Compressors

Compressor is the most critical component of the VCRS

system because
1- it is the major cost equipment
2- it has a great influence on
-energy consumption
-Reliability
-Serviceability of the system

Types of compressors
compressors are categorized by:
The seal type

-completely sealed or Hermetic

-semi-sealed or semi hermetic
-open type
The operation type
-Positive displacement compressor
-Rotodynamic compressor

Hermetic Compressor
hermetic compressors will have direct connection to the

motor, and sealed in a welded casing. This type of

construction allows no maintenance except in factories with
proper repair tools and skill

Reciprocating

Semi Hermetic compressor

semi-hermetic compressors will have direct

connection to the motor. However, the sealing is not a

complete one. There will be a provision to dismantle the
casing for parts replacement, and maintenance

Open type compressor

open type, has the compressor and driver separated from each

other. The compressor and the driver will be separate entities,

connected by a coupling. Sealing of refrigerant gas from
atmosphere is achieved by means of labyrinth and mechanical
seals. Yes, this compressor construction is suitable for high
capacity cooling

Compressor Types
Compressors can be classified into
1. Positive displacement type

-Reciprocating
-Rotary
-Screw
-Scroll
2. Roto-dynamic type
-Centrifugal
-Axial

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Rotary- Small appliances

Screw- Large Chillers
Scroll- Central Air Conditioning; Newer
Chillers
Centrifugal- Large Chillers
Reciprocating- Refrigeration and A/C
Systems

Reciprocating compressor

Reciprocating Compressor
The reciprocating compressors comprise of the piston and

the cylinder arrangement similar to the automotive engine\

Apart from the piston and the cylinder arrangement, the
reciprocating compressor also comprises of the crankshaft,
connecting rod and other small connecting elements.
The crankshaft is connected to the electric motor directly by
coupling or by belt and driven by the pulley arrangement.
The rotary motion of the crankshaft is converted into the
reciprocating motion of the piston inside the cylinder via
the connecting rod

Rolling Piston Compressor

The Rolling piston or fixed vane type compressors are used

in small refrigeration systems such as domestic

refrigerators or air conditioners.
the rotating shaft of the roller has its axis of rotation that
matches with the centerline of the cylinder; however, it is
eccentric with respect to the roller
This eccentricity of the shaft with respect to the roller
creates suction and compression of the refrigerant . A single
vane or blade is positioned in the non-rotating cylindrical
block. The rotating motion of the roller causes a
reciprocating motion of the single vane.

Rolling Piston rotary Compressor

Multiple vane rotary compressor

In multiple vane type compressors, the axis of shaft

concurs with the centre of the roller, however, it is eccentric

with respect to the centre of the cylinder.
The rotor consists of various spaces with sliding vanes.
Amid the running of the compressor, the sliding vanes,
which are regularly made of non-metallic materials, are
held against the chamber because of centrifugal forces.

Multiple vane compressor

Scroll Compressor
The scroll compressor comprises of two interleaved

scrolls of which one is fixed and the other orbits

eccentrically without rotating. During its motion
small gaps are created between the scrolls where the
refrigerant gets compressed.

Scroll Compressor

Scroll Compressor

screw compressors:
The rotary screw compressors can be either twin-screw

type or single-screw type.

Abundant lubrication and subsequent cooling of the oil

using a special heat exchanger guarantees higher

compression ratios than reciprocating compressors,
meaning wide use in both refrigeration and airconditioning (large chillers operating on R410A).

Screw Compressor
As it is a positive displacement machine, high pressure

refrigerant as in reciprocating compressors such as R22

and ammonia are used in it.
As it is a high speed rotary machine, a large volume, as in
centrifugal compressors can be handled by it.
It is therefore found extremely suitable for large capacity
low temperature application such as in food refrigeration
and also in large capacity central air conditioning plant
with R-134a and R22

Single screw type

single screw compressors consist of a solitary helical

screw and two planet wheels or gate rotors.

Twin screw type

The twin-screw type compressor consists of two mating

helically grooved rotors, one male and the other female.

Generally the male rotor drives the female rotor.

