\

1. INTRODUCTION
This section briefly describes the main features of the refrigeration and air conditioning
system.
1.1 What is Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Refrigeration and air conditioning is used to cool products or a building environment. The
refrigeration or air conditioning system (R) transfers heat from a cooler low-energy reservoir
to a warmer high-energy reservoir (see figure 1).
High Temperature Reservoir
Heat Reected
!or" #nput
R
Heat $bsorbed
%ow Temperature Reservoir
Figure 1. Schematic representation of refrigeration sstem
1
Figure !. A tpica" #eat Transfer $oop in Refrigeration Sstem
(&ureau of 'nergy 'fficiency( )**+)
There are several heat transfer loops in a refrigeration system as shown in ,igure ). Thermal
energy moves from left to right as it is e-tracted from the space and e-pelled into the
outdoors through five loops of heat transfer.

Indoor air loop. #n the left loop( indoor air is driven by the supply air fan through a
cooling coil( where it transfers its heat to chilled water. The cool air then cools the
building space.
Chilled water loop. /riven by the chilled water pump( water returns from the cooling coil
to the chiller0s evaporator to be re-cooled.
Refrigerant loop. 1sing a phase-change refrigerant( the chiller0s compressor pumps heat
from the chilled water to the condenser water.
Condenser water loop. !ater absorbs heat from the chiller0s condenser( and the
condenser water pump sends it to the cooling tower.
Cooling tower loop. The cooling tower0s fan drives air across an open flow of the hot
condenser water( transferring the heat to the outdoors.
1.! Air%Conditioning Sstems
/epending on applications( there are several options 2 combinations of air conditioning(
which are available for use.
$ir conditioning (for space or machines)
3plit air conditioners
,an coil units in a larger system
$ir handling units in a larger system
1.& Refrigeration Sstems 'for processes(
The following refrigeration systems e-ists for industrial processes (e.g. chilling plants) and
domestic purposes (modular units( i.e. refrigerators).
3mall capacity modular units of the direct e-pansion type similar to domestic
refrigerators.
4entrali5ed chilled water plants with chilled water as a secondary coolant for a
temperature range over typically 6 o4. They can also be used for ice ban" formation.
)
&rine plants( which use brines as a lower temperature( secondary coolant for typically
sub- 5ero temperature applications( which come as modular unit capacities as well as large
centrali5ed plant capacities.
The plant capacities up to 6* TR (tons of refrigeration) are usually considered as small
capacity( 6* 7)6* TR as medium capacity and over )6* TR as large capacity units.
$ large company may have a ban" of units( often with common chilled water pumps(
condenser water pumps( cooling towers( as an off site utility. The same company may also
have two or three levels of refrigeration and air conditioning such as a combination of.
4omfort air conditioning ()* 7)6 o4)
4hilled water system (8* 71** 4)
&rine system (sub-5ero applications)
!. T)*+S OF R+FRI,+RATION AND AIR CONDITIONIN,
This section describes the two principle types of refrigeration plants found in industry.
9apour 4ompression Refrigeration (94R) and 9apour $bsorption Refrigeration (9$R).
94R uses mechanical energy as the driving force for refrigeration( while 9$R uses thermal
energy as the driving force for refrigeration.
!.1 -apour Compression Refrigeration Sstem
!.1.1 Description
4ompression refrigeration cycles ta"e advantage of the fact that highly compressed fluids at a
certain temperature tend to get colder when they are allowed to e-pand. #f the pressure
change is high enough( then the compressed gas will be hotter than our source of cooling
(outside air( for instance) and the e-pand ed gas will be cooler than our desired cold
temperature. #n this case( fluid is used to cool a low temperature environment and reect the
heat to a high temperature environment.
9apour compression refrigeration cycles have two advantages. ,irst( a large amount of
thermal energy is re:uired to change a li:uid to a vapor( and therefore a lot of heat can be
removed from the air-conditioned space. 3econd( the isothermal nature of the vapori5ation
allows e-traction of heat without raising the temperature of the wor"ing fluid to the
temperature of whatever is being cooled. This means that the heat transfer rate remains high(
because the closer the wor"ing fluid temperature approaches that of the surroundings( the
lower the rate of heat transfer.
The refrigeration cycle is shown in ,igure ; and + and can be bro"en down into the following
stages.

