009 1.1509 1.3009 1.4509

Evaporator Gauge PEg MPa 0.02 0.1 0.175 0.275 0.350

Pressure Absolute PEabs MPa 0.1209 0.2009 0.2759 0.3759 0.4509

Heater Voltage Ve V 100 120 140 160 180

Heater Current Ie A 2.8 3.2 3.8 4.2 4.8

Spring Scale’s Reading F N 9 11 13 15 17

Compressor speed Nc rpm 782.0 776 770 763 756

Motor Speed (Nc x 1.98) Nm rpm 1548.4 1536.5 1524.6 1510.7 1496.9
 TABLE 2: EXPERIMENTAL RESULT

h1 h2 h3 h4
Number
(kJ/kg) (kJ/kg) (kJ/kg) (kJ/kg)
1 302 334 149 149

2 303 343 151 151

3 304 347 160 160

4 307.5 343 167 167

5 314 342.5 173 173

Thermodynamic Properties Direct Method

Number Q41R W12R COPR Q41e W12e COPe
(kW) (kW) (kW) (kW)
1 0.306 0.064 4.781 0.200 0.107 1.869

2 0.502 0.132 3.8 0.4 0.159 2.512

3 0.648 0.194 3.349 0.600 0.211 2.846

4 0.843 0.213 3.958 0.800 0.261 3.064

5 1.029 0.208 4.947 1.00 0.310 3.22

Sample of calculation:
Calculations by using thermodynamic properties:
Take the example result of number 1:
i) Cooling effect, Q41R = mR (h1-h4)
= 0.002(302 - 149)
= 0.306 kW

ii) Compression power, W12R = mR (h2-h1)

= 0.002 (334-302)
= 0.064 kW

iii) Coefficient of performance, COPR = Q41R / W12R

= 0.306 / 0.064
= 4.781

Calculations by using direct method:

i) Heat load = cooling effect, Q41e = IeVe / 103
= (2.8)(100) / 103
= 0.2800 kW

ii) Motor power from torque reading, W12e = 2πNmFR / 60x103

= 2π(1420)(7.0)(0.15) / 60x103
= 0.1561 kW

iii) Coefficient of performance, COPe = Q41e / W12e

= 0.2 / 0.107
= 1.869
 DISCUSSION

(a) Comments on the graphs plotted.

From the graph, COP calculated from thermodynamics properties against
evaporator temperature, T4 plotted, the line is not consistent and it is increasing
and decreasing. Basically it doesn’t have a clear relationship between the
temperature and the COP calculated from thermodynamic properties.

(b) Is there any difference of COP value obtained from p-h diagram
and direct method? If yes, please give brief explanation for the occurrence.
Yes, this is because the value of Q41e and W12e is calculated based on
the voltage, current and power of motor. In the current and voltage flow, there
will some heat loss due to the resistance and surrounding effect. The resistance
heat loss is due to electron moving the current and some friction loss in
calculating the force from spring scale. This effect will decrease the value of
COP obtained. Hence, there will be different of result using p-h diagram and
direct method.
 (c) Give one method how to improve the cooling effect, Q41, so that
the COP can be improved.
Refrigerant should be selected based on the situation. The examples of
refrigerants are such as CFC, R-11 and R-134. When selecting the type of
refrigerant, we need to consider the temperatures of the refrigerated space and
the environment. This is important because in this situation, there will be heat
exchange. A temperature difference of 10oc should be maintained between the
refrigerant and the medium with which it is exchanging heat so that a
reasonable rate of heat is transfer. Lower temperatures in the condenser (thus
higher COP) can be maintained if the refrigerant is cooled by liquid water
instead of air.

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, the objective of this experiment is fulfilled. The result of

COP based on the thermodynamic properties and direct method is different. It is
due to we do have some assumptions and errors when taking the results. The
COP refrigerant calculated based on thermodynamic properties has higher COP
than calculated COP from direct method. When the evaporator inlet temperature
increase, the COP calculated from thermodynamic properties also increase. This
shows that COP has linear relationship with the temperature at the inlet
temperature. Errors should detect and minimize so that the experimental result
more reliability.