Influence of the piston displacement profile on the performance of a refrigerating cycle equipped with an axial piston compressor

An extended analysis aiming to investigate the influence of the piston displacement in an axial compressor on the thermodynamic cycle of a refrigeration system was carried out. Axial piston compressors are commonly equipped with a rotating disk plate that guides the pistons along a sinusoidal displacement. A proper shape of the rotating disk can lead to a piston displacement that optimizes the power consumption and then the refrigeration cycle efficiency. In this paper, a sensitivity analysis on the compressor cycle characteristics by varying the piston displacement profile and the compressor operating conditions is presented. The mechanical analysis of the forces exerted by the piston on the rotating disk was also carried out to estimate the mechanical stresses acting on the rotating disk.