Steady-state energy used by refrigeration vapour compressors may be subdivided into mechanical, electrical and refrigerant-specific components. About one third of the total can be considered as mechanical and electrical losses whilst the energyrequired to raise the vapour from suction to delivery pressure is the principal function of the machine and accounts for the remainder. Optimum compression is often regarded as isentropic but minimum compression work is associated with the isothermalrather than the isentropic process. This paper presents the results of calculations that indicate differences between these processes are significant, suggesting a source of potential energy savings if the isothermal compression process can be achieved in a practical machine.
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