1 . !. %ow-pressure li:uid refrigerant in the evaporator absorbs heat from its

surroundings( usually air( water or some other process li:uid. /uring this process it
changes its state from a li:uid to a gas( and at the evaporator e-it is slightly superheated.
! . &. The superheated vapour enters the compressor where its pressure is raised. The
temperature will also increase( because a proportion of the energy put into the
compression process is transferred to the refrigerant.
& ./. The high pressure superheated gas passes from the compressor into the condenser.
The initial part of the cooling process (;-;a) de-superheats the gas before it is then turned
;
bac" into li:uid (;a-;b). The cooling for this process is usually achieved by using air or
water. $ further reduction in temperature happens in the pipe wor" and li:uid receiver
(;b - +)( so that the refrigerant li:uid is sub-cooled as it enters the e-pansion device.
/ % 1 The high-pressure sub-cooled li:uid passes through the e-pansion device( which
both reduces its pressure and controls the flow into the evaporator.
&
4ondenser
/
'-pansion
High <ressure
3ide
/evice
4ompressor
1
!
%ow <ressure
3ide
'vaporator
Figure &. Schematic representation of the 0apour compression refrigeration cc"e
Figure /. Schematic representation of the refrigeration cc"e inc"uding pressure changes
(&ureau of 'nergy 'fficiency( )**+)
+
Refrigerant
1oi"ing
*oint 22
o
' C(
Free3ing
o
*oint ' C(
-apor
*ressure 2
'4*a(
-apor
-o"ume 2
&
'm 5 4g(
+ntha"p 2
$i6uid
'47 5 4g(
-apor
'47 5 4g(
R 711
R 71)
R 7))
R 76*)
R 7=
($mmonia)
-);.8)
-)>.=>
-+*.=?
-+6.+*
-;;.;*
-111.*
-168.*
-1?*.*
---
-==.=
)6.=;
)1>.)8
;6+.=+
+1+.;*
)8>.>;
*.?11=*
*.*==*)
*.*?61;
*.*+);+
*.+1>+>
1>1.+*
1>*.=)
188.66
188.8=
8*8.=1
;86.+;
;+=.>?
+**.8;
;+).;1
+8=.=?
Refrigerant
+0aporating
*ress '4*a(
Condensing
*ress '4*a(
*ressure
Ratio
-apor +ntha"p
'47 5 4g(
22
CO* carnot
R 711
R 71)
R 7))
R - 6*)
R - =1=
)*.+
18).=
)>6.8
;+>.?
);?.6
1)6.6
=++.?
11>).1
1;*8.?
11??.6
?.16
+.*8
+.*;
;.=+
+.>;
166.+
11?.;
1?).8
1*?.)
1*;.+
6.*;
+.=*
+.??
+.;=
+.=8
At -15 C Evaporator Temperature, and 30 C Condenser Temperature
The condenser has to be capable of reecting the combined heat inputs of the evaporator and
the compressor. #n other words. (1 - )) @ () - ;) has to be the same as (; - +). There is no heat
loss or gain through the e-pansion device.
!.1.! Tpes of refrigerant used in 0apour compression sstems
$ variety of refrigerants are used in vapor compression systems. The re:uired cooling
temperature largely determines the choice of fluid. 4ommonly used refrigerants are in the
family of chlorinated fluorocarbons (4,4s( also called ,reons). R-11( R-1)( R-)1( R-)) and
R-6*). The properties of these refrigerants are summari5ed in Table 1 and the performance of
these refrigerants is given in Table ) below.
Ta8"e 1. *roperties of common" used refrigerants (adapted from $rora( 4.<.( )***)
*
**
At -10 oC
At Standard Atmospheric Pressure (101.35 !Pa"
Ta8"e !. *erformance of common" used refrigerants (adapted from $rora( 4.<.( )***)
*
**
o o
C#P carnot $ Coe%%icient o% Per%ormance $ Temp.Evap. & (Temp.Cond . -Temp Evap."
The choice of refrigerant and the re:uired cooling temperature and load determine the choice
of compressor( as well as the design of the condenser( evaporator( and other au-iliaries.
$dditional factors such as ease of maintenance( physical space re:uirements and availability
of utilities for au-iliaries (water( power( etc.) also influence component selection.
6
!.! -apour A8sorption Refrigeration Sstem
!.!.1 Description
The vapour absorption refrigeration system consists of.

$bsorber. $bsorption of refrigerant vapour by a suitable absorbent or adsorbent( forming

