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LPG 1 PDF
LPG 1 PDF
ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
IJESRT
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES & RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGY
Design of LPG Refrigeration System and Comparative Energy Analysis with Domestic
Refrigerator
Ibrahim Hussain Shah 1, Kundan Gupta*2
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department,Institute of Engineering and Technology,
Devi Ahilya Vishvavidhyalaya,Indore (M.P.)
*2
M.E. Student (Design and Thermal), Mechanical Engineering Department, Institute of Engineering and
Technology,Devi Ahilya Vishvavidhyalaya, Indore (M.P)
gupta.kundan660@gmail.com
Abstract
1
Supply of continuous electricity is still not available in several areas of the country and the world. At such
places, this work will be helpful for refrigreration of food, medicines, etc... In this work we have investigated the
performance of a refrigerator based on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refrigerant since LPG is locally available and
is easy to transport anywhere. LPG is a byproduct in petroleum refineries and comprises of 24.4% propane, 56.4%
butane and 17.2% isobutene which have very low boiling point (lower than 0 oC). The use of LPG for refrigeration
purpose can be environment friendly since it has no ozone depletion potential (ODP). Usually LPG is used as a fuel
for cooking food in houses, restraurants, hotels, etc.. and the combustion products of LPG are CO2 and H2O.
In this project we have designed and analysed a refrigerator using LPG as refrigerant. LPG is available in
cylinders at high pressure. When this high pressure LPG is passed through the capillary tube of small internal
diameter, the pressure of LPG is dropped due to expansion and phase change of LPG occurs in an isoenthalpic
process. Due to phase change from liquid to gas latent heat is gained by the liquid refrigerant and the temperature
drops. In this way LPG can produce refrigerating effect for a confined space.
From experimental investigations, we have found that the COP of a refrigerator which uses LPG is higher
than a domestic refrigerator.
Keywords: LPG Refrigeration, LPG, Capillary tube, Evaporator, COP, VCR, Refrigerating Effect.
Introduction
Although government agencies are not able
to continuously supply a major portion of electricity
in both the urban as well as in rural areas. Still the
people in these regions require refrigeration for a
variety of socially relevant purposes such as cold
storage or storing medical supplies and domestic
kitchens this project has the novelty of using LPG
instead of electricity for refrigeration. This solution is
convenient for refrigeration in regions having scares
in electricity.
It works on the principle that during the
conversion of LPG into gaseous form, expansion of
LPG takes place. Due to this expansion there is a
pressure drop and increase in volume of LPG that
results in the drop of temperature and a refrigerating
effect is produced. This refrigerating effect can be
used for cooling purposes. So this work provides
refrigeration for socially relevant needs as well as
replaces global warming creator refrigerants.
4. Evaporator
1. Copper Tubes
Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems
Copper is the preferred material for use with most
refrigerants. Because of its good heat transfer
capacity as well as corrosion resistance and cheaper
in cost.As for all materials, the allowable internal
pressure for any copper tube in service is based on
the formula used in the American Society of
Mechanical
Engineers
Code
for
Pressure Piping (ASME B31): [10]
P = 2S (tmin C)/ Dmax 0.8 (tmin C)
Where:
P = allowable pressure, bar
S = maximum allowable stress in tension, bar
tmin = wall thickness (min.), in mm
Dmax = outside diameter (max.), in mm
C = a constant for copper tube, because of coppers
superior corrosion resistance, the B31 code permits
the factor C to be zero. Thus the formula becomes:
P = 2Stmin/Dma 0.8tmin
According to the pressure 100 psi the tube outside
diameter is become = 7 mm and the thickness of the
tube is = 1.5 mm.
2. Capillary tube
An analytical computation of length of capillary tube
The fundamental equations applicable to the control
volume bounded by points 1and 2 in fig. are
1. Conservation of mass
2. Conservation of energy
3. Conservation of momentum
ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
v: specific volume of m/kg
vf : specific volume of saturated liquid, m/kg
vg: specific volume of saturated vapour, m/kg
V: velocity of refrigerant, m/s
w: mass flow rate, kg/s
x: dryness friction
: Viscosity, pas
f: viscosity of liquid, paS
g: viscosity of Vapour, pas
For calculation of length of capillary tube we have
used the following relations and find out the length.
