PressureEnthalpyExplained

WithinthenewFGascoursetherequirementforanunderstandingofPressureEnthalpy(Ph) graphsisprovingtobealargelearningcurveforthosewhohavenotcomeacrossthembefore. ManyexperiencedAirConditioningandRefrigerationFitters,TechniciansandEngineershaveeither [Link] hopethatthosewhohaveneverexperiencedorarejustbrushingupPressureEnthalpygraphswill beabletogaintheunderpinningknowledgethatthecourserequires. Introduction

[Link] thestate,temperature,pressure,enthalpy,specificvolumeandentropyofarefrigerantatagiven point. EnthalpyisanotherwordforHeatEnergyandisusuallymeasuredinkilojoulesperkilogram. EnthalpyiscommonlyfoundontheyaxisofthePhgraph. PressureismeasuredgenerallyinMPa,KPaorBar(Absolute);itismostcommonlyfoundonthex axisofthePhgraph. TemperatureismeasuredinC/[Link] graph. [Link] [Link] [Link] [Link] liquid/vapourmix,thepercentageofwhichiscanbeknownbythequalitylineswhichcurvedown fromthecriticalpoint(wherethesaturatedvapourandliquidlinesconverge). SpecificVolumeistheamountofspace(cubicmetres)thatonekilogramofrefrigeranttakesup. Entropyislooselydescribedastheamountoforder,disorder(chaos)inathermodynamicsystem. Thepressureenthalpychartdescribestheentropyoftherefrigerantwhichistheamountof enthalpyabletobetransferredperKelvin(K).

FIG1

Figure1providesaclearvisualunderstandingofthebehaviourofwateratapressureof1.01325bar absolutewhenheatenergyisaddedorremoved. ItisimportanttorememberthekeyvaluesforwatershowninFigure1asthesecanbeusedinmany calculationsforairconditioningandrefrigerationdesignandcommissioningwork. SteamTables Changesinthepressureaboveanyliquidorvapouraffectthetemperaturesatwhichachangeof [Link] widerangeofpressures.Table1liststhevaluesforwateratafewselectedpressures. TABLE1 Pressure (bar) 0.006112 0.006566 0.01227 0.02337 0.04242 0.07375 0.1233 0.1992 0.3116 0.4736 0.7011 1.01325 5.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 Saturation Temperature (C) 0.01 1.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 90.0 100.0 151.8 179.9 212.4 233.8 Specific Volume (m3/kg) 206.1 192.6 106.4 57.84 32.93 19.55 12.04 7.678 5.045 3.408 2.361 1.673 0.375 0.194 0.099 0.066 HeatEnergyContent Sens LatentTotal (kJ/kg) 0.0 4.2 42.0 83.9 125.7 167.5 209.3 251.1 293.0 334.9 376.9 419.1 639.0 762.0 907.0 1004.0 (kJ/kg) 2500.8 2498.3 2477.2 2453.7 2430.0 2406.2 2382.1 2357.9 2333.3 2308.3 2282.8 2256.7 2562.0 2584.0 2600.0 2603.0 (kJ/kg) 2500.8 2502.5 2519.2 2537.6 2555.7 2573.7 2591.4 2609.0 2626.3 2643.2 2659.7 2675.8 3201.0 3346.0 3507.0 3607.0

Notethesubstantialchangesthatoccurinspecificvolumeandtherateofchangeofpressurein [Link] involvedinthechangeofstatefromSaturatedLiquidtoSaturatedVapour(orfromSaturated vapourtoSaturatedLiquid)[Link] thanthesmallamountofsensibleheatenergyassociatedwithachangeintemperature [Link],acoolingsystemforairconditioningorrefrigerationusingacirculatingfluidwouldbe mosteffectiveifthelatentheatenergytransfercanbeharnessedthroughachangeofstate. [Link] [Link] [Link] transferringheatenergyfromonepartofthesystemtoanother. TheVapourCompressionCycleusesawiderangeofRefrigerantsaccordingtoapplication requirementsincludingoperatingtemperatures,pressures,ambienttemperaturesandefficiency. ComparethecharacteristicsofRefrigerantR22(Chlorodifluoromethane)inTable2withthoseof waterinTable1. TABLE2 Pressure Saturation Temperature (bar) 1.05161 1.63466 2.44438 3.53431 4.96256 5.82289 6.79153 7.87684 9.08749 (C) 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 m3/Mg 0.70924 0.72420 0.75046 0.75822 0.77778 0.78834 0.79949 0.81131 0.82387 m3/kg 0.20587 0.136244 0.093268 0.065692 0.047389 0.040561 0.034873 0.030105 0.026084 Liquid Volume Vapour Volume Liquid (kJ/kg) 55.98 66.62 77.50 88.62 100.00 105.79 111.66 117.61 123.65 Latent (kJ/kg) 232.61 226.67 220.30 213.43 205.99 202.02 197.88 193.55 189.01 Vapour (kJ/kg) 288.59 293.30 297.80 302.05 305.99 307.82 309.55 311.17 312.67 Heat EnergyContent

