An experimental rig has been built to test a horizontal scroll compressor and a reciprocating compressor of similar size and capacity. The compressors were tested with refrigerant.R404A operating at varying evaporator and condenser temperatures. The paper provides much needed information regarding the efficiency of the compressors operating under the same conditions with the same system parameters. This paper also reports on investigations being carried out on the effect of refrigerant charge on both types of compressor. The results show that the scroll compressor generally produces cooling capacities and COPs that are equal to or greater than the reciprocating compressor. Both compressor types exhibit the same general characteristics with respect to system charge. In particular, COP is reduced with significant under- and over-charging. Superheat and subcooling are shown to be functions of system charge level for both compressors and thus may be used as a general indicator of charge level, irrespective of the compressor type.
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