The equation of conservation of mass is as follows
w =V1A/ v1 = V2A/ v2... (1)
or
w=V1/ v1 = V2/ v2 ... (2)
The conservation of energy gives
1000 h1+ V1/ 2 =1000 h2+V2/ 2... (3)
This assumes negligible heat transfer in and out of
system. The momentum equation in words states that
the difference in forces applied to the element
because of drag and pressure difference on opposite
ends of the element equals that is needed to
accelerate the fluid [6].
[(p1-p2) - f L/D V2/ 2v] A = w (V1-V2) ..... (4)
As the refrigerant flows through the tube, its pressure
and saturation temperature progressively drop and the
fraction of vapour .x. continuously increases. At any
point
h = hf (1-x) + x hg.... (5)
And
v = vf (1-x) + x vg..... (6)
The quantities of equation (4) V, v and f all change as
refrigerant flows from point 1 to 2. Simplifying using
equation (2)
f L/D. V2/ 2v = f L/D V/ 2 w/A...... (7)
ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
HVAC-R products, spanning from household to
industrial applications. In general, they are designed
aiming at accomplishing a heat transfer duty at the
penalty of pumping power. There are two wellestablished methods available for the thermal heat
exchanger design, the log-mean temperature
difference (LMTD) and the effectiveness/number of
transfer units (e-Ntu) approach (Kaka and Liu,
2002; Shah and Sekulic, 2003). The second has been
preferred to the former as the effectiveness, defined
as the ratio between the actual heat transfer rate and
the maximum amount that can be transferred,
provides a 1st-law criterion to rank the heat
exchanger performance, whereas the number of
transfer units compares the thermal size of the heat
exchanger with its capacity of heating or cooling
material. Furthermore, the e-Ntu approach avoids the
cumbersome iterative solution required by the LMTD
for outlet temperature calculations. [14]
In general, evaporators for refrigeration applications
are designed considering the coil flooded with twophase refrigerant, and also a wall temperature close to
the refrigerant temperature (Barbosa and Hermes,
2012), so that the temperature profiles along the
streams are not constant, in these cases, the heat
transfer rate if it is calculated from: [13]
Q = m.cp (To Ti) = .m.cp (Ts Ti)
Where m is the mass flow rate, Ti, To and Ts are the
inlet, outlet and surface temperatures, respectively,
Q=h As (Ts-Tm) is the heat transfer rate, T m is the
mean flow temperature over the heat transfer area,
As, and is the heat exchanger effectiveness,
calculated from (Kays and London, 1984):
e = 1 exp (NTU)
Where NTU is the number of transfer units. We have
selected the plate and tube type evaporator because it
provides a gentle type of evaporation with low
residence time. It also preserves the food and othe
products from bacterial attack. It requires low
installation cost.
Design calculations for evaporator
The evaporator has following dimentions:
Length = 325 mm, Bredth = 265 mm and
Height = 135 mm
The evaporator is made from six plywood sheets of
3mm thickness which enclose six thermocol sheets of
10 mm thickness. The areas for these sheets are as
follows:
Area1 = 265135 = 0.03578 m2,
Area2 = 265325 = 0.08612 m2,
ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
Capillary Tube:
As the capillary tube, capillary tube downs the
pressure up to less than 1.2 bars.
Evaporator:
In the evaporator LPG is converted into the vapor
from with low pressure. After passing through the
evaporator low pressure and temperature LPG vapor
absorbs heat from the chamber system.
Gas Burner:
After performing the cooling effect, low pressure
LPG gas goes into the burner where the burns. As we
know whenever the fluid flow through the narrow
pipe there is a pressure drop. The amount of pressure
drop in our system is calculated. [10]
From the Darcey-Weisbach equation, the
pressure drop in the refrigerant piping is calculated
for 13 feet length tube is 0.23 in terms of equivalent
length.
Basic Experimental Setup of LPG refrigeration
system
The basic components in this system are shown in set
up diagram and the changes in thermodynamics
properties of the fluid flowing (LPG) is shown in the
systems line diagram.
ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
Time Inlet
Outlet Water Evaporator
(min) pressure pressure temp
temp
(bar)
(bar)
(oC)
(oC)
10
5.516
1.45
25.2
18.0
20
30
40
50
60
5.415
5.310
5.210
5.120
5.020
1.43
1.36
1.35
1.30
1.30
17.2
14.2
10.1
5.4
0.3
12.2
11.7
6.3
-3.9
-9.3
Time Inlet
Outlet Water Evaporator
(min) pressure pressure temp
temp
(bar)
(bar)
(oC)
(oC)
10
5.019
1.30
25.10
18
20
5.000
1.28
17.24
12.4
30
4.910
1.26
14.25
11.3
40
4.820
1.23
10.11
5.3
50
4.690
1.20
5.44
-3.4
60
4.520
1.20
0.33
-9.1
ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
1. Total consumption for LPG pumps
One pump having 40 kW motor and 96 m head or
150cubic meter /hour discharge
Annual operating = 4200 hrs
Annual energy 6 hrs /day in 350 days
= 168000+227340+153360
= 548700kWh
Per day consumption
= 548700/350
=1567.71 kWh
500 cylinders are refilled every day, so per cylinder
electricity consumption.
=1567.71/500
=3.1354kWh
For filling of 1 LPG cylinder of 14.5 kg the power
input is
= 3.1354kWh
So 1 kg of LPG is
= 3.1354/14.5
=0.2162 kWh
We run the set up for 1 hr
= 0.21621000/ (9.45/10000) 3600
= 63.55W
COP OF THE LPG REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
COP = (h3-h2)/w
= (630.3-307.3)/63.55
= 5.08
After finding out the COP of the LPG refrigerator we
found out the heat librated by LPG after burning in
the burner with the burner efficiency of 92 %.
Heat liberated by LPG QL= mcv
We have the volume flow rate of LPG is 0.1 liter per
min. and the specific volume of LPG at 1.56 bar
pressure is 1.76310-3 m3/Kg.
So mass flow rate of LPG is = 0.0001/1.76310 -3
= 0.0567 Kg/min
m = 9.4510-4 Kg/sec
cv = 46.1 MJ/Kg
QL= 9.4510-4 46.1103
= 43.56 W
ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
Fig.7
Conclusion
The aim of the LPG refrigerator was to use
LPG as a refrigerant and utilising the energy of the
high pressure in the cylinder for producing the
refrigerating effect. We have the LPG at a pressure of
12.41 bar in Domestic 14.5 kg cylinder equipped
with a high pressure regulator and this pressure has
reduced up to 1.41 bar with the help of capillary tube.
But if we use a low pressure regulator as is the
practice in conventional domestic LPG gas stove, the
pressure of LPG after the expansion device and
before the burner would be different. So we have
calculated the refrigerating effect with the help of
changes in properties of LPG (pressure, temperature,
and enthalpy) before and after the evaporator using
high pressure regulator and the amount of
refrigerating effect is 323kJ/Kg.
Since we dont have the actual amount of
energy that will be consumed in producing 1 Kg of
LPG in the refinery and were not available in any of
the Energy Audit Report of Refinery, thats why we
have taken the energy input from refilling plant only.
For energy input we have taken the amount of energy
required for refilling 1 Kg of LPG in the bottling
plant (PCRA energy audit report, HPCL LPG
bottling plant Asauda Bahadurgarh (Haryana) Dec.
2006.) is 0.216 kWh. With this energy input the COP
of the LPG refrigerator is 5.08 and it is greater than
the domestic refrigerator. But in the future scope the
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ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852
uniform wall Temperature, Int. J. Heat and
Mass Transfer, pp.3812-3817, 2012.
15. J R Barbosa, C Melo, CJL Hermes, PJ
Waltrich, A Study of the Air-Side Heat
Transfer and Pressure Drop Characteristics of
Tube-Fin No-Frost Evaporators, Applied
Energy 86, pp.1484-1491, 2009.
16. MICHAEL J. MORAN, Properties of LPG
from
fundamental
of
engineering
thermodynamics.
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Knudsen, Thermodynamics properties in SI
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Author Biblography
Ibrahim Hussain Shah
Assistant
Professor,
Mechanical
Engineering
Department, Institute of
Engineering
and
Technology,
Devi
Ahilya
Vishvavidhyalaya, Indore
(M.P.), India
his_hussain@rediffmail.co
m
Kundan Gupta
M.E. Student (Design and
Thermal),
Mechanical
Engineering
Department,
Institute of Engineering and
Technology, Devi Ahilya
Vishvavidhyalaya, Indore
(M.P), India
gupta.kundan660@gmail.co
m