a strong or rich solution of the refrigerant in the absorbent2 adsorbent
<ump. <umping of the rich solution and raising its pressure to the pressure of the
condenser
Aenerator. /istillation of the vapour from the rich solution leaving the poor solution for
recycling
4ondenser Aenerator
Hot 3ide
'vaporator
4old 3ide $bsorber
Figure 9: A simp"e schematic of a 0apour a8sorption refrigeration sstem
The absorption chiller is a machine( which produces chilled water by using heat such as
steam( hot water( gas( oil etc. 4hilled water is produced based on the principle that li:uid (i.e.
refrigerant( which evaporates at a low temperature) absorbs heat from its surroundings when
it evaporates. <ure water is used as refrigerant and lithium bromide solution is used as
absorbent.
Heat for the vapour absorption refrigeration system can be provided by waste heat e-tracted
from the process( diesel generator sets etc. #n that case absorption systems re:uire electricity
for running pumps only. /epending on the temperature re:uired and the power cost( it may
even be economical to generate heat 2 steam to operate the absorption system.
?
$bsorption refrigeration systems that use %i-&r-water as a refrigerant have a 4oefficient of
<erformance (4B<) in the range of *.?6 - *.=* and can provide chilled water at ?.= o4 with a
cooling water temperature of ;* o4. 3ystems capable of providing chilled water at ; o4 are
also available. $mmonia based systems operate at above atmospheric pressures and are
capable of low temperature operation (below *o4). $bsorption machines are available with
capacities in the range of 1*-16** tons. $lthough the initial cost of an absorption system is
higher than that of a compression system( operational costs are much lower if waste heat is
used.
!.!.! +0aporati0e coo"ing in 0apor a8sorption refrigeration sstems
There are occasions where air conditioning( which stipulates control of humidity of up to
6*C for human comfort or for processes( can be replaced by a much cheaper and less energy
intensive evaporative cooling.
3prin"ling !ater
Hot $ir
4old $ir
Figure 9. Schematic of e0aporati0e coo"ing
$dapted from. Dunters ()**1)
1*
The concept is very simple and is the same as that used in a cooling tower. $ir is brought in
close contact with water to cool it to a temperature close to the wet bulb temperature. The
cool air can be used for comfort or process cooling. The disadvantage is that the air is rich in
moisture. Eevertheless( it is an e-tremely efficient means of cooling at very low cost. %arge
commercial systems employ cellulose filled pads over which water is sprayed. The
temperature can be controlled by controlling the airflow and the water circula tion rate. The
possibility of evaporative cooling is especially attractive for comfort cooling in dry regions.
This principle is practiced in te-tile industries for certain processes.
&. ASS+SS;+NT OF R+FRI,+RATION AND AIR CONDITIONIN,
This section describes how the performance of refrigeration 2 air conditioning plants and be
assessed.
&.1 Assessment of Refrigeration
&.1.1 TR
!e start with the definition of TR.

TR. the cooling effect produced is :uantified as tons of refrigeration( also referred to as
Fchiller tonnageG.
TR H I - 4p - (Ti 7To) 2 ;*)+
!here I is mass flow rate of coolant in "g2hr
4p is coolant specific heat in "4al 2"g deg 4
Ti is inlet( temperature of coolant to evaporator (chiller) in *4
To is outlet temperature of coolant from evaporator (chiller) in *4.
1 TR of refrigeration H ;*)+ "4al2hr heat reected
&.1.! Specific *o<er Consumption

The specific power consumption "!2TR is a useful indicator of the performance of a

refrigeration system. &y measuring the refrigeration duty performed in TR and the "!
inputs( "!2TR is used as an energy performance indicator.
#n a centrali5ed chilled water system( apart from the compressor unit( power is also
consumed by the chilled water (secondary) coolant pump( the condenser water pump (for
heat reection to cooling tower) and the fan in the cooling tower. 'ffectively( the overall
energy consumption would be the sum of.
4ompressor "!
4hilled water pump "!
4ondenser water pump "!
4ooling tower fan "!( for induced 2 forced draft towers
The "!2TR( or the specific power consumption for a certain TR output is the sum of.
4ompressor "!2TR
4hilled water pump "!2TR
4ondenser water pump "!2TR
4ooling tower fan "!2TR
11
&.1.& Coefficient of *erformance

The theoretical 4oefficient of <erformance (4arnot)( (4B<4arnot( a standard measure of

