Refrigerator and Air Conditioning Systems

1/23/2024
ME 1121
Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
Md. Shahjahan Durjoy
Lecturer, Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering,
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
Lecture 3
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Systems
Md. Shahjahan Durjoy ©, Dept. of MPE, AUST Lecture 3: Refrigeration and Air Conditioning System Slide No. 1
Application of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems
Refrigeration and air conditioning systems have a wide

range of applications across various sectors:
Commercial Applications
Food Preservation, Beverage Industry, Pharmaceuticals
Industrial Applications
Chemical Processing, Manufacturing, Cold Storage:
Residential Applications
Home Comfort Air Conditioning
Food Storage
Medical Storage
Patient Care
Transportation
Refrigerated Transport
Figure L-3.1
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Refrigerators
• Heat flows in the direction of decreasing temperature, that

is, from high-temperature regions to low-temperature
ones.
• This heat-transfer process occurs in nature without
requiring any devices
• The reverse process, however, cannot occur by itself
• The transfer of heat from a low-temperature region to a
high-temperature one requires special devices called
refrigerators
• Refrigerators are cyclic devices, and the working fluids
used in the refrigeration cycles are called refrigerants
• A simple vapor compression refrigeration system consists
of compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and
evaporator
Figure L-3.2
Working Principle
Working principle of ideal vapor compression refrigeration

cycle:
• Evaporation: The refrigerant absorbs heat at low pressure and
temperature from the refrigerated space as it changes from a
liquid to a vapor in the evaporator.
• Compression: The vapor is then compressed by a compressor,
which increases its pressure and temperature.
• Condensation: The high-pressure, high-temperature vapor
then flows through a condenser where it rejects heat to the
surroundings and changes back into a liquid.
• Expansion: Finally, the liquid refrigerant passes through an
expansion valve where it experiences a sudden drop in
pressure. This drop in pressure allows the refrigerant to
expand and cool before entering the evaporator to begin the
cycle again.
Figure L-3.3: Process of ideal compression refrigeration cycle
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Components of refrigerator
Figure L-3.4: An ordinary household refrigerator
Components of refrigerator
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Figure L-3.5: (a) Compartment, (b)

Capillary Tube, (c) Evaporator Coil,
(d) Condenser Coil, (e) Compressor
(e)
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Refrigeration process
Thermodynamic processes of a simple vapor compression system:

1-2 Isentropic compression in a compressor
2-3 Constant-pressure heat rejection in a condenser
3-4 Throttling in an expansion device
4-1 Constant-pressure heat absorption in an evaporator
Figure L-3.6: p-H diagram of vapor

compression refrigeration cycle
COP
The performance of refrigerators and heat pumps is expressed in terms of the coefficient of performance (COP), defined
as ,
Figure L-3.3
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Calculating COP
ℎ4 = ℎ3 ℎ1 ℎ2
Figure L-3.6
Ton of Refrigeration
• The cooling capacity of a refrigeration system—that is, the rate of

heat removal from the refrigerated space is often expressed in
terms of tons of refrigeration.
• The capacity of a refrigeration system that can freeze 1 ton of
liquid water at 00C into ice at 00C in 24 hours is said to be 1 ton of
refrigeration
• One ton of refrigeration is equivalent to 232 kJ/min
To melt 1 gram of ice 334 J heat is required

So, To melt 1000 gram or 1 kg of ice (334x1000) J or 334 kJ heat is required
Now, to melt 1000 kg or 1 ton of ice (334x1000) kJ heat is required
In 24 hours or (24x60) mins, melting of 1 ton ice requires (334x1000) kJ of heat

So, in 1 min, melting of 1 ton ice requires (334x1000)/(24x60) kJ of heat Figure L-3.7
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Air Conditioning
• Air conditioning can be defined as the treatment of indoor air in

order to control certain conditions required for human comfort.
• The desirable conditions may be temperature, humidity, dust
particle level, odor level, and air motion
• The physical properties of air can be controlled by cooling,
heating, humidification, and dehumidification
• These processes may be employed to maintain specific conditions
desirable for comfort. Thus, simultaneous control of temperature,
humidity, air motion, and cleanliness is known as air conditioning
Factors Influencing Thermal Comfort
• Activity level • Humidity

• Clothing • Air speed
• Expectation
• Air temperature
• Radiant temperature Figure L-3.8
Air Conditioner
• Both air conditioners and refrigerators function on the same principle. They transfer heat from a cooler area (inside a
room or fridge) to a warmer area (outside the room or fridge)
• The fundamental process, involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, is fundamentally the same
in both air conditioners and refrigerators
• The main difference between them is in their application. Air conditioners are designed to cool larger spaces, on the
other hand, refrigerators are designed to cool a small, insulated space
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Central AC
• This is a large system designed to cool an entire

house or building
• It typically consists of an outdoor unit and a
network of ducts that distribute cool air throughout
the structure
Figure L-3.9
Window Type AC
Figure L-3.10
• Window air conditioners are compact units designed to be mounted in a window or through a wall
• These are self-contained systems, meaning all components necessary for operation (compressor, condenser,
expansion valve, evaporator, and cooling coil) are enclosed in a single box
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Split Type AC
Figure L-3.11
• Split type air conditioners consist of two main parts: an outdoor unit containing the compressor and condenser, and
an indoor unit containing the evaporator coil and air handler
Refrigerants
• Refrigerants are substances, typically fluids, used in a refrigeration cycle to absorb and release heat. They transition
between liquid and gaseous states within the cycle
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
• Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Hydrocarbons (HCs)
• Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs)
• Ammonia (NH3)
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
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Refrigerants
• Desirable properties of refrigerants:

1. High Latent Heat of Vaporization: The refrigerant absorbs more heat while changing from liquid to vapor, enhancing
efficiency
2. Non-corrosive: Should not corrode metals and other materials in the cooling system components
3. Low Toxicity: To ensure safety for humans and the environment in case of leaks
4. Non-flammable and Non-explosive: Enhances safety by reducing fire and explosion risks
References
• Cengel, Y. and Boles, M. (2015) Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach. 8th Edition, McGraw-Hill
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Thank You
‘Allah loves those that purify themselves’
-Surah At-Tawbah (09 : 108), Al-Quran
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1/23/2024

Application of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems

Refrigeration and air conditioning systems have a wide

• Heat flows in the direction of decreasing temperature, that

Working principle of ideal vapor compression refrigeration

Figure L-3.4: An ordinary household refrigerator

(a) (b) (c) (d)

Figure L-3.5: (a) Compartment, (b)

Thermodynamic processes of a simple vapor compression system:

Figure L-3.6: p-H diagram of vapor

• The cooling capacity of a refrigeration system—that is, the rate of

To melt 1 gram of ice 334 J heat is required

In 24 hours or (24x60) mins, melting of 1 ton ice requires (334x1000) kJ of heat

• Air conditioning can be defined as the treatment of indoor air in

• Activity level • Humidity

• This is a large system designed to cool an entire

• Desirable properties of refrigerants:

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