Chemical Engineering Laboratory Ш

SEGI University

Experiment: Air Conditioning Module

Candidate’s Name: M Asfand Yar

Student ID: SCM-027033

Lecturer: Ms. Chan Yi Shee

Dr Wong

Submission date: 25/3/2015

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1.0 Abstract:

The primary objective of this experiment is to study the principle capacities and working
standards of an air conditioning system. The experiment determines, what effects the progression
in temperature and dampness have on the viability of the system. There are 4 basic process
carried out within an air-condition system namely heating, cooling, humidifying and
dehumidifying process. The temperature and humidity for inlet and outlet for all these processes
were recorded and the results were used for comparison between theoretical and experimental
data. The changes in the state of air caused by these process is plotted using the psychometric
charts. The heating power, cooling power and enthalpy is then calculated.

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2.0 Introduction:

The basic job of an air conditioner is to move heat from inside your home to the outside, thereby
cooling you and your home. Air conditioners blow cool air into your home by pulling the heat
out of that air. This heat is removed in many different stages. There are four basic processes in
an air conditioning unit. Heating, cooling, humidifying and dehumidifying.

Figure 1.0 basic circuit for an air conditioner

Inside a split Air conditioner there are following parts:-

1. Compressor
2. Condenser
3. Evaporator

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4. Refrigerant

Compressor function is to circulate refrigerant through outdoor unit and converts the same from
gas to liquid. The liquid is then forced through the indoor evaporator coil or cooling
compartment.
The indoor unit’s fan circulates the inside air to pass across the evaporator fins. The evaporator’s
metal fins exchange the thermal energy with the air around it. In Evaporator the refrigerant turns
from liquid into vapor, removing any heat from the surrounding air. That heated air is removed
from house/shop is replaced with cooled air. From that point, the condenser or outdoor unit then
turns the refrigerant vapor back into a liquid, removing any heat. By the time the fluid leaves the
evaporator again, it is a cool, low-pressure gas, eventually returning to the condenser to begin its
trip all over again. This process continues again and again until your home reaches the cooling
temperature you want, as programmed and sensed by your thermostat setting.

There are two types of graphs we use in air conditioning calculation

1) psychometric chart for air
2) pressure enthalpy chart for refrigerant

Psychometric charts are used for calculating values of relative humidity, absolute humidity and
dew point from pyschrometer readings

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3.0 Experimental Procedure :

General start-up procedures

1) The air conditioner unit was installed to the base condensing unit and the quick coupling was
connected to the refrigerator supply and return lines
2) The inclined manometer was connected to the pitot tube located near the orifice using the
flexible tube provided
3) The power supply wires of the air conditioning unit were connected to the base condensing
unit.
4) The power supply switch was turned on.
5) The main power switch on the base condensing unit was switched on.
6) The temperature set point of the pre-heater and re-heater was checked that they are set to
150˚C.
7) The experiment was ready to carry on.

General shut-down procedure

1) The pre-heater and re-heater were switched off and the heaters were allowed to cool down
with the blower on.
2) The blower speed control knob was turned off.
3) Make sure all other switches on the control panel were switched off.
4) The main switch and power supply was switched off.

Experiment 1 Heating process:

1) The blower was switched on and ran at maximum air speed.

2) The pre-heater was switched on
3) Temperature and relative humidity at the inlet (AT1, AH1) and outlet (AT2, AH2) of the pre-
heater was recorded after the process stabilizes.
4) The differential pressure reading of the pitot tube was recorded.

Experiment 2 cooling process:

1) Made sure that the Solenoid Valve with Receiver was selected.
2) The Expansion Valve (SV3) was selected on Solenoid Valve Selector.
3) The blower was switched on and run at maximum air speed.
4) Temperature and relative humidity at the inlet (AT1, AH1) and outlet (AT2, AH2) of the

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cooling coil was recorded when a steady state was reached.
5) The differential pressure reading of the pitot tube was recorded.
6) The refrigerant temperatures (TT1, TT2, TT3, TT4) and the pressure (P1. P2) was recorded.

Experiment 3: Humidification Process

1) The blower was switched on and ran at 15% of the maximum air speed.
2) The steam humidifier was switched on.
3) Temperature and relative humidity at the inlet (AT1, AH1) and outlet (AT2, AH2) of the fan
was recorded when a steady state is achieved.

Experiment 4: Dehumidification Process

1) Make sure that the Solenoid Valve with Receiver was selected.
2) The Expansion Valve (SV3) was selected on Solenoid Valve Selector.
3) The blower was switched on and run at 15% maximum air speed.
4) The condensing unit was switched on.
5) Temperature and relative humidity at the inlet (AT1, AH1) and outlet (AT2, AH2) of the
cooling coil was recorded when a steady state was reached.
6) The differential pressure reading of the pitot tube was recorded.
7) The refrigerant temperatures (TT1, TT2, TT3, TT4) and the pressure (P1. P2) was recorded.