refrigeration efficiency of an ideal refrigeration system) depends on two "ey system
temperatures. evaporator temperature Te and condenser temperature Tc. 4B< is given as.
4B<4arnot H Te 2 (Tc - Te)
This e-pression also indicates that higher 4B<4arnot is achieved with higher evaporator
temperatures and lower condenser temperatures. &ut 4B<4arnot is only a ratio of
temperatures( and does not ta"e into account the type of compressor. Hence the 4B<
normally used in industry is calculated as follows.
4B< H
4ooling effect ("!)
<ower input to compressor ("!)
where the cooling effect is the difference in enthalpy across the evaporator and e-pressed
as "!.
Figure =: The effect of condensing temperature and e0aporator temperature on the
chi""er (&ureau of 'nergy 'fficiency( )**+)
&.! Assessment of Air Conditioning
,or air conditioning units( the airflow at the ,an 4oil 1nits (,41) or the $ir Handling 1nits
($H1) can be measured with an anemometer. /ry bulb and wet bulb temperatures are
measured at the inlet and outlet of the $H1 or the ,41 and the refrigeration load in TR is
assessed as.
TR =
I J ( h in h out )
;*)+
1)
!here( I is the air flow in m;2h
is density of air "g2m;
hin
hout
is enthalpy of inlet air "4al2"g
is enthalpy of outlet air "4al2"g
1se of psychometric charts can help to calculate hin and hout from dry bulb and wet bulb
temperature values which are measured during trials by a whirling psychrometer. <ower
measurements at compressor( pumps( $H1 fans( cooling tower fans can be ta"en with a
portable load analy5er.
'stimation of the air conditioning load is also possible by calculating various heat loads(
sensible and latent( based on inlet and outlet air parameters( air ingress factors( air flow(
number of people and type of materials stored.
$n indicative TR load profile for air conditioning is presented as follows.
3mall office cabins H *.1 TR2m)
Dedium si5e office i.e.( H *.*? TR2m)
1* 7;* people occupancy
with central $24
%arge multistoried office H *.*+ TR2m)
comple-es with central $24
&.& Considerations <hen Assessing *erformance
&.&.1 Accurac of f"o< and temperature measurements
#n a field performance assessment( accurate instruments are re:uired to measure the inlet and
outlet temperatures of chilled water and condenser water( preferably with a count of at least
*.1 o4. ,low measurements of chilled water can be made with an ultrasonic flow meter
directly or can be determined based on pump duty parameters. $de:uacy chec"s of chilled
water are often needed and most units are designed for a typical *.?8 m;2hr per TR (;
gpm2TR) chilled water flow. 4ondenser water flow can also be measured with a non-contact
flow meter directly or determined by using pump duty parameters. $de:uacy chec"s of
condenser water are also needed often( and most units are designed for a typical *.>1 m;2hr
per TR (+ gpm 2 TR) condenser water flow.
&.&.! Integrated *art $oad -a"ue 'I*$-(
$lthough the "!2 TR can serve as an initial reference( it should not be ta"en as an absolute
since this value is based on a 1**C e:uipment capacity level and on design conditions that
are considered most critical. These conditions may only occur during C of the total time the
e:uipment is in operation throughout the year. ,or this reason( it is essential to have data that
reflects how the e:uipment operates with partial loads or under conditions that demand less
than 1**C capacity. To overcome this( an average "!2TR with partial loads has to be
determined( which is called the #ntegrated <art %oad 9alue (#<%9).
The #<%9 is the most appropriate reference( although not considered the best( because it only
captures four points within the operational cycle. 1**C( =6C( 6*C and )6C. ,urthermore( it
1;
+0aporator
>
Temperature ' C(
Refrigeration
2
Capacit 'tons(
Specific *o<er
Consumption
Increase in 4W5ton
'?(
6.*
*.*
-6.*
-1*.*
-)*.*
?=.68
6?.*=
+6.>8
;=.)*
);.1)
*.81
*.>+
1.*8
1.)6
1.?=
-
1?.*
;;.*
6+.*
1*?.*
assigns the same weight to each value( and most e:uipment operate between 6*C and =6C of
their capacity. This is why it is so important to prepare a specific analysis for each case that
addresses the four points mentioned( as well as developing a profile of the heat e-changerKs
operations during the year.
/. +N+R,) +FFICI+NC) O**ORTUNITI+S
This section includes areas for energy conservation in refrigeration plants.
/.1 Optimi3ation of *rocess #eat +@changers
There is a tendency to apply high safety margins to operations( which influence the
compressor suction pressure 2 evaporator set point. ,or instance( a process-cooling
re:uirement of 16 o4 would need chilled water at a lower temperature( but the range can vary
from ? o4 to about 1* o4. $t chilled water of 1* o4( the refrigerant side temperature has to be
lower (about 76o4 to @6o4). The refrigerant temperature determines the corresponding
suction pressure of the refrigerant( which in turn determines the inlet duty conditions for the
refrigerant compressor. $pplying the optimum 2 minimum driving force (temperature
difference) can thus help to reach the highest possible suction pressure at the compressor(
thereby minimi5ing energy consumption. This re:uires proper si5ing of heat transfer areas of
process heat e-changers and evaporators as well as rationali5ing the temperature re:uirement
to highest possible value. $ 1o4 raise in evaporator temperature can save almost ; C of the
power consumed. The TR capacity of the same machine will also increase with the
evaporator temperature( as given in the table below.
Ta8"e &. Tpica" 0a"ues i""ustrating the effect of 0ariation in e0aporator temperature on
the compressor po<er consumption (Eational <roductivity 4ouncil( unpublished)
* Condenser temperature '00C
#n order to rationali5e the heat transfer areas( the heat transfer coefficient on the refrige rant
side can range from 1+** 7)8** watts 2m)L. The refrigerant side heat transfer areas are of
the order of *.6 m)2TR and above in evaporators.
4ondensers in a refrigeration plant are critical e:uipment that influence the TR capacity and
power consumption demands. ,or any refrigerant( the condensation temperature and
corresponding condenser pressure are dependent on the heat transfer area( the effectiveness of
heat e-change and the type of cooling chosen. $ lower condensation temperature means that
the compressor has to wor" between a lower pressure differential as the discharge pressure is
fi-ed by design and performance of the condenser.
The choice of condensers in practice is between air-cooled( air-cooled with water spray( and
heat e-changer cooled. %arger shell and tube heat e-changers that are used as condensers and
1+
Condition
+0aporation
>
Temp ' C(
Condensation
>
Temp ' C(
Refrigeration
2
Capacit 'tons(
Specific *o<er
Consumption
'4W5ton(
Increase in
4W5Ton '?(
Eormal
/irty condenser
/irty evaporator
/irty condenser
and evaporator
=.)
=.)
1.=
1.=
+*.6
+?.1
+*.6
+?.1
1=.*
16.?
1;.8
1).=
*.?>
*.8+
*.8)
*.>?
-
)*.+
18.;
;8.=
Condensing
>
Temperature ' C(
Refrigeration
Capacit 'tons(
Specific *o<er
Consumption
'4W 5 TR(
Increase in 4W5TR
'?(
)?.=
;6.*
+*.*
;1.6
)1.+
)*.*
1.1=
1.)=
1.+1
-
8.6
)*.6
that are e:uipped with good cooling tower operations allow operation at low discharge
pressure values and improve the TR capacity of the refrigeration plant.
#f the refrigerant R)) is used in a water-cooled shell and tube condenser then the discharge
pressure is 16 "g2cm). #f the same refrigerant is used in an air-cooled condenser then the
discharge pressure is )* "g2cm). This shows how much additional compression duty is
re:uired( which results in almost ;* C additional energy consumption by the plant.
Bne of the best options at the design stage would be to select large si5ed (*.?6 m)2TR and
above) shell and tube condensers with water-cooling( rather than less e-pensive alternatives
li"e air cooled condensers or water spray atmospheric condenser units.
The effect of condenser temperature on refrigeration plant energy re:uirements is given in the
table below
Ta8"e A. Tpica" 0a"ues i""ustrating the effect of 0ariation in condenser temperature on
compressor po<er consumption (Eational <roductivity 4ouncil( unpublished)
* (eciprocatin) compressor usin) (- re%ri)erant.
Evaporator temperature -100C
/.! ;aintenance of #eat +@changer Surfaces
Bnce compressors have been purchased( effective maintenance is the "ey to optimi5ing
power consumption. Heat transfe r can also be improved by ensuring proper separation of the
lubricating oil and the refrigerant( timely defrosting of coils( and increasing the velocity of
the secondary coolant (air( water( etc.). However( increased velocity results in larger pressure
drops in the distribution system and higher power consumption in pumps 2 fans. Therefore(
careful analysis is re:uired to determine the optimum velocity.
,ouled condenser tubes force the compressor to wor" harder to attain the desired capacity.
,or e-ample( a *.8 mm scale build- up in condenser tubes can increase energy consumption
by as much as ;6 C. 3imilarly( fouled evaporators (due to residual lubricating oil or
infiltration of air) result in increased power consumption. ':ually important is proper
