Hermetic Refrigeration Compressors as Applied to Self-Contained Room Air-Conditioners

This paper deals with the application of a reciprocating hermetic compressor to a room air-conditioner. This application in a particular unit has a definite affect on the life expectancy of the compressor. A review is made of the ideal refrigeration cycle for a hermetic compressor. The cycle is approached in the simple household refrigerator design and is compared to the refrigeration cycle for a room air-conditioner; the deviations in the two applications are noted. The designer uses this information for the mechanical construction details of the compressor. A hermetic compressor operating in a heat pump has a wide range of refrigerant mass flow. The precautions required for the use of the compressor in this application are reviewed. The Btu/W used as a performance factor for a compressor can vary as much as 100 percent. This is illustrated by the use of a compressor curve sheet.