PressureEnthalpyDiagram ThefiguresinTable2havebeentakenfromTablesofRefrigerantProperties,whichfullydefineall [Link] workingvapourcompressionsystemcanbeplottedonthisdiagram.

FIG2 TheVapourCompressionCycle Theprimarypurposeofanairconditioningorrefrigerationsystemistoremoveheatenergyatalow temperaturefromaconditionedspaceorbodyandtransfer(reject)thisheatenergyintoanother [Link],waterorsoil. Thisprocessisveryoftencontinuoussinceheatenergywillalwayscontinuetoflowfromhigher temperaturesurroundingsintotheconditionedspacebeingmaintainedatlower [Link] applications.

AirConditioning&RefrigerationHeatLoad Heatenergyflowfromhighertemperaturesurroundingsthroughthefabricoftheconditionedspace [Link] conditionedspaceandtheseincludeheatenergyfrom: Occupants(SensibleandLatent) Lighting,motors,machineryandcomputers(Sensible) Productsorprocesses(SensibleandLatent) Warm,moistairenteringtheconditionedspacethroughinfiltrationorventilation (Sensible&Latent) Solarradiationenergystrikingthesurfacesofthebuildingorcoldstore(Sensible)

[Link] HeatLoadnormallycomprisesSensibleHeatandLatentHeatandtheairconditioningor [Link] [Link] willbediscussedlaterintheseries. TheEvaporator Sincethecapacityofarefrigeranttoabsorbheatenergyisgreatestwhenchangingstatefromliquid tovapour,theheatexchanger(Evaporator)withintheconditionedspaceiscontinuouslysupplied withliquidrefrigerant,whichvaporisesinordertoabsorbheatenergyfromtheconditioned [Link],lights,machineryand [Link],anEvaporatorFanisused topassreturnairovertheEvaporatorCoilandtodistributeconditionedairthroughoutthe space.SeeFigure3. IfliquidrefrigerantR22isallowedtovapouriseatapressureof1.01325bar,theSaturation Temperature(orEvaporatingTemperature)[Link],heatenergy [Link] (approximately140kJ/kg)requiredtovaporisetheliquidistakenfromtheconditionedspacethus [Link].

 FIG3 However,inordertomaintaintheconditionedspaceatasuitabletemperatureforcomfortair conditioning(22C),itisnotnecessaryfortherefrigeranttochangestateatsuchalowtemperature (EvaporatingTemperature).Thedesignoftheevaporatorandtheamountofairflowwilldetermine whatEvaporatingTemperatureisrequiredforagivenleavingairtemperaturefromtheevaporator coil.IfanEvaporatingTemperatureof5Cwererequired,itwillbenecessarytoraisethe EvaporatingPressureto5bar.SeeFigure4.

 FIG4 Superheat Notethatsomeoftheheatenergyfromtheroomisalsoraisingthetemperatureoftherefrigerant [Link] essentialtoprotectthecompressorfromtakinginliquidrefrigerant,whichwouldotherwiseresultin [Link],assuperheatingthevapourdoesnotabsorbmuchheat energyfromtheconditionedspaceandalsomakespooruseoftheevaporator,itshouldbe maintainedataminimumlevelof5.07.0K. [Link] ofenergyabsorbedbytherefrigerantduringvaporisationis167kJ/kg(LatentHeatofVaporisation) andafurther3kJ/[Link](170 kJ/kg)isequaltotheamountofcoolingperformedintheEvaporator(andthespace)andistermed theNetRefrigeratingEffect.

