Air Conditioning

Cycles

* Objects:
Two objectives in this experiment, which are:-

 To demonstrate the basic principles of air conditioning, i.e. how

heat and moisture can be added to or abstracted from a moving
stream of air and hence allow the control of environment and
comfort levels.

 To perform the necessary calculations for the heat transfer rate to

air or from refrigerant.

* The apparatus:
Two main parts in the air conditioning unit, as seen in fig.1 bellow,
that are:-

a) Air system: consists of :-

1. Blower fan and speed control, section A.
2. Air heaters, sections B & F.
3. Humidification by steam, section C .
4. Air flow measurement, section G.

b) Refrigerant system: contains of:-

1. Compressor – condenser unit.
2. De-humidification, refrigerant evaporator with precipitate
3. Extraction unit.
4. Controls and instrumentation.

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 Thermometers
Air Heaters
Blower Fan dry & wet

B C D E F G
A

Humidificatio
n flow measurement

Comp./Cond. Unit

Figure.1: Schematic for air conditioning unit.

* Theories & symbols:

For the perpose of analysis, it is convenient to assume that the heating
or cooling surfaces are external to the duct. Applying the steady flow
equation at sections D & G, the energy balance will be equals:

Where:
Q.a:the sum of the rate of heat transfer at the heating or cooling surface
& the external heat transfer to or from surrunding atmos.
w.a: rate of work done on or by the system, in kg/sec.
m.a: mass flow rate of air flowing in the duct, in kg/sec.
hd: enthalpy of air at section D, in KJ/kg.
hg: enthalpy of air at section G, in KJ/kg.
Vd: mean velocity of air at section D, in m/sec.
Vg: mean velocity of air at section G, in m/sec.

Since w.a=0 and Vg≈ Vd the equation became:

Also, m.a may be determined from the continuity equation as:

where:
Ad: cross sectional area of the duct (0.0645m2).

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νd: specific volume of air (from psychrometric chart), in m3/kg .
v.d: volume flow rate at section D, in m3/sec.

Also you can fined Q.a to the system from the power of the electrical
heaters in case of heating and for cooling you can find it from the
formula:

where:
m.ref: the mass flow rate of the refrigerant in the cooling system, in kg/s.
ho,e & hi,e : the enthalpy of R12 at outlet & inlet of the evaporator, KJ/kg.

*Experimental Procedure:
The air conditioning unit can be used to demonstrate a number of
important principles in the control of the environment for human comfort,
industrial and other purposes. The ability to increase or decrease moisture
content as will as heat is used to the full in the following demonstrations:-

i) Effect of air velocity on wet bulb depression and resultant errors in the
properties of air. Using only the fan, set a variety of air velocities and
note the effect of apiration velocity on wet bulb depression.
a. Plot wet bulb depression (oC) against velocity (m/s), for 0%
and 50% saturated air at a given dew point temperature.
b. Plot wet bulb depression against persentage of saturation
and specific enthalpy.
c. Plot wet bulb depression against moisture content and
specific volume for aspiration velocities.
ii) Addition or abstraction of heat above dew point. With heat transfer to
and from the air under no precipitate conditions, it can be shown that
thw absolute humidity remains constent although the relative
humidity may vary.
a. With heat transferred to the air at tha heater section (F)
downstream of the evaporator and no cooling, note the wet
and dry bulb temperatures at both observstion sections and
verify that the stat points, are on the horizontal line
indicating constent moisture content.
b. With the refrigerant unit operating and with air initially
having low RH, no moisture is precipitated under the
evaporator. The state points on the psychrometric chart

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 are the same horizontal line. In this demonstration
compare the enthalpy change between the two observation
points.
iii) Addition or abstraction of heat at below dew point. With ambient
conditions showing a high RH and the refrigerant unit in operation, the
air passing through the system can be cooled to below its dew point
temperature to precipitate some of its moisture onto the fins of the
evaporator.

