Ventilation and air conditioning [D11VE]

Tutorial questions

6.1 A central plant air conditioning system comprising a pre-heater,

cooling coil, steam humidifier, re-heater and fan section
supplies 100% treated fresh air to a space that is maintained at
21oCdb, 50% saturation throughout the year.

The summer and winter outdoor design conditions are 28oCdb,

19.5oCwb and -4oC saturated respectively. A sensible heat gain
of 18.7kW and a latent heat gain of 8kW occur in summer and
in winter the space experiences a sensible heat loss of 12kW
and a latent heat gain of 8kW.

If the supply air temperature in summer is 8oCdb below the

room condition, the apparatus dew point temperature is 7oC
and in winter the temperature of the air leaving the pre-heater
and re-heater is 15oC and 29oC respectively, determine the
following:

i) the contact factor of the cooling coil commenting upon its

practicality
ii) the cooling load
iii) the summer re-heater load commenting upon the need
for re-heat
iv) the winter loads on the pre and re-heaters and hence,
the total heating load
v) the rate of moisture addition taking place at the
humidifier

Comment on the effects on summer and winter cycles if re-

circulation was adopted as part of the air condition system
strategy.

Clearly state any assumption that need to be made and, as part

of your answer, complete the summer and winter cycles on a
psychrometric chart.

(Ans. 0.91, 66.8kW, 9.38kW, 44.6kW, 32.8kW, 77.4kW, 6.9gs-1)

6.2 A central plant comprising a fresh air inlet, a re-circulation air

mixing chamber, cooling coil and fan supplies air to two zones
within a building each of which has a zonal re-heater battery.

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The two zones are held at 21oCdb 50% saturation when the
outdoor air state is 28oCdb, 19.5oCwb in summer and -2oC
saturated in winter. fresh air, 30% by mass, is continuously
provided to each zone.

If the contact factor of the cooler coil is 0.85 and the off-coil
state is 10oCdb, determine

i) the summer supply state to each zone

ii) the summer cooling load
ii) the loads on the zonal re-heaters in summer
iii) the winter states
iv) the total winter heating load

if the zones experience the following loads

Zone 1 Zone 2
Summer:
Sensible heat gain 25kW 20kW
latent heat gain 10kW 5kW
Winter:
Sensible heat loss 15kW 10kW
latent heat gain 5kW 5kW

(Ans. 15oCdb 0.0068kg/kg, 10oCdb 0.0068kg/kg, 98.26kW, 0

and 20.4kW, 32oCdb 0.0064kg/kg, 28oCdb 0.0064kg/kg,
98.85kW)

6.3 A central plant multi-zone unit provides air conditioning to two

spaces within a building that are both maintained at 21oCdb
50% saturation continuously.

In summer, re-circulated air, 70% by mass, mixes with fresh air

and passes proportionally across the “cold” and “hot” decks, the
“hot” deck having been switched off. Similarly, in winter the
mixed air stream passes across both the decks with the “cold”
deck being switched off.

The “cold” deck contact factor is 0.83 and the leaving air
temperature is 10ocdb in summer and in winter the maximum
leaving air temperature at the “hot” deck is 30oCdb.

If the outdoor design states are 28oCdb 22oCwb in summer and

–4oC saturated in winter, determine the following:

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 Ventilation and air conditioning [D11VE]

i) the apparatus dew point temperature

ii) the summer supply condition to each space
iii) the total cooling load on the “cold” deck in summer
iv) the total heating load on the “hot” deck in winter

The following loads are associated with each space.

Space1 Space2
Summer: SHG = 40kW SHG = 30kW
SHG = 5kW LHG = 7.5kW
Winter: SHL=7.5kW SHG = 7.5kW
LLHG = 5kW LHG = 7.5kW

Take the specific heat of humid air as 1.20 kJ/kgK.

Outline solutions

Q6.1

According to the information given, the system would be like this:

+ - +

We have to make the first assumption: It is a CAV system, which

means the airflow rate calculated will be used for winter, as the same
fan is on operation.