Centrifugal compressors
The fluid is drawn in by the impeller near its axis and

due to centrifugal force is pushed to the edge of the

compressor casing. The fluid leaves the impeller with
significant kinetic energy, which is then converted
into pressure energy in the diffuser.
Use is limited to high cooling capacities and low
compression ratios (usually large chillers running on
R134A)

Evaporators
The evaporator is an equipment of the refrigeration system

in which the heat is removed from the air, water or any

other body to be cooled by the evaporating refrigerant
Classification of the Evaporators Based on the
Construction
1- Finned Evaporators
2-Plate Type of Evaporators
3-Shell and Tube types of Evaporators
a) dry expansion type
b) flooded type

Finned Evaporators
the bare tube evaporators fitted with the fins, called as

finned evaporators
The bare tube evaporators are made up of copper tubing or
steel pipes. The copper tubing is used for small evaporators
where the refrigerant other than ammonia is used, while
the steel pipes are used with the large evaporators where
ammonia is used as the refrigerant.
The fins on the external surface of the bare tube
evaporators increases the contact surface of the of the
metallic tubing with the fluid and increase the heat transfer
rate

Finned Evaporator
The finned evaporators are most commonly used in the air

conditioners of almost all types like window, split, packaged

and the central air conditioning systems.
In these systems the finned evaporator is popularly known
as the cooling coil. The hot room air flows over the finned
evaporator or the cooling coil, gets chilled and enters the
room to produce the cooling effect.
In window a/c the finned evaporators is located behind the
beautifully looking grill. In the wall mounted split unit it
located behind the front grill of the indoor unit.

Finned evaporator

Plate Type of Evaporators

In the plate type of evaporators the coil usually made up of

copper or aluminum is embedded in the plate so as so to

form a flat looking surface
Externally the plate type of evaporator looks like a single
plate, but inside it there are several turns of the metal
tubing through which the refrigerant flows.
The advantage of the plate type of evaporators is that they
are more rigid as the external plate provides lots of safety.
The external plate also helps increasing the heat transfer
from the metal tubing to the substance to be chilled

Plate Type Evaporator

Further, the plate type of evaporators are easy to clean and

can be manufactured cheaply.

The plate type heat exchangers can be easily formed into
various shapes as per the requirement.
Thus in the household refrigerators and the deep freezers,
where they are used most commonly, they can be converted
into the box shape to form the closed enclosure, where
various food can be kept in the frozen state

Plate type evaporator

Shell and Tube Type

The shell and tube types of evaporators are used in the

large refrigeration and central air conditioning systems.

The evaporators in these systems are commonly known
as the chillers.
The chillers comprise of large number of the tubes that
are inserted inside the drum or the shell.
Depending on the direction of the flow of the refrigerant
in the shell and tube type of chillers,
they are classified into two types:
a) dry expansion type
b) flooded type of chillers

Dry expansion chiller

In dry expansion chillers the refrigerant flows along the

tube side and the fluid to be chilled flows along the shell
side.
The flow of the refrigerant to these chillers is controlled by
the expansion valve

Direct expansion chiller

Flooded Chiller
In case of the flooded type of evaporators the refrigerant

flows along the shell side and fluid to be chilled flows along
the tube.
In these chillers the level of the refrigerant is kept constant
by the float valve that acts as the expansion valve also.

Condenser
In condensers the refrigerant gives up the heat that

is has absorbed in the evaporator.

There are three main types of condensers:
1. air cooled condensers,
2. water cooled condensers
3. evaporative condensers.

Air cooled condensers

Air cooled condensers are used in small units like household

refrigerators, deep freezers, water coolers, window airconditioners, split air-conditioners, small packaged airconditioners etc

These are used in plants where the cooling load is small and the

total quantity of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle is small.

Air cooled condensers are also called coil condensers as they are

usually made of copper or aluminum coil. Air cooled condensers

occupy a comparatively larger space than water cooled
condensers.

Air Cooled Condenser

Air cooled condensers are of two types: natural

convection and forced convection.

In the natural convection type, the air flows over it

in natural a way.
In the forced air type, a fan operated by a motor

blows air over the condenser coil.

Forced air cooled

Natural Air Cooled

Water cooled condensers

Water cooled condensers are used for large refrigerating

plants, big packaged air-conditioners, central airconditioning plants, etc.

These are used in plants where cooling loads are excessively
high and a large quantity of refrigerant flows through the
condenser.
There are three types of water cooled condensers: tube-in-

tube or double pipe type, shell and coil type and shell and
tube type.

Shell and tube water condenser

Shell and coil water condenser

Double Pipe HX

Evaporative condensers
Evaporative condensers are usually used in ice plants.
In these condensers the hot refrigerant flows through

the coils.
Water is sprayed over these coils. At the same time the
fan draws air from the bottom side of the condenser
and discharges it from the top side of the condenser.
The spray water that comes in contact with the
condenser coil gets evaporated in the air and it absorbs
the heat from the condenser, cools the refrigerant and
condenses it.

