University of Victoria

Department of Mechanical Engineering

MECH 390 Laboratory 2

HVAC (Heat - Ventilation - Air-Conditioning)

- refrigeration
- psychrometrics

1. Objective
The objective of this lab is twofold: First, to investigate the performance of a standard
refrigeration system under different loads, and second to analyze the effect of an air-conditioning
system (consisting mainly of the evaporator coils of the refrigeration system) on three types of
input air: room air, heated air, and humidified air.
In the following, you will find a brief reminder on refrigeration cycles and air-conditioning. For
any in-depth description see the lectures and the book. (For Psychrometrics see Cengel and
Boles, pp. 667-687)

2. Refrigeration cycle
A standard refrigeration cycle works as follows:
3 Condenser 2

Throttling
Valve Compressor

4 Evaporator 1

Figure 1: Schematic of basic refrigeration cycle

1-2 adiabatic compression of gaseous (i.e. saturated or superheated vapor) refrigerant fluid
from p1, T1 to p2, T2.
2–3 isobaric cooling and condensation of the refrigerant fluid. State 3 is saturated liquid or
compressed liquid at p3 = p2. The heat is rejected to the environment.
3–4 adiabatic throttling to p4 = p1. The throttling process is isenthalpic, h3 = h4.
4–1 isobaric evaporation (and possibly superheating) of the refrigerant fluid, back to state 1.
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Figure 2 shows the corresponding T-s, and log p-h-diagrams for a case with superheating and
further cooling after condensation. Point 2’ corresponds to an isentropic (adiabatic and
reversible) compressor, while Point 2 corresponds to an adiabatic but irreversible compressor.
The throttling process is irreversible as well. Note that irreversible processes are indicated by
dotted lines.
The log p-h-diagram is an extremely helpful tool, since it allows us to read the enthalpies of the
states 1, 2, 3, 4 directly from the axes. Figure 3 shows a process in an actual diagram for R12, the
cooling fluid of our refrigeration cycle.
Note: R12 is CCl2F2, a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). As you well know, CFCs are responsible for the depletion of the
earth’s protective ozone layer. Our cooling apparatus was built before the international bans on CFCs that are in
effect today.
You can find a full page diagram at the end of these notes. Study the diagram, and identify lines
of constant pressure, temperature, specific volume, specific enthalpy and specific entropy.
In the diagram, the lines of constant temperature (isotherms), are only drawn for superheated
vapor, i.e. to the right from the two-phase dome. In the two phase region, they coincide with the
isobaric (constant pressure) lines (why?), i.e. they are horizontal, and in the compressed liquid
region, they coincide with the constant enthalpy lines (why?), i.e. they are vertical.

T p2 = const p
2
2'

2'
3 2

p1 = const
3
4 1
1
4

s h

Figure 2: T-s, and log p-h-diagram of basic refrigeration cycle.

Although there are small pressure drops in condenser and evaporator, the assumption of constant
pressures is quite good. Thus, one needs to measure only the two pressures p1 and p2.
The specific compressor work is given by wc = h1 − h2 , and the refrigeration capacity is given by
qin = h1 − h4 . Accordingly, one has for the coefficient of performance (COP) of a basic
refrigeration cycle
q in h − h4
COPR = = 1 .
wc h2 − h1
It is one of the goals of this lab to compute the COP for different loads.

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The throttling in our refrigeration cycle is performed by a thermostatic expansion valve which
also regulates the amount of refrigerant flowing. The thermostatic expansion valve senses the
pressure of the refrigerant coming into the evaporator as well as the temperature of the
refrigerant as it leaves the evaporator and then meters the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator
to keep it almost perfectly within the engineered specification (for a drawing, see
http://www.longviewweb.com/expansio.htm where you’ll find also the description given above).
The valve works correctly only when the refrigerant entering is completely liquid, containing no
vapor. Therefore, a vapor trap is placed between condenser and valve. Any vapor accumulates on
top of the receiver, while the liquid is in the bottom where it is drawn off. This means that
saturated vapor enters the valve(Point 3).
A liquid trap separates saturated liquid and saturated vapor after the evaporator, and only the
saturated vapor can enter the compressor (Point1).

Figure 3: log p-h-diagram for R12 with typical refrigeration cycle with isentropic compressor.
The red line is the isothermal line for 20oC .

