In: Civil Engineering
Consider a vapour
compression refrigeration cycle
that uses R-134a as
refrigerant. The R-134a
enters the compressor
as a saturated
vapour at 200 kPa,
and exits the
condenser as a
saturated liquid at
900 kPa. The rate
of refrigeration of
the cycle is to
be 6.0 tons of
refrigeration (1 ton
of refrigeration =
3.517 kW). The
compressor isentropic
efficiency is 80%.
Determine: a) The temperature
of evaporation and
condensation of the
refrigerant; b) Mass flow
of the refrigerant
R-134a, in kg/min; c)
Coefficient of Performance
(COP) of the
refrigeration cycle. Typical
vapour compression
refrigeration systems use
a throttling valve
(or an orifice
tube, or a
capillary tube) to
reduce the liquid
refrigerant’s pressure. This
is a highly
irreversible process. If
the cycle efficiency
is to be improved
by replacing the
throttle with a
rotary expander with
70% isentropic efficiency,
d) What is
the new COP? The
expander delivers its
work developed to
the compressor.