THERMODYNAMIC LAB: AIR CONDITIONING

Cyril Caddy Julian

BK17110088

Group 3

Faculty of Engineering

University Malaysia Sabah

ABSTRACT

This experiment was carried out to investigate the exchanges in heat that are
required to achieve the suitable air condition. Other than that, the knowledge that are
obtained during this experiments are process of air conditioning, environmental air
that contains heat and indicators of moisture. The model of air conditioning that was
used in this experiment was PA Hilton model.

INTRODUCTION

Cooling is a procedure predominantly manage controlling humidity and

temperature. It is a complex electronic circuitry. In air conditioning, the refrigeration
unit plays an important role in reducing the temperature of air that is entering the air
conditioning unit by limiting the temperature of air which will enter the cooling unit.
Fluid that circulates inside the refrigeration unit is known as refrigerant. Refrigeration
unit starts with the refrigerant vapors entering the condenser with high pressure and
temperature that is greater than the surrounding temperature in the condenser. As the
refrigerant leaves the evaporator, even in superheated state, the refrigerant has low
pressure and saturation temperature. In the air cycle, water is boiled using a boiler.
During that point, the fan sucked the steam from the heater which goes through the
evaporator, where it acts as a cooling coil, causing warm to be expelled from the
steam. Since warmth is expelled, the steam undergoes condensation process and
condensate is produce. The ensure the temperature of the steam is ideal,a secondary
warmer is used. For the refrigerant cycle, the refrigerant used is the R134a. The PA
Hilton model works with humid air and R134a (tetrafluoroethane) refrigerant.

PROCEDURES

1. The switch of the air conditioning unit was turned on and the air flow was set to a
convenient value. Then, the pre-heaters to give 2 kW heating is switched.

2. The orifice differential pressure was set to 4mm H2O.

3. The following observations was made after the condition was stabilized:

Dry bulb temperature at the fan inlet, t1

Dry bulb temperature after pre-heater,t2

Dry bulb temperature after re-heating,t7

Wet bulb temperature after re-heating,t8

Orifice differential pressure, Z

Supply Voltage, VL

Fan supply voltage, VF

4. The procedures was repeated using the re-heater across section C to D

TEST REFERENCES 1 2 3 4

A Air at Fan inlet dry t1 ℃ 26.5 28.2 29.8 32.2

wet t2 ℃ error error error error

B After Pre-heat or dry t3 ℃ 44.8 47.6 66.5 68.4

Stream Injection
wet t4 ℃ 42.0 44.5 62.3 62.8

C After Cooling dry t5 ℃ 22.2 23.3 34.1 34.2

Dehumidification
wet t6 ℃ 21.4 26.0 36 36.7

D After Re-Heating dry t7 ℃ 22.4 42.4 51.9 59

wet t8 ℃ 23.3 38.3 47.6 52.9

Evaporator Outlet Temperature t13 ℃

Condenser inlet Temperature t14 ℃

Condenser Outlet Temperature t15 ℃

Supply Volts to L1 to N (415V) or L2 to VL VAC 230 220 220 220

N (220V)

Evaporator Outlet Pressure (gauge) p1 kNm-2 255 275 330 400

Condenser Inlet Pressure (gauge) p2 kNm-2 1110 1180 1250 1400

 Condenser Outlet Pressure (gauge) p3 kNm-2 1110 1150 1250 1400

Duct Differential Pressure Z mmH2 4 4 4 4

O

Fan Supply Voltage VF 100 95 90 90

Condensate Collected m6

Time Interval x s 60 60 60 60

R134a Mass Flow Rate ref g/s

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

SYSTEM HEATER RESISTANCES

Boiler, Lower 2kW Rb Ω 25.3

Boiler, Upper 2kW Rb Ω 24.3

Boiler, 1kW Rb Ω 57.4

1st Pre-heater, 1kW Rp Ω 46.1

2nd Pre-heater,1kW Rp Ω 45.6

1st Re-heater, 1kW Rf Ω 45.1

2nd Re-heater,1kW Rf Ω 45.0

In this experiment, four trials are carried out to determine the specific heat of air, CPair.
The Cp calculated from the experiment was 1.2412 kJ℃/kg,1.1118 kJ℃/kg, 0.6592
kJ℃/kg and 0.6827 kJ℃/kg for trial 1,2,3,and 4 respectively.The average Cp
calculated from the experiment was 0.9098 kJ℃/kg and the theoritical value is 1.005
kJ℃/kg. The calculated percentage difference between the experimental and
theoritical value is 9.47%. The difference in value of CPair from experimental and
theoritical results from human error while handling this experiment. There are
numerous models of human error. One of the human error that could have happened
during the experiment is parallax error. This error is because of the situation of the
eye is not being perpendicular to the estimating scale when measuring the flow
rate,pressure gauge and even supply voltage. This may cause wrong readings being
recorded. Other than that, another example of human error is the timing reading from
the stop watch. This happens when a person that is responsible to record the time
using a stopwatch and results in delay of pressing the stopwatch. In this way, the
outcome recorded is not accurate and even with a slight delay in pressing the
stopwatch, this could change the outcome results. To overcome this, the individual
should try to accurately stop the stopwatch in time.

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, the property of the liquid, for example, specific volume and
specific humidity can be measured by knowing two factors, the temperature of dry and
wet bulb using psychometric diagram. From the experiment,It is observed that air
conditioning mass is conserve as the experimental data shows that the mass flow of
heat lost by air is smaller than the mass flow rate of condensation. Overall, the
experiment is a success because the objectives of the experiment is achieved.

REFERENCE

1. Gunasegaran. K. (2015), Lab Report Air Conditioning, Nottingham University,

United Kingdom.
2. Cengel, Yunus (2003). Heat Transfer: A practical approach (2nd ed.). Boston:
McGraw-Hill.

2. Cengel, Yunus (2011). Thermodynamics: An engineering approach . New York::

McGraw-Hill.

APPENDICES

SECTION 1

4
m1  0.0517  0.106kg / s
0.9475
230 2 230 2
Q1    2307.59W
46.1 45.6
t3  t1  44.8  26.5  18.3 C
100  2307.59 J C kJ C
C P1   1241.15  1.2412
0.106(18.3) kg kg

SECTION 2
 4
m2  0.0517  0.105kg / s
0.9690
220 2 220 2
Q2    2111.30W
46.1 45.6
t3  t1  47.6  28.7  18.9 C
95  2111.3 J C kJ C
CP 2   1111.77  1.1118
0.105(18.9) kg kg

SECTION 3

4
m3  0.0517  0.095kg / s
1.1963
2252 2252
Q3    2208.35W
46.1 45.6
t3  t1  66.5  29.8  36.7  C
90  2208.35 J C kJ C
CP3   659.21  0.6592
0.095(36.7) kg kg

SECTION 4

4
m4  0.0517  0.093kg / s
1.2444
2252 2252
Q4    2208.35W
46.1 45.6
t3  t1  68.4  32.2  36.2 C
90  2208.35 J C kJ C
CP 4   682.69  0.6827
0.093(36.2) kg kg

Average Value Of Cp,

CP1  CP 2  CP 3  CP 4 1.2412  1.1118  0.6592  0.6827 kJ

  0.9098  C
4 4 kg
Percentage Difference,

Theoritica l  Experimental 1.005  0.9098

100%  100%  9.47%
Theoritica l 1.005