This study aims to simulate a vapor compression refrigeration cycle, working with either butane (R-600) or isobutane (R-600a). For this purpose a computer program is written to design a household refrigerator, by modeling a steady-state, vapor compression cycle, with user defined input data. Each refrigerator component can be designed separately, as well as parts of a single refrigeration system in the program. In order to determine the refrigerant thermophysical properties at different states, least squares polynomial equations for different properties of R-600 and R-600a have been developed. Computer program is used for refrigeration cycle analysis, variable speed compressor design and calculating coefficient of performance (COP) and irreversibility of the cycle. Sample-preliminary designs have been carried out for different refrigeration loads, room and cold space temperatures with the program, to compare the performance characteristics of the refrigerants. Designs have been performed at different refrigeration loads, room and cold space temperatures. It is observed that for the same conditions R-600 has slightly better performance characteristics than those of R-600a.

El tubo capilar con intercambio de calor líquido-succión (CT-LSHX) es un componente ampliamente utilizado en refrigeradores domésticos. Trabajos recientes han indicado que la entrada del tubo capilar era bifásica, aunque condiciones subenfriadas estaban medidas a la salida del condensador. El objetivo de esta tesis doctoral es examinar las condiciones reales a la entrada del tubo capilar de un refrigerador doméstico mediante el uso de un banco de pruebas innovador. Se instalaron tubos transparentes a la salida del condensador y a la entrada del tubo capilar con el fin de visualizar el flujo. La campaña de visualización experimental revela que el flujo a la entrada del tubo capilar era bifásico a pesar de la medición de un cierto subenfriamiento, independientemente de la posición del filtro instalado a la entrada del capilar (horizontal o vertical), la dirección del flujo (hacia arriba o hacia abajo) y la carga de refrigerante. Este estudio demuestra también que el filtro no estaba actuando como un acumulador ya que el nivel de líquido del capilar siempre siguió la entrada del tubo capilar, independientemente de la longitud del tubo capilar dentro del filtro. Se plantearon dos hipótesis para explicar el fenómeno: una condición de no equilibrio del refrigerante y/o un desequilibrio entre el caudal másico del compresor y del capilar, es decir, el sistema estaría equipado con un capilar no bastante restrictivo en comparación con las necesidades del compresor. El condensador original refrigerante-aire fue reemplazado por un condensador refrigerante-agua para evaluar, a partir del balance de calor en el condensador de agua, las condiciones del refrigerante a la salida del condensador y, por lo tanto, a la entrada del tubo capilar. Las mediciones indican un flujo bifásico no equilibrado compuesto de vapor y líquido subenfriados a la entrada del tubo capilar. Para verificar si la presencia de flujo bifásico se debía a un desequilibrio entre el caudal másico del compresor y del capilar, el diseño del banco de prueba se modificó utilizando un diámetro de tubo capilar más pequeño y aumentando la velocidad del compresor. Con esta nueva configuración, se alcanzó a llenar de líquido el filtro y, por lo tanto, tener condiciones exclusivamente líquidas a la entrada del tubo capilar. Se realizó una comparación de prestaciones entre un flujo bifásico y un flujo únicamente líquido a la entrada del capilar. Los resultados revelan que el COP fue mayor cuando la entrada del capilar era sólo líquida. / El tub capil·lar amb intercanvi de calor líquid-succió (CT-LSHX) és un component àmpliament utilitzat en refrigeradors domèstics. Treballs recents han indicat que l'entrada del tub capil·lar era bifàsica, encara que condicions sub-refredades estaven mesurades a l'eixida del condensador. L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi doctoral és examinar les condicions reals a l'entrada del tub capil·lar d'un refrigerador domèstic mitjançant l'ús d'un banc de proves innovador. Es van instal·lar tubs transparents a l'eixida del condensador i a l'entrada del tub capil·lar amb la finalitat de visualitzar el flux. La campanya de visualització experimental revela que el flux a l'entrada del tub capil·lar era bifàsic malgrat el mesurament d'un cert sub-refredament, independentment de la posició del filtre instal·lat a l'entrada del capil·lar (horitzontal