Summer operation

1 Plot the states for outdoor and room air (Os, R) and ADP on
the psychrometric chart
2 Draw a line ADP-Os
3 As the supply temperature is 8C lowere, hence t ss = 13Cdb
4 Calculate RRL and draw it from R to meet t ss = 13Cdb . Obtain
the state of supply air: g ss = 5.7 gss=5.7g/kgair

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5 Draw a horizontal line representing sensible reheat from

t ss = 13Cdb to meet ADP-Os line at WS, which is after coil
state, t ws = 9 Cdb

6 Calculate contact factor:

tos − t ws 28 − 9
CF = = = 0.91
tos − t ADP 28 − 7

7 Determine airflow rate during the summer operation

SHG 18.7
m= = = 2.29kg / s
c(t r − t s ) 1.02 × 8

According the schematic diagram, the air at the fan is at

supply 13Cdb. From psychrometric chart, its specific volume is
Vos = 0.82 m3/kg

Hence volumetric flow rate:

Vs = Vos × m = 0.82 × 2.29 = 1.88m 3 / s

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This volumetric rate will be maintained in winter too, as this

is assumed to be CAV

8 Find enthalpy change from OS to WS, this is due to cooling

coil.

Qcooling = m(hos − hws ) = 2.29 × (55.5 − 26) = 67.6kW

(there are some inevitable errors due to drawing lines.

Hence 66.8 kW and 67.6 kW all acceptable)

9 Find enthalpy change from WS to SS, this is due to reheating

coil.
Qreh = m(hss − hws ) = 2.29 × (30 − 26) = 9.2kW

Winter operation

10 The fun is running at the same speed hence produces the

same volumetric flow rate. But the state is different,

Vow = 0.86m 3 / kg

we need to convert this volumetric flow rate into mass flow

rate.

m = Vs / Vow × m = 1.87 / 0.86 = 2.17 kg / s

11 Calculate RRL, and draw the line from R to meet t sw = 29 Cdb

at SW.

12 Drew a horizontal line representing reheating from SW to

T15Cdb

13 Plot outdoor air state OW and draw a horizontal line

representing sensible preheating to T=15Cdb.

14 At the T=15Cdb is where 15C vapour is added, assuming

spraying tap water, an easiest measure to humidify supply
air.

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15 Find vapour content difference

G = m( g 2 − g1 ) = 2.17 × (5.7 − 2.8) = 6.3g / s

16 Find enthalpy change from OW to preheat, this is due to

reheating coil.

Q preh = m(h1 − how ) = 2.17 × (22 − 3.7) = 39.7 kW

17 Find enthalpy change from WS to SS, this is due to reheating

coil.
Qreh = m(hss − hws ) = 2.17 × (44 − 29.5) = 31.5kW

18 Total is the sum of these two, as the spray is latent

Q = 39.7 + 31.5 = 71.2kW

Comment 1:

There are some discrepancies between the results here and those at
the end of the questions. This was because of using psychrometric
chart to find figures. A tiny tilt of the lines leads to a slight different
result. But in engineering, a small degree of uncertainty is always
inevitable and acceptable.

Comment 2:

It is assumed as CAV, in which the fan runs constant speed. If you

calculate the heat supply to the room in winter mode, you will find
that supplying 2.17kg/s air at 29 Cdb provides more heat needed for
12kW losses from the space.

The cure is that in Summer the room temperature does not need to
be 21, but 24Cdb. A fan slower is in place. Hence in winter mode, the
supply will be just right.

Or alternatively, supply the air at a lower temperature. Instead of

29Cdb, but 27 or so. Surely the reheating line rises a little. Therefore
a little more moisture is needed.

