Experimental analysis of a transfer function for an air cooled evaporator

A transfer function to model a direct expansion air cooled evaporator, inserted in a vapor compression refrigeration plant, is deduced by means of experimental analysis. For inlet air temperatures onto the evaporator and refrigerant mass flow rate variable in appropriate ranges, the evaporator dynamic behavior is simulated by a linear model with delay. The results of transfer function are compared with experimental data, obtained by applying both step inputs and periodic changes to the refrigerant mass flow rate. The influence of the hunting, typical of a thermostatic expansion valve, is also estimated experimentally and then validated by the transfer function, obtaining a good agreement. These results could be applied to obtain a control algorithm for the refrigerant mass flow rate feeding the evaporator, by varying the speed of the compressor motor. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.