Evaporative Condenser
keeping the evaporative condenser clean and free of scale is

very difficult and requires lots of maintenance

Compressor

Condenser

Direction of Refrigerant
Flow

Evaporator

Metering device

Throttling or Expansion Devices

In the throttling valve the pressure of the refrigerant reduces

suddenly and excessively. With this the temperature of the refrigerant

also reduces drastically.
This low pressure and low temperature liquid refrigerant then enters

the evaporator and absorbs heat from the substance or the space to be
cooled.
Meters the correct amount of refrigerant to the evaporator
Installed in the liquid line at the inlet of the

evaporator

Throttling devices
Common devices:
1. fixed bore (capillary tube)
2. thermostatic expansion valve,
3. Automatic expansion valve,
Less common devices:
1. High-side float,
2. low-side float

Capillary tube
Capillary tube is one of the most commonly used throttling

devices in the refrigeration and the air conditioning

systems.
The capillary tube is a copper tube of very small internal

diameter.
It is of very long length and it is coiled to several turns so

that it would occupy less space.

The internal diameter of the capillary tube used for the

refrigeration and air conditioning applications varies from

0.5 to 2.28 mm (0.020 to 0.09 inches).

Capillary tube

Capillary tube
Capillary tubing is used for small refrigerating and air-

conditioning systems like household refrigerators, water

coolers, deep freezers, window air-conditioners, split airconditioners, small packaged air-conditioners etc.
The capillary tube is a very simple device that can be

manufactured easily and it is not very costly.

Provides a constant flow (or feed) of refrigerant

How Capillary Tube Works?

When the refrigerant leaves the condenser and enters the

capillary tube its pressure drops down suddenly due to very

small diameter of the capillary.
The decrease in pressure of the refrigerant through the

capillary depends on the diameter of the capillary and the

length of the capillary.
Smaller is the diameter and more is the length of the

capillary more is the drop in pressure of the refrigerant as it

passes through it.

TXV/TEV

TEV
Thermostatic expansion valve or TEV is one of the most

commonly used throttling devices in the refrigerator and air

conditioning systems.
The thermostatic expansion valve is the automatic valve that
maintains proper flow of the refrigerant in the evaporator as
per the load inside the evaporator.
If the load inside the evaporator is higher it allows the
increase in flow of the refrigerant and when the load reduces
it allows the reduction in the flow of the refrigerant.
This leads to highly efficient working of the compressor and
the whole refrigeration and the air conditioning plant

TEV
the thermostatic expansion valve is used in the systems of

higher capacities.
It is commonly used in the industrial refrigeration plants,
high capacity split air conditioners, packaged air
conditioners, central air conditioners and many other
systems
The thermostatic expansion valve has a constriction or
orifice due to which the pressure of the refrigerant passing
through it drops down suddenly to the level of the
evaporator pressure.
Due this the temperature of the refrigerant also drops down
suddenly and it produces cooling effect inside the
evaporator.

30F
26.1 psig

Spring pressure = ?
Evaporator pressure 18.4 psig

26.1 psig = Ps + 18.4 psig

Ps = 7.7 psig

R-134a

TXV RESPONSES TO LOAD CHANGES

When load increases

Refrigerant boils faster and the suction line temperature

increases
Valve opens to feed more refrigerant to the evaporator

When load decreases

Refrigerant takes longer to boil

Valve closes to feed less refrigerant to the evaporator

TXV WITH EXTERNAL EQUALIZER

Used if an evaporator has more than a 2.5 psig drop

from inlet to outlet

The evaporator pressure is sensed at the outlet of the

coil instead of the inlet

Used to prevent the coil from starving

Connected to the evaporator outlet after the thermal

bulb

Used to compensate for pressure drop in the

evaporator

External equalizer line

connected to the outlet of the
evaporator coil
Diaphragm
Solid brass divider
Evaporator pressure pushing up on
the diaphragm
Saturated refrigerant to the
evaporator
Liquid refrigerant to the
expansion valve

TEV
Maintains a constant evaporator superheat

Automatic Expansion Valve

Also known as an AEV or a constant pressure valve.
It is not seen as much as the TXV.
The AEV responds to a load change exactly opposite

from the TXV.

As the load increases the AEV will start to starve the

evaporator, thus maintaining pressure and boiling point.

As the load drops the AEV will begin to open and allow

the pressure to remain constant as well as boiling point.