 FIG5 TheCompressor TheSuperheatedrefrigerantvapourleavingtheEvaporatormustberecycledandreturnedtoliquid [Link] necessarytoremoveheatenergybybringingtherefrigerantintocontactwithamedium(sink)ata [Link] conditionswheretheairtemperaturemaybeashighas30C,theSaturationTemperatureofthe refrigerantmustberaisedfrom5Ctoahighertemperaturethan30C,[Link] byraisingthepressureoftheSaturatedVapourleavingtheEvaporatorbypassingthevapour [Link] Temperature.SeeFigure6.

 FIG6 [Link] thecompressionprocessfollowsthelinesofConstantEntropy.Therefrigeranthastakenup23kJ/kg [Link] temperatureisnowmuchhigherthantheenteringtemperature(70C)andtheCondensingPressure hasbeenraisedto15bar.

 FIG7 TheCondenser TheCondensermustremoveheatenergyfromtherefrigerantandrejectthistoalowertemperature medium(sink),usuallyoutdoor(Ambient)air.AssuminganAmbientTemperatureof30Canda CondensingTemperatureof40C,[Link] ApproachTemperature.SeeFigure8.

 FIG8 TotalHeatofRejection TheenergythatmustberejectedbytheCondensercomprisestheheatenergyremovedbyeach kilogramofrefrigerantpassingthroughtheEvaporator(170kJ/kg)andtheheatenergyaddedto eachkilogramofrefrigerantpassingthroughtheCompressor(23kJ/kg).Thetotalheatthatmustbe rejectedthereforeequals193kJ/kgandistermedtheTotalHeatofRejection(THR).TheCondenser coilisthereforenormallylargerthantheEvaporatorcoil. [Link] CondensermustthereforeDesuperheattherefrigerantfirstby30KuntiltheSaturationTemperature of40Cisreached.(7040=30K). WhentherefrigeranthasreachedtheSaturationTemperature,theCondenserwillthenremove substantiallatentheatenergyastherefrigerantchangesstatefromSaturatedVapourtoSaturated [Link].(417250=167kJ/kg). [Link] systemisfittedwithaLiquidReceiver,theCondensercoilholdsverylittleliquidrefrigerant,asthisis

[Link],atastartingtemperatureof40C,losesfurtherheatenergy totheairpassingoverthecoilat30C(andwhilstresidinginaLiquidReceiver).Thiscausesthe liquidrefrigeranttobeSubCooledtoatemperaturebelowtheSaturationTemperature.

FIG9 Figure9showsalossof10kJ/kgduetoSubCoolingintheCondenserCoilandtheLiquidReceiver (250240kJ/kg).TheprocessthroughtheCondenserandLiquidReceiveronthePEDiagramis illustratedinFigure9. TheExpansionDevice Therefrigerantisnowavailableasahighpressure,SubCooledliquidforreturntotheEvaporator [Link](TEVThermostaticExpansion Valve)withasensorattachedtotheexternalsurfaceoftherefrigerantpipeleavingtheEvaporator [Link] [Link] suppliedwithliquidrefrigeranttomeettheinstantaneouscoolingloadandthattheSuperheatis correctlymaintainedatalevel,whichensuresthebestutilisationofEvaporatorcapacity,whilst ensuringliquidrefrigerant,[Link] detaillaterintheseries.LiquidrefrigerantenterstheTEVat15bar,aSaturationTemperatureof [Link]

highpressureregiontothelowpressureregion,thepressuredropstop5barcausingtheSaturation Temperaturetofallimmediatelyto5Cat5bar.

FIG10 FlashGas Thedropinpressureforcestherefrigeranttoimmediatelydropintemperaturefrom32.5Cto5C andaportionoftherefrigerantisvaporised(FlashGas)[Link] effectivelyalossofrefrigerationcapacitysincelessliquidrefrigerantisnowavailableforsubsequent [Link] [Link] processisknownastheNetRefrigeratingEffect. TheFlashGasprocessdoesnotresultinanychangeofenergysincetheremainingliquidhaslostan equalamountofenergytothatgainedbythevapourproduced.