Os sistemas térmicos operam na maior parte do tempo fora de suas condições nominais de projeto. Nos sistemas de refrigeração industrial, a operação com carga térmica parcial ocorre em função de diversos fatores e o consumo de energia apresenta grande variação em função do ciclo de operação. Neste trabalho é proposta a otimização energética dos sistemas frigoríficos por compressão a vapor através da operação com regime variável para o ciclo frigorífico, especificamente através da operação com set-point de temperatura de evaporação variável. Para tanto é desenvolvido um modelo matemático para simulação dinâmica de um sistema de refrigeração industrial por compressão a vapor com refrigerante amônia (R-717) para o congelamento de alimentos composto basicamente de túnel de congelamento por circulação forçada de ar, evaporador com recirculação de líquido, reservatório de líquido a baixa pressão, compressores parafuso e condensador evaporativo atmosférico. São analisados através de simulação dois métodos para a variação do setpoint de temperatura de evaporação: a máxima temperatura de evaporação admissível e a minimização da potência no compressor. Os dois métodos são comparados ao sistema de controle de capacidade atualmente utilizado em instalações industriais. / Thermal systems operate most of the time at off-design conditions. In industrial refrigeration systems, the operation in partial loads occurs for many different reasons and the power consumption is a function of the refrigeration cycle pressures. This work proposes an energetic optimization of the compression refrigeration systems by the operation with a variable refrigeration cycle, specifically, by the operation with a variable suction temperature set-point. For this purpose it is developed a mathematical model for dynamic simulation of a industrial refrigeration compression system for food freezing with ammonia refrigerant (R717) formed by an air blast belt freezer, liquid overfeed evaporators, low pressure receiver, screw compressors and evaporative condenser. Two procedures for the suction temperature set-point variation are analyzed by simulation: the maximum suction temperature permitted and the compressor power consumption minimization. Both methods are compared with the capacity control system used in present industrial facilities.

Artificial ground freezing (AGF) is a process used to strengthen soil and rock by freezing trapped pore water. Freezing is accomplished by pumping calcium chloride brine, chilled to approximately – 30˚C in ammonia refrigeration plants, through heat exchangers drilled into the ground. A knowledge gap exists in the field of AGF regarding the relationship between the performance of the refrigeration plants and the ground heat removal process. The coupling of these two aspects of AGF requires knowledge of the plant’s refrigeration capacity as a function of many factors; the most important of which is the temperature of the brine returning from the freeze pipes. However, refrigeration plant manufacturers do not provide sufficient information about the plant’s performance as a function of brine temperature. Typically, AGF plants are only rated at one operating point due to the impracticality in experimentally rating such large plants and the lack of any standard test methods. Refrigeration system models available in the existing literature do not emulate the compressor control system responsible for preventing compressor overloading. Therefore, the goal of this research is to develop a model that can predict the performance of an AGF refrigeration plant over a range of operating points, using plant specifications that are readily available in the documentation provided by the manufacturer of the plant. To fill the knowledge gap, a thermodynamic model is developed of an existing 1500 TR AGF plant at Cameco’s Cigar Lake mine. The Cigar Lake plant uses flooded shell-and-tube evaporators, two-stage economized twin screw compressors, and air cooled condensers packaged into five refrigeration modules. Each component in the system, including the evaporator, compressor, and condenser, is modeled individually, and then the individual models are combined to calculate the overall system capacity. The model emulates the behavior of the compressor’s slide valves, which are used to limit the plant capacity, limit suction pressure, control intermediate pressure, and control the discharge pressures in the system. In addition, the model accounts for the effects of the oil injection into the screw compressors, which cools the compressors and seals the spaces between the lobes of the compressor rotors. The model is validated using operating data from the Cigar Lake plant, which was collected over a period of eight months by plant operators. After calibration, the modeled plant capacities and the temperature of the brine leaving the refrigeration plant are found to be in agreement with the measured capacities and brine temperatures. The overall plant capacity results match measured capacities within ±14%, and the predicted brine temperatures match the measured values leaving the plant within ±5%. The modeled capacities match the measured capacities within the uncertainty in the measured data. The simulation of the Cigar Lake plant demonstrates that the performance of the plant is highly dependent upon the temperature of the brine returning to the plant. For example, a ±10% change in brine temperature causes a 22% overall change in the capacity of the refrigeration plant. The simulation also demonstrates that, even with the plant’s air cooled condensers, changes in the ambient temperature have little effect on the performance of the plant with the existing equipment. Furthermore, the results show that the selected suction pressure of the second compression stage, or intermediate pressure, affects the performance of the refrigeration plant. These findings lead to important plant performance optimization opportunities. An optimization study using the model demonstrates that, by selecting a lower intermediate temperature than what the existing literature suggests, an improvement in overall refrigeration plant capacity of 3% can be achieved. Additional simulations identify the brine tank, which allows for different brine flow rates to exist on the field and plant side of the tank, as an inefficient component in the system. The brine tank not only cools the brine returning from the field before it is pumped to the refrigeration modules but it allows heat to be transferred between the warm and cold brine. By eliminating the tank, plumbing all of the refrigeration modules in parallel, and installing appropriately sized evaporators, the capacity of the refrigeration plant can be increased by 17%. Further capacity gains can be realized by upgrading the evaporators to increase their capacity.

