University of Baghdad

College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Department
Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Lab.
4th Year - Experiment No. (3)

Thermal Performance of Cooling Coils

2020/2021
 University of Baghdad
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Department
Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Lab.
4th Year - Experiment No. (3)

Thermal Performance of Cooling Coils

Objective

Analyzing the thermal performance of cooling coils using the contact factor (CF)
and bypass factor (BF).

Introduction
In the test rig used in this experiment, air is drawn over a cooling coil by an axial
fan. The cooling coil consists of a series of four-tube rows through which chilled water
is flowing. A vapor compression refrigeration cycle located at the back side of the test
rig is responsible of supplying the chilled water. As air passes over the surface of the
cooling coil, it is cooled and dehumidified. The bypass factor is a function of physical
and operating characteristics of the conditioning apparatus and represents that portion
of the air which is considered to pass through the cooling coil completely unaltered.

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 The effect of varying the bypass factor (between 0.05 and 0.2) on the air
conditioning equipment can be summarized as follows:

1- Reasons for lower bypass factor

a. Higher coil dew point due to lower flow rate of chilled water and/or higher
temperature.
b. Lower flow rate of air.
c. Higher heat transfer area due to better tube configuration and increased number
of coil rows and/or number of tube fins per inch.

2- Reasons for higher bypass factor

a. Lower coil dew point due to higher flow rate of chilled water and/or lower
temperature.
b. Higher flow rate of air.
c. Lower heat transfer area due to worse tube configuration and decreased number
of coil rows and/or number of tube fins per inch.

Figure (1) illustrates the cooling and dehumidification process that can be
accomplished by using a cooling coil. Line (A-B) represents a cooling and
dehumidification process in which there is a simultaneous removal of sensible and
moisture (latent heat) from the air. Point (A) represents the conditions of the entering
air while point (B) represents the conditions of the leaving air. The intersection of line
(A-B) with the saturation line at point (C) represents the apparatus dew point. When
moist air is cooled to a temperature below its dew point, some of the water vapor will
condense and leave the air stream.
The bypass factor and contact factor can be evaluated mathematically by using
the following equations:
ℎ −ℎ 𝑡 −𝑡 ℎ𝐴 −ℎ𝐵 𝑡𝑑𝐴 −𝑡𝑑𝐵
𝐵𝐹 = ℎ𝐵−ℎ𝐶 = 𝑡𝑑𝐵−𝑡𝑑𝐶 and 𝐶𝐹 = =
𝐴 𝐶 𝑑𝐴 𝑑𝐶 ℎ𝐴 −ℎ𝐶 𝑡𝑑𝐴 −𝑡𝑑𝐶

The sensible heat factor is defined as the ratio of sensible heat to the total heat
(summation of sensible and latent heat), as shown in figure (2).

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 QS QS
SHF  
QT QS  QL

where, QT =Total heat, kW; QT = ṁa (hA- hB) = QS + QL

QL = Latent heat, kW; QL = ṁa (WA-WB) hvd
hvd = Enthalpy of saturated vapor at the dew point temperature of point (A).
QS = Sensible heat, kW; QS = QT - QL

Fig. 1 Cooling and dehumidification process.

Fig. 2 The sensible heat factor (SHF) or ratio (SHR).

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Measured Data

Number of Point (A) Point (B) Chilled water

tubes rows Td (oC) ø (%) Td (oC) ø (%) temperature (oC)

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2
3
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Results & Calculations

For the four cases performed in the present experiment;
1. Draw the air conditioning processes on the psychometric chart.
2. Find all the properties of moist air at points (A) and (B).
3. Calculate the bypass factor (BF), contact factor (CF), and sensible heat ratio (SHR).

Discussion
1. What is the source of chilled water in the experiment? Explain briefly.
2. In the four cases studied in the experiment, explain the variations occurred to each
of the following factors: BF, CF, and SHR.
3. Can point (B) in figure (2) be located on point (C)? And why?
4. Do heating coils have bypass factor? How it can be calculated?
5. Explain the difference between room and apparatus sensible heat ratio.

Important Notes
1. Write (experiment name, your name, class, section, group, experiment date and
submission date on the first page of the report.
2. The report must be submitted within 7 days from the day of the experiment.
3. Two marks will be omitted for each delay day.

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