o vertical), la direcció del flux (cap amunt o cap avall) i la càrrega de refrigerant. Aquest estudi demostra també que el filtre no estava actuant com un acumulador ja que el nivell de líquid del capil·lar sempre va seguir l'entrada del tub capil·lar, independentment de la longitud del tub capil·lar dins del filtre. Es van plantejar dues hipòtesis per a explicar el fenomen: una condició de no equilibri del refrigerant i/o un desequilibri entre el cabal màssic del compressor i del capil·lar, és a dir, el sistema estaria equipat amb un capil·lar no bastant restrictiu en comparació amb les necessitats del compressor. El condensador original refrigerant-aire va ser reemplaçat per un condensador refrigerant-aigua per a avaluar, a partir del balanç de calor en el condensador d'aigua, les condicions del refrigerant a l'eixida del condensador i, per tant, a l'entrada del tub capil·lar. Els mesuraments indiquen un flux bifàsic no equilibrat compost de vapor i líquid sub-refredats a l'entrada del tub capil·lar. Per a verificar si la presència de flux bifàsic es devia a un desequilibri entre el cabal màssic del compressor i del capil·lar, el disseny del banc de prova es va modificar utilitzant un diàmetre de tub capil·lar més xicotet i augmentant la velocitat del compressor. Amb aquesta nova configuració, es va aconseguir omplir de líquid el filtre i, per tant, tindre condicions exclusivament líquides a l'entrada del tub capil·lar. Es va realitzar una comparació de prestacions entre un flux bifàsic i un flux únicament líquid a l'entrada del capil·lar. Els resultats revelen que el COP va ser major quan l'entrada del capil·lar era només líquida. / Capillary tube with liquid-to-suction heat exchanger (CT-LSHX) is a component widely used in household refrigerators. Recent works have indicated that even when measuring subcooled conditions at the condenser outlet, the actual capillary tube inlet is two phase-flow. The aim of this PhD thesis is to examine the actual conditions at the capillary tube inlet of a household refrigerator by using an innovative test bench. Transparent tubes were set up at the condenser outlet and capillary tube inlet. The experimental visualisation campaign reveals that the capillary tube inlet was two-phase flow despite the measurement of a certain subcooling, regardless of the filter position (horizontal or vertical), flow direction (upward or downward) and refrigerant charge. This study also demonstrates that the filter was not acting as an accumulator since the liquid level of the capillary always followed the capillary tube entrance, regardless of the capillary tube length inside the filter. Two hypotheses were then posed to explain the phenomenon: a non-equilibrium condition of the refrigerant and/or an unbalanced matching between compressor and capillary tube, that is, the system would be equipped with a capillary tube with a notably large expansion capacity compared to the needs of the compressor. The original refrigerant-to-air condenser was replaced by a refrigerant-to-water condenser to assess, from the heat balance at the water condenser, the refrigerant conditions at the condenser outlet and therefore, at the capillary tube inlet. Measurements indicate a non-equilibrium two-phase flow composed of subcooled vapour and liquid at the capillary tube inlet. To verify if the presence of two-phase flow was due to unbalanced matching between the capillary tube and compressor, the test bench design was modified by using a smaller capillary tube diameter and increasing compressor speed. Fully liquid conditions at the capillary tube inlet were reached with this new configuration. A performance analysis comparison between a capillary tube inlet composed of vapour and liquid and a capillary tube inlet composed of only liquid was also performed. Results reveal that COP were higher in cases of fully liquid conditions at the capillary tube inlet. / Bardoulet, LV. (2018). Non-adiabatic capillary tubes in high efficiency household refrigerator: an experimental study [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/113170 / TESIS