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Mech 390 Laboratory 2 HVAC 4

3. Air-conditioning and Psychrometrics

The goal of air conditioning processes is to provide a sufficient amount of fresh air at desirable
temperature and humidity. Outside air is taken in and, depending on its original temperature and
humidity, must undergo one or several of the following processes:
• cooling
• heating
• dehumidification
• humidification
Our AC unit allows to perform all of these, and the experiment will consist of various
combinations of the above processes and the measurement of the state of the air, i.e. its
temperature and humidity.
Figure 4 below shows the principal build-up of our device. Fan, heating coils, and the
compressor of the refrigeration cycle are controlled from a central control panel. Water can be
sprayed into the air-stream by means of pressurized air.
Water supply and the first heating coils serve to change the properties of the incoming air, in
order to simulate different conditions of input air.
The cooling coils serve to cool and dehumidify the air.
The second set of heating coils serve to reheat the dehumidified air; they will not be used in the
experiments.
thermometers thermometers
dry/wet dry/wet
heating cooling heating
coils coils coils
fan (2x1 kW) (refrigeration cycle) (2x0.5kW)

fresh air processed

air

water condensate
spray measurement

Figure 4: Basic set-up of laboratory air-conditioning system.

Note, that you have to measure two temperatures - dry and wet bulb temperature – in order to
determine temperature and humidity of the moist air. Throughout the experiment you must
ensure that the wicks on the wet bulb thermometers are wet. The thermometers are
thermocouples.
Before you perform the experiments, you should make sure that you are familiar with the
psychrometric chart. You find the chart printed at the back.

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As an example, Figure 5 shows a standard dehumidification process drawn into a psychrometric chart. The details of
the process are as follows: Outside air of state 1 (T = 30 oC, Twb = 22.5oC) is cooled isobarically. At state 2 (φ=1),
water starts to condense. The moist air is cooled further to state 3 (ω=0.0105) while water condenses. Finally, the
moist air is heated to state 4, which has the desired properties, in this case T=20 oC, φ=0.7. Study the process and
determine the relative humidity, humidity ratio and enthalpy per unit mass of dry air at the principal points.

Figure 5: Standard dehumidification process in psychrometric chart.

4. Procedure for the experiments

• Ensure that the wicks on the wet bulb thermometers are not drying out
• Note the units of measurement and the accuracy provided by the measuring devices.
• The pressure read of the manometers is the gage pressure, i.e. the difference of the pressure
to the environmental pressure. The pressure in the log p-h-diagram is the absolute pressure.
Assume an environmental pressure of 1 atm.

You will go through three similar measurements, for different qualities of intake air. Use the
provided data sheet to record your measurements.

The first step is to select a blower speed (near 60). Keep that speed constant during the whole
experiment!
Turn the refrigerator compressor on. The refrigerator will run during the whole experiment.

1.) Room Air:

Allow the temperature of the air to reach steady state. Record the wet and dry bulb temperatures
of the air both before and after it passes the refrigerator evaporator coils.

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Also, for the analysis of the refrigeration cycle, record the condenser and evaporator pressures,
and the temperatures at their inlets and exits. Two of the four measured temperatures are
measured with thermocouples, while the other two are measured with thermometers.

2.) Heated Air:

Turn on the electric pre-heaters. Wait until steady state, and record all temperatures and
pressures.

3.) Humidified Air

Ensure that the water spray reservoir is full. Open the compressed air valve to add water spray
into the air stream. Allow the moist air to reach steady state before recording the wet and dry
bulb temperatures. Record all temperatures and pressures for the refrigeration cycle.

Results
1. Results for the lab should be presented in the form of a concise technical report. The report
should contain an introduction, a description of the experimental procedure, an outline of
your analytical technique, i.e. an overview of your calculations and the theory behind them.
Include sample calculations in the appendix. Also include in the discussion your
interpretation following the presentation of each result. You can then make your conclusions
based on the points covered in the discussion.
2. Make use of “skeleton” log p-h-diagrams and psychrometric charts to clarify your comments.
3. For each data set use a separate log p-h-diagram to determine the refrigeration capacity and
the COP. Present your diagrams clearly with colored pens or pencils. Discuss and analyze
your results.
4. Determine the isentropic efficiency of the compressor.
5. For each set of wet and dry bulb temperatures, use the psychrometric chart to analyze the AC
unit’s effect on the air passing through it. Calculate and describe fully the changes taking
place.
Answer the following questions:
1. Why doesn’t vapor in the compressor liquefy as it is compressed? Use a suitable diagram to
explain.
2. Use the first law for open systems, to compute the mass flow of the air from the difference
between the enthalpies for heated and unheated air (hint: heating power is known).

H. Struchtrup (Spring 2002,rvsd. 2003, reprint 2004)

University of Victoria Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Data sheet for HVAC Lab

Date: Atmospheric pressure:

Group: Atmospheric temperature:
Blower Speed:

Evaporator Condenser Air before Evaporator Air after Evaporator

o o
gage temperature ( F) gage temperature ( F) temperature (oC) temperature (oC)
pressure pressure
(psi) T(in) T(out) (psi) T(in) T(out) Dry Wet Dry Wet

Room air:

Heated Air:

Moist air:

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University of Victoria Department of Mechanical Engineering

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University of Victoria Department of Mechanical Engineering