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Q6.3

SUMMER CYCLE

Plot 'O' & 'M' and draw 'OR'

m R t R + mo t o = mm t m tm = (0.7X21)+(0.3x28)=23.1°Cdb
then plot 'M'

plot off-coil start point 'W’ (11.5°Cdb, 92% saturation),

draw 'MA' through 'W' to 100% saturation curve at ADP:

tm − tw
CF = = 0.83 ; ADP = 7.3°Cdb &
tm − t A

Plot tSR1 & tSR2 after determining RRL's (taking into

account that 2K fan & duct gain):

40 30
RRLR1 = = 0.89 ; RRLR 2 = = 0 .8
40 + 5 30 + 7.5

tSR1 = 13°Cdb, 80%

tSR2 = 10°Cdb, 90%

Mass flow rates can be found from: SHG = m×c×( tr - ts)

SHG 40
m= ; for room1 m1 = = 4.9 kg/s
c(t r + t s ) 1.02 × (21 − 13)

30
for room2 m2 = = 2.67 kg/s
1.02 × (21 − 10)

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the diagram shows that all air going to zone 2 is completely

from cool duct.
But for zone 1, there is a mixing by both cold and hot ducts
Since: ms t s = mht h + mc t c ; ms = mh + mc

ms t s + ms t c 4.9 × 13 + 4.9 × 10
mh = = = 1.12 kg/s;
t h − tc 23.1 − 10
mc = mh − ms = 4.9 − 1.12 = 3.78 kg/s

Therefore the total flow rate at the AHU=3.78+2.67=6.45kg/s

The summer cooling load =

mC p (t m − t w ) = 6.45 × 1.02 × (23.1 − 10) = 86.2 kW

WINTER CYCLE

Plot state point 'O' on the chart, draw line 'OR' from
m R t R + mo t o = mm t m tm =0.7x21 + 0.3x(-3)=13.5C
plot 'M' on line OR

Determine RRL for both rooms

7 .5 7 .5
RRLR1 = = 0 .6 RRLR 2 = = 0 .5
7 .5 + 5 7.5 + 7.5

From chart
tSMR1 = 27°Cdb, 0.0062kg/kg d.a.
tSMR2 = 24.5°Cdb, 0.0062kg/kg d.a.

for zone 1
m t + ms t c 4.9 × 27 + 4.9 × 13.5
mh = s s = = 4.0 kg/s
t h − tc 30 − 13.5

for zone 2
m t + ms t c 2.67 × 24.5 + 2.67 × 13.5
mh = s s = = 1.78 kg/s
t h − tc 30 − 13.5

Total mass over the hot deck: 4.0+1.78=5.78kg/s

load on
heaters= mC p (t s − t r ) = 5.78 × 1.02 × (32 − 13.5) = 97.28 KW

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 Ventilation and air conditioning [D11VE]

6.4 A large single sports hall is conditioned by a constant volume

system, which consists of a pre-heater, steam humidifier, cooling
coil, re-heater and fan. In order to save energy, fresh air, 30% by
mass, is mixed with return room air in both heating and cooling
seasons. The contact factor and apparatus dew point of the
cooling coil are 0.8 and 11.0°C respectively.

Design data
Outdoor Indoor Room
Summer: 30°Cdb; 24°Cdb; SHG = 80kW
22°Cwb 50% saturation SHG = 20kW
Winter: 1°Cdb; 20°Cdb; SHL=32kW
saturated 50% saturation LLHG = 18kW

i Determine the supply air state and calculate the cooling

load in summer.

ii Determine the supply air state and calculate the heating

load in winter.

iii Calculate the amount of moist vapour needed to

humidify the hot supply air in winter heating mode.

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Outline solution

Summer:
m R t R + mo t o = mm t m tm =(0.7X24)+(0.3x30)=25.8°C
ADP = 11.0°C
Contact factor = 0.8.
Calculate off coil temperature: tw =14.0°C

Using the RRL, get ts =16.5°C

SHG 80
m= = = 10.46kg / s
c(t r + t s ) 1.02 × (24 − 16.5)

Winter:
SHL = mc(t s − t r ) = 10.46 × 1.02 × (t s − 20); t s = 22.9 °C
There is a need for adding moist.
∆g = g r − g g = 0.0068 − 0.006 = 0.0008 kg/kg.d.a.
Total moist=0.0008*10.46=8.4g/s water vapour is to spray into
the air.

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