Spring pressure

Spring

Diaphragm

Needle and Seat

Saturated refrigerant to the
evaporator
Liquid refrigerant from condenser
or receiver

Evaporator pressure

The force that operates an AEV is the evaporator

pressure. This is the upward force on the bottom of

the diaphragm that tends to close the valve

Systems with AEVs and most systems with TXVs

should have a receiver to ensure a proper refrigerant

flow to the valve.
The systems with a capillary tube will never (or

rarely) have a receiver.

The receiver is a type of storage tank to hold extra

refrigerant.

Float Valve
The float valve is used as the throttling device in the

large refrigeration systems with flooded chiller.

There are two types of float valves:
1. low side float valves
2. high side float valves

Low Side Float Valves

The float valve maintains the constant level of the liquid in

the flooded evaporator

The float of the low side float valve is placed in the

evaporator, which is at low pressure.

The construction and the working of the low side

refrigeration float valve are similar to the float valve used in

the water tank used for maintaining the level of the liquid.

Low side Float valve

The hollow ball or float floats on the refrigerant inside the

evaporator and moves up and down as per the level of the

liquid.
The hollow ball is connected to the needle and valve seat via

the float arm.

Thus as the ball moves up and down the float arm also

moves that allows for the opening or the closing of the

orifice.

High Side Float Valve

The refrigerant condensed in the condenser moves to the

chamber of the high pressure float valve.

As the level of the refrigerant rises the float ball moves up
and opens the float valve that allows for the passage of the
refrigerant through needle valve.
The level of the refrigerant would rise in float chamber
when more refrigerant is coming from the condenser that
means there is more load on the plant.
Thus when there is higher load on the plant there is
increase in the flow of the refrigerant through the float
valve

Cascade system
each cascade uses a different refrigerant, it is

possible to select a refrigerant that is best suited for

that particular temperature range.
Very high or very low pressures can be avoided
Migration of lubricating oil from one compressor to

the other is prevented

Cascade Systems
In a cascade system a series of refrigerants with

progressively lower boiling points are used in a series of

single stage units.
The condenser of lower stage system is coupled to the

evaporator of the next higher stage system and so on

The component where heat of condensation of lower stage

refrigerant is supplied for vaporization of next level

refrigerant is called as cascade condenser

 this system employs two different refrigerants operating in two

individual cycles
They are thermally coupled in the cascade condenser.
The refrigerants selected should have suitable pressuretemperature characteristics.
An example of refrigerant combination is the use of carbon
dioxide (NBP = -78.4 oC, Tcr= 31.06 oC) in low temperature
cascade
and ammonia (NBP = -33.33oC, Tcr= 132.25 oC) in high
temperature cascade

Applications of cascade systems:

1. Liquefaction of petroleum vapours
2. Liquefaction of industrial gases
3. Manufacturing of dry ice
4. Deep freezing etc.

air conditioner compressors are categorised. These

are categorised by,

the seal type (e.g. completely sealed, semi-sealed and
open type), and
the operation type (e.g. piston, scroll, rotary and
centrifugal)

Sealing of compressors:
There are three types of air conditioner compressors

construction. Thecompletely sealed, semisealed, and the open type.

Completely sealed compressors are also known as
the hermetic type, and the semi-sealed are known as
the semi-hermetic type.

 hermetic compressors will have direct connection to the

motor, and sealed in a welded casing. This type of

construction allows no maintenance except in factories with
proper repair tools and skill
semi-hermetic compressors will have direct
connection to the motor. However, the sealing is not a
complete one. There will be a provision to dismantle the
casing for parts replacement, and maintenance
open type, has the compressor and driver separated from
each other. The compressor and the driver will be separate
entities,connected by a coupling. Sealing of refrigerant gas
from atmosphere is achieved by means of labyrinth and
mechanical seals. Yes, this compressor construction is
suitable for high capacity cooling

hermetic construction.

Reciprocating and rotary-screw compressors are

common in food manufacturing operations that use

ammonia refrigeration. Reciprocating compressors
generate pressure from pistons that compress the
refrigerant within a cylinder

While a piston-type, reciprocating compressor is still

popular in a variety of refrigeration systems, it isnt

the most efficient type of compressor, due to the
clearance space required at between the top of the
piston and the valve plate.

A rotary compressor that is often found on smaller

refrigeration systems such as household

refrigerators, drinking fountains operates more
efficiently than a piston compressor since it performs
both the suction and discharge processes
simultaneously.
A rotary compressor is more efficient than a piston
compressor because it can do two things at once
suction and discharge.

Scroll Compressor
The scroll compressor comprises of two interleaved

scrolls of which one is fixed and the other orbits

eccentrically without rotating. During its motion
small gaps are created between the scrolls where the
refrigerant gets compressed.