ELITTE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
(BTECH)
NAME : ARIJIT MANDAL
STREAM : MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
YEAR : 2nd YR
SEMESTER : 4th SEM
ROLL NO. : 34600723011
Regn. NO. : 233460120170
PAPER NAME. : APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS
PAPER COAD : PC ME 401
CA2 TOPIC : Refrigerants, Types of Refrigerants
and Properties of Different Refrigerants
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to the respected faculty members of
ELITTE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING for their guidance and support in completing my
Project. I came to know about so many new things while doing this project. I am really
Thankful to them for giving me this opportunity to do this wonderful project. I would also like
To thank my parents and friends who helped me a lot in finalizing this project within limited
Time frame.
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What are Refrigerants?
A refrigerant is a vital heat-carrying medium within the refrigeration cycle,
comprising key phases such as compression, condensation, expansion, and
evaporation. Throughout this intricate process, the refrigerant excels at absorbing
heat from a low-temperature environment, facilitating the cooling of spaces or
products. Simultaneously, it is pivotal in efficiently dissipating this absorbed heat
into a higher-temperature environment.
This seamless heat transfer is central to the refrigeration system's ability to create
and maintain cooler conditions in refrigerators, air conditioners, or industrial cooling
processes. By carefully managing this heat exchange, refrigerants enable the
controlled and consistent regulation of temperature, ensuring that perishable goods
remain fresh, indoor environments remain comfortable, and industrial operations
proceed smoothly. Selecting the appropriate refrigerant is crucial, considering
factors like environmental impact, energy efficiency, and system compatibility to
achieve optimal cooling performance.
Types of Refrigerants
The various types of refrigerants are:
Primary Refrigerants:
Primary refrigerants serve as the direct heat carriers in the refrigeration system and
cool substances by absorbing latent heat. This category includes ammonia, carbon
dioxide, sulphur dioxide, methyl chloride, methylene chloride, ethyl chloride, and
the Freon group, among others.
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Halo-carbon Compounds: This subcategory encompasses refrigerants
containing chlorine and bromine, marketed under names like Freon, Genetron,
Isotron, and Areton. These refrigerants, such as R10 (carbon tetrachloride), R11
(trichloromonofluoromethane), and R22 (monochlorodifluoromethane), find
extensive use in domestic, commercial, and industrial applications due to their
exceptional qualities.
Azeotropes: Azeotrope refrigerants consist of mixtures that cannot be
separated into components by distillation. They maintain fixed thermodynamic
properties and behave like simple substances. For instance, R-500 contains 73.8%
R-12 and 26.2% R-152.
Hydrocarbons: This group features organic compounds used in commercial
and industrial installations. Although they offer satisfactory thermodynamic
properties, many are highly flammable. Key refrigerants in this category include
R50 (methane), R170 (ethane), R290 (propane), R600 (butane), and R601 (pentane).
Inorganic Compounds: Before the prevalence of hydrocarbons, these
refrigerants were widely used. Important members of this group are R717
(ammonia), R718 (water), R729 (air, a mixture of O2, N2, CO2), R744 (carbon
dioxide), and R764 (sulphur dioxide).
Unsaturated Organic Compounds: This subcategory comprises
refrigerants with ethylene or propylene as their constituents, including R1120
(trichloroethylene), R1130 (dichloroethylene), R1150 (ethylene), and R1270
(propylene).
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Secondary Refrigerants:
Secondary refrigerants are substances that are initially cooled using primary
refrigerants and are subsequently employed for cooling purposes. Examples include
ice and solid carbon dioxide, which cool substances by absorbing their sensible heat
Desirable Properties of Refrigerant –
Physical Properties of Refrigerants
Low Freezing Point
Refrigerants should have low freezing point than the normal operating conditions. It
should not freeze during application. Water for example cannot be used below 0
Deg C.
Low Condensing Pressure
The lower the condenser pressure the power required for compression will be lower.
Higher condenser pressure will result in high operating costs. Refrigerants with low
boiling points will have high condenser pressure and high vapor density. The
condenser tubes have to be designed for higher pressures which also give raise to
capital cost of the equipment.
If Boiling Point is Low, High Condenser Pressure – Reciprocating Compressor is
used. Eg: Ammonia, R22, R12 etc
If Boiling Point is High, Low Condenser Pressure – Centrifugal Compressor is used.
Eg: R11, R13 & R114 etc
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High Evaporator Pressure
This is the most important property of refrigerant. In a negative pressure evaporator
Atmospheric air or Moisture will Leak into the system. The moisture inside the
system will starts freezing at low temperature zones and clogs and chokes the
system.
Atmospheric air ingression into the system will occupy the heat transfer area and
results in poor heat transfer rates. Presence of air will reduce the partial pressure of
refrigerant and the condensation temperature will rise. It increasers the condenser
pressures and thereby the power consumption for the compressor will also rise.
Atmospheric air ingression inside the system may sometime results in explosions if
the flammability values of the refrigerants are in wide range.
Due to the above disadvantages, Positive evaporator pressure is preferred. Leak
outside the system results in refrigerant loss and it can be identified easily and
refrigerant loss can be topped up. Moderately high evaporator pressure boosts the
compressor suction pressure thus reduces the power costs.
High Critical Pressure
Critical pressure of the refrigerant should be higher than the condenser pressures.
Otherwise the zone of condensation decreases and the heat rejection occurs.
High Vapor Density
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Refrigerants with High vapor density/ Low specific volume will require a smaller
compressors and velocity can be kept small and so the condenser tubes used will
also be in smaller diameter.
High Dielectric strength
In hermetically sealed compressors refrigerant vapor contacts with motor windings
and may cause short circuits. Therefore dielectric strength should be high to avoid
short circuits.
High Latent Heat of Vaporization
Higher latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant will result in lower mass flow
rates according to the Heat transfer equation. If the mass flow is very small it is
difficult to control the flow rates. Therefore ammonia cannot be used for small
refrigeration systems.
High Heat Transfer Coefficient
Higher heat transfer coefficient requires smaller area and lower pressure drop. This
makes the equipments compact and reduced the operating cost.
Chemical Properties
Toxicity
Toxicity is the important properties of refrigerants. The refrigerants should be non
poisonous to humans and food stuff. The toxicity depends upon the concentration
and exposure limits.
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Oil Solubility
The lubricating oils must be soluble in Refrigerants. If the oil is not miscible in the
refrigerant used and it is heavier it will settle down in the evaporator and reduces the
heat transfer. Therefore oil separators are to be employed. If the oil density is less
than the refrigerant used and it if it is immiscible, the oil will float on the surface of
the refrigerant. Therefore overflow drain is to be provided to remove oil. If the
refrigerant velocity is not sufficient, then it cannot carry all oil back into the
compressor. It may accumulate in evaporator. This phenomenon is called Oil
logging.
Low Water Solubility
Most of the refrigerants form acids or bases in the presence of water. This will cause
corrosion and deteriorates valves, Seals and Metallic parts. Insulation of windings in
hermatic compressors will also get damaged. The free water apart from the
dissolved water in refrigerant freezes below 0 Deg C and chokes the narrow orifice
of expansion valve. This may also cause bursting of the tubes.
Reactivity
The refrigerants should not react with the materials used in refrigeration cycle like
evaporators, condenser tubes, compressors, control valves etc. Ammonia reacts with
Copper and Cuprous alloys and forms copper complexes. CH3Cl reacts with
Aluminium. Most of the refrigerants form acids with water. CCl 2F2, CH4Cl can form
HCL with water which dissolves the copper from condenser tubes and deposits them
on compressor pistons and deteriorates the life of the machinery.
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Thank You
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