Orientador: André Luiz Seixlack / Resumo: Evaporadores são trocadores de calor usados em sistemas de refrigeração com a função de transferir calor do ambiente a ser refrigerado. As baixas temperaturas de operação desses trocadores de calor favorecem a formação de geada sobre suas superfícies. O acúmulo de geada, dependendo de sua espessura, pode reduzir a capacidade de refrigeração do evaporador e, consequentemente, reduzir também o desempenho do sistema de refrigeração. Neste trabalho apresenta-se um modelo distribuído para analisar a influência da formação e do adensamento de geada sobre o desempenho de evaporadores do tipo tubo-aletado, comumente usados em refrigeradores frost-free. O escoamento do fluido refrigerante no interior dos tubos é considerado unidimensional e dividido em duas regiões: uma de escoamento bifásico e outra de vapor superaquecido. A queda de pressão do escoamento no interior dos tubos é considerada. As equações fundamentais de conservação da massa, da quantidade de movimento e de conservação de energia são usadas para modelar o escoamento do fluido refrigerante. Na região bifásica o escoamento é analisado segundo o modelo homogêneo. A equação da conservação da energia na parede do tubo também é resolvida, para o cálculo da distribuição de temperatura ao longo dessa parede. Do lado do ar, os princípios de conservação da massa, quantidade de movimento e de conservação da energia são empregados para simular a formação e crescimento da geada sobre a superfície do evaporador. O sistema de equaçõe... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Evaporators are heat exchangers of the refrigeration systems used to transfer heat from the refrigerated environment. Their low operating temperatures favour the frost formation on their surfaces. Frost accumulation, depending on its thickness, can reduce the evaporator cooling capacity and, consequently, also reduce the refrigeration system performance. This work presents a distributed model to analyze the influence of formation and frost densification on the performance of tube-finned evaporators, commonly used in “no-frost” household refrigerators. The refrigerant flow inside the tubes is taken as one-dimensional and divided in a two-phase flow region and a superheated vapor flow region. The pressure drop inside the tubes is considered. The fundamental equations of mass conservation, momentum, and energy conservation are used in order to model the refrigerant flow. The homogeneous flow model is employed for the two-phase flow region. The energy conservation equation for the evaporator tube wall is also solved to obtain of wall temperature distribution. On the air side, the principles of mass conservation, momentum and conservation of energy are employed to simulate the formation and frost growth on the evaporator surface. The system of equations is integrated numerically and solved iteratively by successive substitutions. Comparisons between numerical results obtained in this work and experiments available in open literature show good agreement. Considering the entire rang... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

This thesis is based on eight articles all related to the characteristics of the cooling system and plate evaporator of a household refrigerator. Through these articles, knowledge is provided that can be used to increase the operational efficiency in household refrigeration. Papers A, B and C focus on heat transfer and pressure drop in a commonly used free convection evaporator – the plate evaporator. Applicable correlations are suggested on how to estimate the air side heat transfer, the refrigerant side pressure drop and the refrigerant side heat transfer. Papers D, E and F hold a unique experimental study of the refrigerant charge distribution in the cooling system at transient and steady state conditions. From this cyclic losses are identified and estimated and ways to overcome them are suggested. In paper G the topic “charging and throttling” is investigated in an unparalleled experimental study based on more than 600 data points at different quantities of charge and expansions device capacities. It results in recommendations on how to optimize the capillary tube length and the quantity of refrigerant charge. Finally, Paper H holds a thermographic study of the overall cooling system operating at transient conditions. Overall, a potential to lower the energy use by as much as 25 % was identified in the refrigerator studied. About 10 % was found on the evaporator’s air side. 1-2 % was identified as losses related to the edge effect of the evaporator plate. About 8 % was estimated to be cyclic losses. About 5 % was found in cycle length optimization.  It is believed that most of these findings are of general interest for the whole field of household refrigeration even though the results come from one type of refrigerator. Suggestions of simple means to reduce the losses without increasing the unit price are provided within the thesis / <p>QC 20120411</p>