IJCRR - 3(10), October, 2011
Pages: 181-189
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EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE OF THE REFRIGERATOR CONDENSER BY VARYING THE
FINS SPACING OF THE CONDENSER
Author: S.Sharmas Vali, M.L.S.Deva Kumar
Category: Technology
Abstract:This paper describes the Experimental Analysis of performance of the refrigerator condenser by varying
the fins spacing of the condenser. Vapor compression machine is a refrigerator in which the heat removed
from the cold by evaporation of the refrigerant is given a thermal potential so that it can gravitate to a
natural sink by compressing the vapor produced. Majority of the refrigerators works on the Vapor
compression refrigeration system. The system consists of components like compressor, condenser,
expansion valve and evaporator. The performance of the system depends on the performance of all the
components of the system. The main objective of the present work is to increase the performance of the
condenser by increasing the heat transfer rate through the condenser. Heat transfer rate can be increased
by the extended surfaces called fins. Heat transfer rate is also depends on the spacing between the fins of
the condenser. In the present experimental work several condensers having different fins spacing are
taken. By using this parameter experiments are conducted on a domestic refrigerator of capacity 165liters.
The effect of varying the condenser fins spacing on the performance of refrigerator condenser is
calculated experimentally.
Full Text:
I INTRODUCTION
A condenser is a heat exchanger is which desuperheating of high temperature vapor changes the phase from vapor to liquid and sub cooling of condensate occurs. The condenser is an important device used in the high pressure side of a refrigeration system. Its function is to remove heat of hot vapor refrigerant discharged from the compressor. The hot vapor refrigerant consists of the heat absorbed by the evaporator and the heat of compression added by the mechanical energy of the compressor motor. The heat from the hot vapor refrigerant in a condenser is removed first by transferring it to the walls of the condenser tubes and then from the tubes to the condensing or cooling medium. The cooling medium may be air or water or a combination of the two. An air cooled condenser is one in which the removal of heat is done by air. It consists of steel or copper tubing through which the refrigerant flows. The size of tube usually ranges from 6mm to 18mm outside diameter, depending upon the size of the condenser. Generally copper tubes are used because of its excellent heat transfer ability. The condensers with steel tubes are used in ammonia refrigerating systems. Majority of the domestic refrigerators uses the natural convection air cooled condenser. In the present work refrigerator uses the natural convection air cooled condenser. In natural convection air cooled condenser, the heat transfer from the condenser coils to the air is by natural convection. As the air comes in contact with the warm condenser tubes, it absorbs heat from the refrigerant and thus the temperature of air increases. The warm air being lighter, rises up and cold air from below rises to take away the heat from the condenser. This cycle continues in natural convection air cooled condensers. This paper is an experimental approach to increase the heat to be rejected in the condenser as well as increase the performance of the system. If the condenser is having more fins spacing then the number of fins available at the condenser are less. Due to this surface area decreases. Therefore less heat transfer occurs. On the other hand if the condenser is having less fins spacing then the number of fins available at the condenser are more. Because of more number of fins surface area increases. There fore more heat transfer takes place through the condenser.
II.PRESENT WORK:
The procedure for the present work is as follows. In vapor compression refrigeration system basically there are two heat exchangers. One is to absorb the heat which is done by evaporator and another is to reject the heat absorbed at the evaporator and heat of compression added by the compressor which is done by the condenser. The work focuses on heat transfer rate through the condenser. This is only possible either by providing a fan or extending the surfaces. The extended surfaces are called fins. The rate of heat transfer in the condenser depends upon the number of fins attached to the condenser. The present work investigates the performance of the condenser using different fins spacing of the condenser. In the present domestic refrigerator the condenser fins spacing is 6mm. The performance of the condenser will also help to increase the cop of the system as the sub cooling region occurs at the exit of the condenser. In general domestic refrigerators have no fan at the condenser and hence extended surfaces like fins play a very vital role in the rejection of heat. In order to know the performance characteristics of the vapor compression refrigeration system pressure and temperature gauges are installed at each entry and exit of the component. Experiments are conducted on several condensers having different fins spacing. All the values of pressures and temperatures are tabulated. The domestic refrigerator selected for the present work has the following specifications.
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