Characterization of a scroll compressor under extended operating conditions

Refrigeration and air-conditioning compressors are designed to work under well-defined conditions. In some applications it is interesting to observe their performances beyond these conditions, for example in the case of a high temperature two-stage heat pump or of a cooling system working at high temperature. In this study a compressor is characterized experimentally with refrigerant R134a and through 118 tests at condensing pressures varying from 8.6 up to 40.4 bar (t(sat), = 33.9 degrees C to t(sat) = 100.8 degrees C) and evaporating pressures varying from 1.6 up to 17.8 bar (t(sat) = 15.6 C to t(sat) = 62.4 degrees C). Under these conditions the compressor motor was pushed at its maximal current in several tests. This compressor's performance is mainly characterized by its isentropic and volumetric efficiencies. It presents a maximal isentropic efficiency of 72%, corresponding to a pressure ratio of around 2.5-2.6. The volumetric efficiency decreases linearly from almost 1.0 (for a pressure ratio of 1.3) to 0.83 (for a pressure ratio of 9.7). A slight degradation of the isentropic and volumetric efficiencies is observed when the compressor supply and exhaust pressures are increased for a given pressure ratio; this could be due to an internal leakage. The compressor tests are used to identify the six parameters of a semi-empirical simulation model. After parameter identification, experimental and simulated results are in very good agreement, except for some points at high compressor power where the compressor is pushed at its maximal current. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.