selection( si5ing( and maintenance of cooling towers. $ reduction of *.66o4 in temperature
of the water returning from the cooling tower reduces compressor power consumption by ;C.
Ta8"e B. Tpica" 0a"ues i""ustrating the effect of poor maintenance on compre ssor po<er
consumption (Eational <roductivity 4ouncil)
16
* 15 ton reciprocatin) compressor *ased s+stem. The po,er consumption is -o,er than that %or
s+stems t+pica--+ avai-a*-e in .ndia. /o,ever, the percenta)e chan)e in po,er consumption is
indicative o% the e%%ect o% poor maintenance.
/.& ;u"ti %Staging For +fficienc
'fficient compressor operation re:uires that the compression ratio be "ept low( to reduce
discharge pressure and temperature. ,or low temperature applications involving high
compression ratios( and for wide temperature range re:uirements( it is preferable (due to
e:uipment design limitations) and often economical to employ multi-stage reciprocating
machines or centrifugal 2 screw compressors.
There are two types of multi-staging systems( which are applicable to all types of
compressors. compound and cascade. !ith reciprocating or rotary compressors( two-stage
compressors are preferable for load temperatures from 7)*o4 to 768o4( and with centrifugal
machines for temperatures around 7+;o4.
#n a multi-stage operation( a first-stage compressor that si5ed to meet the cooling load( feeds
into the suction of a second-stage compressor after inter-cooling of the gas. $ part of the
high-pressure li:uid from the condenser is flashed and used for li:uid sub-cooling. The
second compressor( therefore( has to meet the load of the evaporator and the flash gas. $
single refrigerant is used in the system( and the two compressors share the compression tas"
e:ually. Therefore( a combination of two compressors with low compression ratios can
provide a high compression ratio.
,or temperatures in the range of 7+?o4 to 71*1o4( cascaded systems are preferable. #n this
system( two separate systems using different refrigerants are connected so that one reects
heat to the other. The main advantage of this system is that a low temperature refrigerant(
which has a high suction temperature and low specific volume( can be selected for the low-
stage to meet very low temperature re:uirements.
/./ ;atching Capacit to Sstem $oad
/uring part- load operation( the evaporator temperature rises and the condenser temperature
falls( effectively increasing the 4B<. &ut at the same time( deviation from the design
operation point and the fact that mechanical losses form a greater proportion of the total
power negate the effect of improved 4B<( resulting in lower part- load efficiency.
Therefore( consideration of part-load operation is important( because most refrigeration
applications have varying loads. The load may vary due to variations in temperature and
process cooling needs. Datching refrigeration capacity to the load is a difficult e-ercise(
re:uiring "nowledge of compressor performance( and variations in ambient conditions( and
detailed "nowledge of the cooling load.
/.9 Capacit Contro" and +nerg +fficienc
The capacity of compressors is controlled in a number of ways. 4apacity control of
reciprocating compressors through cylinder unloading results in incremental (step-by-step)
modulation. #n contrast( continuous modulation occurs in centrifugal compressors through
vane control and in screw compressors through sliding valves. Therefore( temperature control
re:uires careful system design. 1sually( when using reciprocating compressors in
1?
applications with widely varying loads( it is desirable to control the compressor by
monitoring the return water (or other secondary coolant) temperature rather than the
temperature of the water leaving the chiller. This prevents e-cessive on-off cycling or
unnecessary loading 2 unloading of the compressor. However( if load fluctuations are not
high( the temperature of the water leaving the chiller should be monitored. This has the
advantage of preventing operation at very low water temperatures( especially when flow
reduces at low loads. The outgoing water temperature should be monitored for centrifugal
and screw chillers.
4apacity regulation through speed control is the most efficient option. However( when
employing speed control for reciprocating compressors( it should be ensured that the
lubrication system is not affected. #n the case of centrifugal compressors( it is usually
desirable to restrict speed control to about 6* C of the capacity to prevent surging. &elow
6*C( vane control or hot gas bypass can be used for capacity modulation.
The efficiency of screw compressors operating at part load is generally higher than either
centrifugal compressors or reciprocating compressors( which may ma"e them attractive in
situations where part- load operation is common. 3crew compressor performance can be
optimi5ed by changing the volume ratio. #n some cases( this may result in higher full- load
efficiencies as compared to reciprocating and centrifugal compressors. $lso( the ability of
screw compressors to tolerate oil and li:uid refrigerant slugs ma"es them preferred in some
situations.
/.= ;u"ti %"e0e" Refrigeration for *"ant Needs
The selection of refrigeration systems also depends on the range of temperatures re:uired in
the plant. ,or diverse applications re:uiring a wide range of temperatures( it is generally
more economical to provide several pac"aged units (several units distributed throughout the
plant) instead of one large central plant. $nother advantage would be the fle-ibility and
reliability. The selection of pac"aged units could also be made depending on the distance at
which cooling loads need to be met. <ac"aged units at load centers reduce distribution losses
in the system. /espite the advantages of pac"aged units( central plants generally have lower
power consumption since at reduced loads power consumption can reduce significantly due
to the large condenser and evaporator surfaces.
Dany industries use a ban" of compressors at a central location to meet the load. 1sually
the chillers feed into a common header from which branch lines are ta"en to different
locations in the plant. #n such situations( operation at part- load re:uires e-treme care. ,or
efficient operation( the cooling load( and the load on each chiller must be monitored closely.
#t is more efficient to operate a single chiller at full load than to operate two chillers at part-
load. The distribution system should be designed such that individual chillers can
feed all branch lines. #solation valves must be provided to ensure that chilled
water (or other coolant) does not flow through chillers not in operation. 9alves
should also be provided on branch lines to isolate sections where cooling is not re:uired. This
reduces pressure drops in the system and reduces power consumption in the pumping system.
#ndividual compressors should be loaded to their full capacity before operating the second
compressor. #n some cases it is economical to provide a separate smaller capacity chiller(
which can be operated on an on-off control to meet pea" demands( with larger chillers
meeting the base load.
1=
,low control is also commonly used to meet varying demands. #n such cases the savings in
pumping at reduced flow should be weighed against the reduced heat transfer in coils due to
reduced velocity. #n some cases( operation at normal flow rates( with subse:uent longer
periods of no- load (or shut-off) operation of the compressor( may result in larger savings.
/.A Chi""ed Water Storage
/epending on the nature of the load( it is economical to provide a chilled water storage
facility with very good cold insulation. $lso( the storage facility can be fully filled to meet
the process re:uirements so that chillers need not be operated continuously. This system is
usually economical if small variations in temperature are acceptable. This system has the
added advantage of allowing the chillers to be operated at periods of low electricity demand
to reduce pea" demand charges. %ow tariffs offered by some electric utilities for operation at
nighttime can also be ta"en advantage of by using a storage facility. $n added benefit is that
lower ambient temperature at night lowers condenser temperature and thereby increases the
4B<.
#f temperature variations cannot be tolerated( it may not be economical to provide a storage
facility since the secondary coolant would have to be stored at a temperature much lower than
re:uired to provide for heat gain. The additional cost of cooling to a lower temperature may
offset the benefits. The solutions are case specific. ,or e-ample( in some cases it may be
possible to employ large heat e-changers( at a lower cost burden than low temperature chiller
operation( to ta"e advantage of the storage facility even when temperature variations are not
acceptable. #ce ban" systems( which store ice rather than water( are often economical.
/.B Sstem Design Features
#n overall plant design( adoption of good practices improves the energy efficiency
significantly. 3ome areas for consideration are.

