Refrigeration heat in vs. heat out

In summary, the conversation is about the thermal efficiency of vapor compressor refrigeration cycles and the relationship between COP and heat energy pumped. The person is wondering if there is a quantitative benchmark for heat energy pumped vs. system's overall produced heat and what kind of heat in vs. heat out ratios modern refrigerators/heat pumps have. They also discuss the conservation of energy and the efficiency of compressors in converting work to heat. Ultimately, they are trying to determine a metric for comparing the heat produced by a refrigeration cycle.
  • #1
tinska.h
8
0
Greetings,

I wonder what are the usual thermal efficiency for vapor compressor (refrigeration cycle), and only speaking thermal efficiency. I mean COP describes the heat energy pumped vs. work put in. But since some of the work is converted to mechanical energy and to other forms than heat. Therefore I wonder:

Is there any quantitative benchmark which I should look in to, which describes the heat energy pumped from cold side vs. system's overall produced heat? Or if anyone has knowledge what sort of heat in vs. heat out ratios do modern refrigerator/heat pumps have?


Thanks in advance
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
  • #2
I'm not quite sure I understand your question, but anyway..

If you compare the actual COP to the ideal COP you can find the total losses; pipe friction, motor & compressor losses etc etc.
 
  • #3
I mean COP tells me the work in versus the heat energy being pumped. However since not all work in is converted to heat output, I'm looking for pure number of heat in vs. heat out, neglecting all other losses.

I'm in an understanding that COP just tells you the additional work needed vs. heat energy being pumped. But I'm looking for heat energy in vs. heat energy out.
 
  • #4
I'm in an understanding that COP just tells you the additional work needed vs. heat energy being pumped. But I'm looking for heat energy in vs. heat energy out.

conservation of energy tells us that:
Q low + W in = Q high

And we know that:

COP = Q low / W in

So heat in and heat out relate to the COP:

e.g. Q low + Q low/COP = Q high
 
  • #5
So the work in, means that all energy put in will convert into heat energy?

The compressor's mechanical work is also heat?
 
  • #6
tinska.h said:
So the work in, means that all energy put in will convert into heat energy?

That would depend on the compressor's efficiency. If a compressor is 80% efficient, 20% of the input energy would be converted to heat.

Can you explain what you're hoping to compare as a metric? If we consider "heat produced" to be the addition of energy to your system boundary (e.g. room) that didn't start as thermal energy, the only "heat produced" by a refrigeration cycle will be the heat losses in the pump, which if I remember correctly is already taken into account in a standard COP calculation. The heat pumped by the refrigeration cycle is not really "heat produced" in the strict sense of the word, because it's really just heat from the environment that leaked into the fridge only to be pumped out again.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=143647
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient_of_performance
 
  • #7
tinska.h said:
So the work in, means that all energy put in will convert into heat energy?

The compressor's mechanical work is also heat?
All mechanical work eventually becomes heat. So the rejected heat is the heat removed from the fridge plus the mechanical work input.
 

1. What is the purpose of refrigeration?

The purpose of refrigeration is to remove heat from an area or substance, resulting in a lower temperature. This is typically used for preserving food and other perishable items, as well as for creating a comfortable environment in buildings during hot weather.

2. How does refrigeration work?

Refrigeration works by using a refrigerant, such as Freon, which is compressed and then expanded in a closed system. As the refrigerant expands, it absorbs heat from the surrounding area, causing the temperature to decrease. The refrigerant then travels back to the compressor to repeat the cycle.

3. What is "heat in" and "heat out" in refrigeration?

"Heat in" refers to the heat that is absorbed by the refrigerant as it expands, causing the temperature to decrease. "Heat out" refers to the heat that is released when the refrigerant is compressed, resulting in a higher temperature.

4. What is the difference between refrigeration heat in vs. heat out?

The main difference between refrigeration heat in and heat out is the direction in which heat is moving. Heat in is the heat being absorbed by the refrigerant, while heat out is the heat being released by the refrigerant. In refrigeration, the goal is to remove heat from a space, so heat out is the desired result.

5. How does refrigeration affect the environment?

Refrigeration can have both positive and negative effects on the environment. On one hand, it allows for the preservation of food and other perishable items, reducing food waste. On the other hand, the refrigerants used in refrigeration systems can contribute to ozone depletion and climate change if they are not properly managed. It is important for refrigeration systems to be regularly maintained and for old systems to be properly disposed of to minimize their impact on the environment.

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
560
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
20
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • General Engineering
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • Materials and Chemical Engineering
Replies
23
Views
2K
  • General Engineering
2
Replies
67
Views
4K
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
3
Views
2K
Back
Top