Os sistemas térmicos operam na maior parte do tempo fora de suas condições nominais de projeto. Nos sistemas de refrigeração industrial, a operação com carga térmica parcial ocorre em função de diversos fatores e o consumo de energia apresenta grande variação em função do ciclo de operação. Neste trabalho é proposta a otimização energética dos sistemas frigoríficos por compressão a vapor através da operação com regime variável para o ciclo frigorífico, especificamente através da operação com set-point de temperatura de evaporação variável. Para tanto é desenvolvido um modelo matemático para simulação dinâmica de um sistema de refrigeração industrial por compressão a vapor com refrigerante amônia (R-717) para o congelamento de alimentos composto basicamente de túnel de congelamento por circulação forçada de ar, evaporador com recirculação de líquido, reservatório de líquido a baixa pressão, compressores parafuso e condensador evaporativo atmosférico. São analisados através de simulação dois métodos para a variação do setpoint de temperatura de evaporação: a máxima temperatura de evaporação admissível e a minimização da potência no compressor. Os dois métodos são comparados ao sistema de controle de capacidade atualmente utilizado em instalações industriais. / Thermal systems operate most of the time at off-design conditions. In industrial refrigeration systems, the operation in partial loads occurs for many different reasons and the power consumption is a function of the refrigeration cycle pressures. This work proposes an energetic optimization of the compression refrigeration systems by the operation with a variable refrigeration cycle, specifically, by the operation with a variable suction temperature set-point. For this purpose it is developed a mathematical model for dynamic simulation of a industrial refrigeration compression system for food freezing with ammonia refrigerant (R717) formed by an air blast belt freezer, liquid overfeed evaporators, low pressure receiver, screw compressors and evaporative condenser. Two procedures for the suction temperature set-point variation are analyzed by simulation: the maximum suction temperature permitted and the compressor power consumption minimization. Both methods are compared with the capacity control system used in present industrial facilities.

The increasing price of oil and the destabilisation of the world’s climate are urging governments, businesses and individuals to constantly investigate energy-efficient technologies and methodologies and pursue the adoption of energy efficiency programmes in a global effort to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately energy costs. In New Zealand, one of the biggest industrial energy efficiency projects was started in 2002 by a multinational dairy company, the Fonterra Co-operative Group, in partnership with the energy service company Demand Response Ltd; the project currently aims at reducing by 15% the energy costs at all Fonterra’s major production sites throughout the country. This thesis, undertaken as part of the above project, examines the development and implementation of a structured and integrated energy monitoring and targeting methodology (M&T) for the most efficient operation of all Fonterra’s chilled water systems, with an initial focus on the ones installed at Clandeboye, one of the Fonterra’s sites involved in the energy saving project. A data collection system (Insite) was already in place at Clandeboye to enable storage and analysis of some of the site’s utility metering data. After identification of key chilled water system components and definition of data requirements for M&T purposes, an analysis of past energy consumption trends (based on multiple regression calculations) was carried out to develop an historical benchmark of the energy used, compare it with current energy performance and thus identify opportunities for future improvements. The creation of an M&T reporting system for presenting findings to operators and management was the last essential part of the thesis development. The study has highlighted that the robustness of the proposed regression model was badly affected by the unreliability of the existing data collection system and the uncertainty associated with poorly documented changes to operating conditions/plant configuration that had occurred over time. The conclusion is that, while the developed M&T methodology is theoretically valid and readily applicable, further developments are necessary (and recommended) to make it suitable for other similar systems.

Studien är utförd åt Freezing Food Småland Öland AB. Syftet med undersökningen var att ge förslag på åtgärder som minskar anläggningens energibehov samt att beräkna återbetalningstid för åtgärder. Genom användningen av simuleringsprogramvara tillsammans med data från praktiska mätningar så testades olika förändringar i anläggningen. Studien resulterade i förslag på en höjning av frysrumstemperaturen och temperaturen i LTB1. Dessa åtgärder höjer anläggningens köldfaktor och minskar energibehovet. Förslag för att få bukt på istillväxten är att isolera av komponenter så som rör och ventiler. Isolering ger en energibesparing och en minskad risk för korrosion. Genom belastningstester framkom det att kompressorerna arbetar ofördelaktigt så förslag på lämpliga driftområden togs fram för att öka verkningsgraden och minska underhållskostnaderna och energibehovet. Anläggningen visade sig vara väl dimensionerad mot transmissionsförluster men att golvvärmen står för en oproportionerligt stor del av förlusterna i förhållande till dess yta. / The study is conducted for Freezing Food Småland Öland AB. The purpose of the study was to propose measures to decrease the facility’s energy demand and to calculate the payback time for these suggestions. By means of using simulation software along with data from practical measurements different configurations in the facility were tested. The study resulted in suggestions consisting of an increase of the temperature in the freezing room and the temperature in LTB1.Those suggestions increases the facilities COP and decreases the energy consumption. Proposals to curb the ice growth are the insulation of components such as pipes and valves. Insulation results in a small decrease in energy demand but greatly increases the accessibility and also decreases the risk of corrosion. Through load tests conducted on the compressors it showed that the compressors were not driven in the optimal load range, suggestions were made for operation in a more favourable load range. Thus increasing the efficiency and cutting the maintenance costs. From the results it is shown that the facility is well built and dimensioned against thermal transmission. Though it turned out that the floor heating accounts for a disproportionate amount of the thermal transmission.