/esign of cooling towers with ,R< impellers and film fills( <94 drift eliminators( etc.
1se of softened water for condensers in place of raw water.
1se of economic insulation thic"ness on cold lines( heat e-changers( considering cost of
heat gains and adopting practices li"e infrared thermography for monitoring - applicable
especially in large chemical 2 fertili5er 2 process industry.
$doption of roof coatings 2 cooling systems( false ceilings 2 as applicable( to minimi5e
refrigeration load.
$doption of energy efficient heat recovery devices li"e air to air heat e-changers to pre-
cool the fresh air by indirect heat e-changeM control of relative humidity through indirect
heat e-change rather than use of duct heaters after chilling.
$dopting of variable air volume systemsM adopting of sun film application for heat reflectionM
optimi5ing lighting loads in the air conditioned areasM optimi5ing number of air changes in
the air conditioned areas are few other e-amples.
18
9. O*TION C#+CC$IST
This section includes most important energy efficiency options.

4old #nsulation. #nsulate all cold lines 2 vessels using economic insulation thic"ness to
minimi5e heat gainsM and choose appropriate (correct) insulation.
&uilding 'nvelope. Bptimi5e air conditioning volumes by measures such as use of false
ceiling and segregation of critical areas for air conditioning by air curtains.
&uilding Heat %oads Dinimi5ation. minimi5e the air conditioning loads by measures such
as roof cooling( roof painting( efficient lighting( pre-cooling of fresh air by air- to-air heat
e-changers( variable volume air system( optimal thermo-static setting of temperature of
air conditioned spaces( sun film applications( etc.
<rocess Heat %oads Dinimi5ation. Dinimi5e process heat loads in terms of TR capacity
as well as refrigeration level( i.e.( temperature re:uired( by way of.
,low optimi5ation
Heat transfer area increase to accept higher temperature coolant
$voiding wastages li"e heat gains( loss of chilled water( idle flows.
,re:uent cleaning 2 de-scaling of all heat e-changers
$t the Refrigeration $24 <lant $rea.
'nsure regular maintenance of all $24 plant components as per manufacturer
guidelines.
'nsure ade:uate :uantity of chilled water and cooling water flows and avoid
bypass flows by closing valves of idle e:uipment.
Dinimi5e part load operations by matching loads and plant capacity on line
and adopt variable speed drives for varying process load.
Da"e efforts to continuously optimi5e condenser and evaporator parameters
for minimi5ing specific energy consumption and ma-imi5ing capacity.
$dopt a 9$R system where economics permit as a non-4,4 solution.
'nsure that the $4 does not get overloaded and chec" the fuse or circuit brea"er if the
$4 does not operate.
Replace or clean the filter and clean the evaporator and condenser coils regularly( for the
air conditioner to cool efficiently.
4lean the thermostat regularly and replace it if necessary.
#f a compressor does not wor" properly( call a service person immediately
$ny noise that your $4 ma"es needs to be chec"ed by your mechanic.
$ good air filter will e-tend the life of your air conditioner because the important parts(
li"e the blower assembly( the cooling coil( and other inner parts will stay cleaner( operate
more efficiently and last longer.
$void fre:uent opening of doors2windows. $ door "ept open can result in doubling the
power consumption of your $4.
'nsure direct sunlight and heat do not enter the air-conditioned space( particularly in the
afternoons.
Dost people believe that a thermostat set to a lower temperature than desired will force
your air-conditioner to cool faster( not really( all it does( is ma"e your air-conditioner
operate for longer. Doreover( you will have an unnecessarily chilly room and wasted
power. 'very degree lower on the temperature setting results in an e-tra ;-+C of power
consumed. Hence( once you found yourself a comfortable temperature and set the
thermostat at that level( avoid changing the thermostat settings.
1>

