AEng 173 Notes

Part 2.5 Steam-Jet Refrigeration System

2.5.1 The System

Steam jet refrigeration or the vacuum refrigeration system is a type of water evaporative
refrigeration wherein water is used as the refrigerant. The principle of operation is based on the
fact that water will boil or vaporize rapidly, at a relatively low temperature, if the pressure on the
surface is reduced sufficiently. Steam jet systems are used extensively in air conditioning, and for
cooling of water in certain chemical plants for gas absorption. The cooling temperatures
provided by the steam jet mechanism are usually between 4oC and 210C (400F to 70oF).

2.5.2 Schematic Diagram

2.5.3 Process Description

An ejector through the steam-jet and diffuser sucks or draws water from the surface of the water
from the surface of the water in the evaporator or flash chamber, causing the pressure in the
evaporator to drop. The ejector reduces the pressure in the evaporator to a point at which the
water will vaporize at the desired temperature. In vaporizing, it absorbs heat and cools the
remainder of the water in the evaporator. The steam pressure at the ejector nozzle should be
about 1030 kPa.

The evaporation of the water in the evaporator, reduces the temperature of the water. This cold
water, 4oC to 21oC, is circulated by means of pumps, to the area to be cooled.

2.5.4 Example No. 1

A steam-jet pump maintains a temperature of 5oC in the evaporator. The cooled water leaves at
the same temperature and warms to 10oC as it does its refrigeration. Make-up water is available
at 21oC. There are required 1.27 kg of nozzle steam per kg of vapor removed from the
evaporator. For a 175-kW plant, compute the volume of vapor handled, the quantity of steam
needed, and the quantity of chilled water.

Solution:

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AEng 173 Notes

Given:
T1 = T3 = 5oC
T2 = 10oC
T4 = 21oC
xs = 1.27 kg steam/kg water vapor
Qe = 175 kW
Find: Vs, ms, mw.

From the steam table, read the ff.:

h1 = hf at 5oC =20.98 kJ/kg
h2 = hf at 10oC = 42.01 kJ/kg
h3 = hg at 5oC = 2510.6 kJ/kg
v3 = vg at 5oC = 147.12 m3/kg
h4 = hf at 21oC = 88.14 kJ/kg

Let z = vapor removed from the evaporator, carried by nozzle steam

Let ms = quantity of nozzle steam
Let mw = mass flow rate of chilled water

Energy balance about the whole system, neglecting pump work,

zh4 + 175 = zh3

88.14z + 175 = 2510.6z
z = 0.072240 kg vapor/s

Volume of vapor removed:

V3 = zv3 = 0.07224(147.12)
V3 = 10.63 m3/s

Quantity of nozzle steam:

ms = 1.27 kg steam /kg vapor (0.07224 kg vapor/s)
ms = 0.0917 kg/s

Energy balance about the cooled area:

mwh1 + 175 = mwh2
20.98mw + 175 = 42.01mw
mw = 8.32 kg/s

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AEng 173 Notes

2.5.5 Example No. 2

A steam-jet pump maintains a temperature of 400F in the evaporator, refer to the figure below.
The cooling water leaves at the same temperature via 1, and warms to 50oF as it does the
refrigeration. The amount of make-up water m5 at 70oF exactly equals the mass of vapor leaving
m4. There are required 2.8 lb nozzle steam/lb vapor pumped. For a 50-ton plant, compute the
volume of vapor handled and the amount of steam needed.

Solution:

Given:
T1 = 40oF
T2 = 50oF
T3 = T4 = 40oF
T5 = 70oF
ys = 2.8 lb-s/lb-v
Qe = 50 ton x 200 Btu/min-ton
= 10,000 Btu/min
Find: V4, ms

From steam table:

h1 = hf at 40oF = 8.027 Btu/lb

h2 = hf at 50oF = 18.054 Btu/lb
h3 = h4 = hg at 40oF = 1079.0 Btu/lb
v4 = vg at 40oF = 2445.8 ft3/lb
h5 = hf at 70oF = 38.052 Btu/lb
Let m = mass flow rate of chilled water
Let x = throttled water flashing to vapor
Let xm= amount of vapor leaving the system

Energy balance at the Evaporator,

mh2 + xmh5 = mh1 + xmh4

h2 + xh5 = h1 + xh4
18.054 + 38.052x = 8.027 + 1079.0x
x = 0.009632

Vapor removed from the evaporator,

Qe = m(h2 - h1)
m = 10,000/(18.054-8.027)
m = 997.307 lb/min

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AEng 173 Notes

Hence, total vapor removed,

xm = 0.009632 x 997.307
xm = 9.606 lb/min

Volume of vapor removed or handled:

V4 = xmv4 = 9.606(2445.8)
V4 = 23,494.355 ft3/min

Amount of steam needed:

ms = 2.8 x 9.606 = 26.90 lb/min

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