The influence of refrigerant charge on the starting process of a small reciprocating compressor system

The constant search for performance improvement of reciprocating compressors is usually sought through the analysis of refrigeration systems operating in a steady state condition. Such an approach disregards a set of phenomena related to transient regimes of starting and stalling that also influence the compressor energy performance, noise levels and reliability. This paper brings about a discussion about the relation between the refrigerant charge and the starting pressure of the system, explaining its importance on the transient starting process of the compressor. The study shows that this type of analysis is essential to improve the design of the compressor starting system.