Experimental Study Of Direct Contact Evaporation Refrigeration System Using R-12

Abstract

This paper presents experimental study of refrigeration by using a direct contact evaporation process. The process was performed by using a direct contact evaporator, which is a reservoir containing a water column. The water column was cooled by injecting a refrigerant, R12, directly into the water. The refrigerant absorbed the heat required for evaporation from the water, causing the water to cool, or freeze, in proportion to the heat transferred between the two fluids. The experimental results showed that the process resulted in a decrease in water temperature to a lower limit of temperature (12 0C, and may be reach a freezing point in perfect cases). The decrease in water temperature along the evaporator and the performance coefficient of the evaporator are used as criteria to evaluate the refrigeration system. By using the heat balance concept between the heat removed from water and the electrical work COP was 4.86. Also by assuming an isentropic process for the experimental conditions, the theoretical COP was 7.7.