Simplified steady-state modelling of a single stage vapour compression plant. Model development and validation

This paper proposes a simplified steady-state model of a single stage vapour compression plant. The developed model is mainly based on well known physical equations and partially based on empirical and parametrical correlations. As input data uses only the main operating variables: evaporating and condensing refrigerant temperatures and refrigerant total superheating degree, and returns as main values: refrigerant mass flow rate, cooling capacity, compression power consumption and COP. In this way the model allows to analyze easily the influence of the main operating variables on the energy performance. Furthermore, the model results are validated using experimental data taken from a test bench in a wide range of operating conditions and working with three refrigerants (R134a, R407C and R22). The agreement between the model predictions and the actual values is found to be within ±5% for mass flow rate and specific refrigerating effect and ±10% for the rest energy parameters.