Integrity, Reliability & Failure in refrigeration systems for draught drinks

Abstract

A refrigeration system for draught drinks was monitored in order to evaluate its thermal performance using temperature, pressure and flow sensors. The first attempt to monitor the temperature of this machine was not successfully accomplished due to the failure of the thermistors used. All the system was repaired, and the sensors replaced by new ones with a special coating of epoxy to withstand the condensation around. Further tests were carried out with these new sensors, and integrity and reliability were achieved. The measured temperatures, pressure and flow rates of the refrigerant used in the refrigeration machine itself are in accordance with the simulations obtained based on thermodynamics analysis. In that way all the experiments carried out were validated. This paper presents the results of operation of the machine both in a simulation environment and in a real situation.