* Data & Calculations:

*part one (heating):
table (1): heating data experiment
Q A D G
[m /hr]
3
Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet Dry
temp. c temp. c temp. c temp.oc
o o o
temp.oc temp.oc
370 24 29 34 44 29 40
440 24 29 34 43 30 41
498 25 30 33 42 32 41
av. 436 24.33 29.33 33.67 43 30.33 40.67

For D:
¤ Temp of air (wet) = 33.67oC.
¤ Temp of air (dry) = 43oC.
¤ Qa (avarage) = 436m3/hr.
¤ m.a = ρa×Qa = (1.2)(436)/(60 sec) = 8.72kg/sec.
¤ Specific enthalpy (hd) = 91 kJ/kg.
¤ Relative humidity =38%.
¤ Moisture content =23.8 Dry air.
For G:
¤ Temp of air (wet) = 30.33oC.
¤ Temp of air (dry) = 40.67oC.
¤ Qa (avarage) = 436m3/hr.
¤ m.a = ρa×Qa = (1.2)(436)/(60 sec) = 7.3kg/sec.
¤ Specific enthalpy (hg) =84 kJ/kg.
¤ Relative humidity = 43%.
¤ Moisture content =9 Dry air.
Then:
¤ Specific volume (ν) = 0.925m3/kg.

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 * part two (cooling):
table (2):(cooling data experiment)
Q A D G
[m /hr]
3
Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet Dry
temp. c temp. c temp. c temp. c temp.oc
o o o o
temp.oc
370 25 30 30 31 24 25
440 25 30 30 31 23 24.5
498 25 30 31 31 22.5 24
av. 436 25 30 30.33 31 23 24.5

Table (3)
Cond. (R12) Evap.
P (kN) T (oC) m (kg/h)
.
P(kN) Tin(oC) Tout(oC) m.(kg/s)
1300 53 72 376 12 16 0.00057
1320 53 70 370 12.5 16 0.00048
1300 52 70 370 12.5 16 0.00036
av 1306.7 52.67 70.67 372 12.5 16 0.00047

For D:
¤ Temp of air (wet) = 30 oC.
¤ Temp of air (dry) = 31oC.
¤ Qa (avarage) = 436m3/hr.
¤ m.a = ρa×Qa = (1.2)(436)/(60 sec) = 7.3kg/sec.
¤ Specific enthalpy (hd) = 95 kJ/kg.
¤ Relative humidity = 86%.
¤ Moisture content = 18 Dry air.
For G:
¤ Temp of air (wet) = 23oC.
¤ Temp of air (dry) = 24.5oC.
¤ Qa (avarage) = 436m3/hr.
¤ m.a = ρa×Qa = (1.2)(436)/(60 sec) = 7.3kg/sec.
¤ Specific enthalpy (hg) = 72 kJ/kg.
¤ Relative humidity = 97%.
¤ Moisture content = 14 Dry air.

Then:
¤ Specific volume (ν) = 0.87m3/kg.

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* Discussion:
it can seen that the absolute humidity remains constant when the heat
transfer to and from the air under no precipitate conditions.
In the refrigerant unit operating and with air initially having low RH,
then no moisture is precipitated under the evaporator. And at the ambient
conditions showing a high RH and the refrigerant unit in operation, the
air passing through the system can be cooled to below its dew point
temperature to precipitate some of its moisture onto the fins of the
evaporator.

There are some of demonstrations effects in the moisture content, such as

the effect of air velocity on the wet bulb depression and resultant errors in
the properties of air, and addition or abstraction of heat above or below
dew point.
This system is a fixed air volume air-conditioning system of the specific
building, run by using chilled water and hot water. The air-conditioning
system is mainly composed of a cooling dehumidification unit, a heating
unit and a humidifying unit. The air is chilled and dehumidified in the
dehumidification unit. The steam is added to the air in the humidifying
unit. The temperature and humidity of the air are controlled with these
three units.

* Conclusion:

 The absolute humidity remains constant under no precipitate

conditions.

 Ther are some of demonstrations effect in the moisture content.

 It can produce air with desired properties by either adding heat

or removing heat.

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 Finally, it could said that the desired air properties depend on
the inlet properties, and some of heat lost by air gained by
refrigerant, this obviously shown by comparing heat lost by air
and heat gain by refrigerant at both cases.