Bnce an air-conditioning system has been designed and installed avoid any maor change
in the heat-load on the $4. This will add to wasted power
$ clogged drain line is usually caused by algae (the green moss- li"e stuffN) build-up
inside the drain line. The air handler provides a cool( damp environment for development
of molds and mildew and if left untreated these growths can spread into your ductwor".
Aet rid of these molds by using a disinfectant (consult your dealer). Da"e sure that the
face of the cooling or evaporator coil is clean so that air can pass through freely.
#f you have an air return duct in a hot area such as an attic or garage( ma"e sure that this
duct is not bro"en( split( or disconnected and suc"ing in hot air.
!indow unit should tilt down slightly on the outside. The part that removes humidity
(where water accumulates) is the front coil( which is inside your home. Eormally( there is
a trough and2or a drain tube that lets the water run to the rear of the unit. #f the drain gets
clogged( water will bac" up and lea" inside. $s" your mechanic to clean the chassis and
ma"e sure all screws are tight.
Heat load can be reduced by "eeping a false ceiling in offices. 4urtains2 blinds 2sun film
on windows reduces heat input into the room. #nsulating the ceiling( which is e-posed to
the sun with 6*- mm thermocole drastically( reduces heat input into the room.
4hec" for duct lea"s and crushed ductwor". $ll air lea"s should be sealed with a good
:uality duct sealant (not duct tape).
#nspect the chiller as recommended by the chiller manufacturer. Typically( this should be
done at least :uarterly.
Routinely inspect for refrigerant lea"s.
4hec" the compressor operating pressures.
4hec" all oil levels and pressures.
'-amine all motor voltages and amps.
4hec" all electrical starters( contactors( and relays.
4hec" all hot gas and unloader operations.
1se superheat and subcooling temperature readings to obtain a chillerKs ma-imum
efficiency.
Ta"e discharge line temperature readings.
3ome DRu"es of Thum8Eare.

Refrigeration capacity reduces by ? percent for every ;.6 O4 increase in condensing

temperature.
Reducing condensing temperature by 6.6 O4 results in a )*7)6 percent decrease in
compressor power consumption.
$ reduction of *.66 O4 in cooling water temperature at condenser inlet reduces
compressor power consumption by ; percent.
1 mm scale build-up on condenser tubes can increase energy consumption by +* percent.
6.6 O4 increase in evaporator temperature reduces compressor power consumption by )*7
)6 percent.
)*
Refrigeration compressor Units
;achine reference
1 ! & /
1. Da"e
). Type
;. 4apacity (of cooling) TR
+. Chi""er:
$. Eo. of tubes --
&. /ia. of tubes m
4. Total heat transfer area
)
m
/. 4hilled water flow
;
m 2hr
'. 4hilled water temp. difference O4
6. Condenser:
$. Eo. of tubes
&. /ia. of tubes
4. Total heat transfer area m
/. 4ondenser water flow
;
m 2hr
'. 4ondenser water temp. diff. O4
?. Chi""ed <ater pump:
$. Eos. --
&. 4apacity
;
m 2hr
4. Head developed m!4
/. Rated power "!
'. Rated efficiency C
=. Condenser <ater pump:
$. Eos. --
&. 4apacity
;
m 2hr
4. Head developed m!4
/. Rated power "!
'. Rated efficiency C
S
e
c
t
i
o
n
n
o
.
=. WORCS#++TS
This section includes following wor"sheets.

Refrigeration P $4 3ystem Rated 3pecifications

Refrigeration <lant <erformance
Wor4sheet 1: R+FRI,+RATION AND AC S)ST+; RAT+D S*+CIFICATIONS
)1
No
*arameter reference Units
Refrigeration
compressor reference
1 ! & /
1. 4hilled water flow (using a flow meter or
assessed by level difference)
;
m 2hr
). 4hilled water pump motor input power "!
;. 4hilled water pump suction pressure
)
"g2cm g
+. 4hilled water pump discharge pressure
)
"g2cm g
6. 4hiller water inlet temperature to chiller O4
?. 4hiller water outlet temperature from chiller O4
=. 4ondenser water inlet temperature O4
8. 4ondenser pump suction pressure
)
"g2cm
>. 4ondenser pump discharge pressure
)
"g2cm
1*. 4ondenser water outlet temperature O4
11. 4hiller (evaporator) outlet refrigerant
temperature
O4
1). Refrigerant pressure
)
"g2cm (
or psig)
1;. 4ondenser inlet refrigerant temperature O4
1+. Refrigerant pressure
)
"g2cm (
or psig)
16. $ctual cooling capacity
Q(1)R(?-6)2;*)+S
TR
1?. 4B<
Q112(1*-11)S
--
1=. 4ompressor motor input power "!
18. 3pecific energy consumption "!2TR
1>. #nput power to 4T fan "!
)*. #nput power to chilled water pumps in
operation
"!
)1. #nput power to condenser water pumps in
operation
"!
)). Bverall system specific power consumption
Q()@1=@1>@)*)216S
"!2TR
Wor4sheet !: R+FRI,+RATION *$ANT *+RFOR;ANC+
))
A. R+F+R+NC+S
$merican 3ociety Heating Refrigeration and $ir 4onditioning. AS/(AE /and 0oo!. )**1
$rora( 4.<. (e%ri)eration and Air Conditionin). 3econd edition. Tata DcAraw-Hill
<ublishing 4ompany %td. )***.
&ureau of 'nergy 'fficiency( Dinistry of <ower( #ndia. /1AC and (e%ri)eration S+stems. #n.
'nergy 'fficiency in 'lectrical 1tilities( chapter +. )**+
4ompare #ndia. www.compareindia.com
Dunters. Pre-Coo-in) o% 2as Tur*ines 3Evaporative Coo-in). )**1.
www.munters.com2home.nsf2,31JRead,ormPcontentH2products.nsf2&yLey2BH$$-
66A3!H
Eational <roductivity 4ouncil( Dinistry of #ndustries( #ndia. Techno-o)+ 4enu on Ener)+
E%%icienc+.
<lant 3ervices Daga5ine. www.plantservices.com
13 /epartment of 'nergy( 'nergy 'fficiency and Renewable 'nergy. www.eere.energy.gov
);
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