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4.0 Experimental Apparatus:

Figure 2.0: Schematic Diagram of Air Conditioning Module

4.1 Specifications:
A) Air duct:
Air Duct with a cross-sectional dimension of 150mm x 150mm is used.
B) Radial Fan:
A capacity of 255m3/ hour is used.
C) Pre-heater:
Preheater type finned is used. It has a power of 150 Watt. The preheater is protected from over-
heating by the mean of a temperature controller.
D) Reheater:
Reheater type finned is used. It can provide a power of 150 Watt. The reheater is protected from
over-heating by the mean of a temperature controller.
Temperature Sensor/ Transmitter:

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E) Temperature sensor/transmitter
Temperature sensor/transmitter type RTD with a range of 0-100C and an output range of 4-
20mA is used.
F) Humidifier:
Heater type steam generator with axial fan is used.
G) Inclined Manometer:
Inclined Manometer with a range of 0 to 1 WC is used.

H) Combined Temperature and Humidity Sensor

A range of 0 to 50C and 5% to 95% RH, with an output range of 0-10V is used.
I) Orifice
The orifice has a diameter of 40mm. Pitot tube is used to calculate the velocity of the orifice as
follow:
V=0.598

4.2 Overall Dimensions

Height: 0.60 m
Width: 1.00 m
Length: 0.35 m

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5.0 Results:

Differential Pressure Reading: 370Pa

Experiment 1: Heating Process

Temperature ( ℃ ) Relative Humidity (%)

Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
AT1 AT2 AH1 AH2
25.7 28.0 49.6 42.9
Table 1.0

Experiment 2: Cooling Process

Expansion Valve (SV3) on Solenoid Valve Selector (Module)

Temperature ( Relative Refrigerant Temperature ( ℃ ) Pressure
℃¿ Humidity (%) (kgf/cm2)

Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet TT1 TT2 TT3 TT4 P1 P2

AT1 AT2 AH1 AH2 11.8 36.0 36.6 9.3 9 2.6
26.4 14.1 41 84.2
Table 2.0

Experiment 3: Humidification Process

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 Temperature ( ℃ ) Relative Humidity (%)
Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
AT1 AT2 AH1 AH2
25.3 30.3 40.9 34.3
Table 3.0

Experiment 4: Dehumidification Process

Expansion Valve (SV3) on Solenoid Valve Selector (Module)
Temperature ( Relative Refrigerant Temperature ( ℃ ) Pressure
℃¿ Humidity (%) (kgf/cm2)

AT1 AT2 AH1 AH2 TT1 TT2 TT3 TT4 P1 P2

26.2 13.2 40.9 88.0 26.2 13.2 40.9 88.0 9.25 2.60
Table 4.0

Experiment 5: Humidity Regulation

Expansion Valve (SV3) on Solenoid Valve Selector (Module)
Temperature ( Relative Refrigerant Temperature ( ℃ ) Pressure
℃¿ Humidity (%) (kgf/cm2)

AT1 AT2 AH1 AH2 TT1 TT2 TT3 TT4 P1 P2

26.0 22.4 39.5 22.4 10.6 35.2 36.8 9.0 8.50 2.30
Table 5.0

Calculations:

Unit Conversion:
Converting temperature unit °C to K:
For example, (26°C +273) K = 299K

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Density of air, ρ:1.2kg/m3
Differential Pressure: 370 Pa
To calculate velocity of air across orifice,

Velocity, v = 0.598 √ 2∆ P
ρ

= 0.598
√ 2(370 kg /m2 s)
1.2 kg/m3

= 14.7m/s
To calculate the cross sectional area of orifice,
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Area, A= π r
2
= π X (0.04 m/2)

= 1.2566X 10-3m2
To calculate mass flow rate of air,

Mass flow rate , ´m=ρV A

¿ 1.2kg/m3 X 14.7m/s X 1.2566X 10-3m2

= 0.02262kg/s

Experiment 1: Heating Process

To calculate heat transferred to the air,
Q́=ḿ(h 2−h1 )

= 0.02262kg/s (54kJ/kg- 50kJ/kg)

= 0.2601kW
Experiment 2: Cooling Process
To calculate cooling power of the cooling coil,
Power=ḿ ( h 1−h2 )

=0.02262/s (46.5kJ/kg-35kJ/kg)
=0.3168 kW

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 ḿ ( h1 −h2 )
COP of cooling power(SV 3)= =1.21
0.2601

Experiment 3.0: Humidification Process

Absolute humidity:
w 1 = 0.009
w 2= 0.0091

To calculate enthalpy of vaporization,

Q́=ḿ C p ∆ T

= 0.02262kg/s X 1.005kJ/kg.K X (303.3K-298.3K)

= 0.1137kW
To calculate cooling power of the cooling coil,
Power=ḿ ( h 1−h2 )

= 0.02262kg/s (54kJ/kg- 48.5kJ/kg)

= 0.1241 kW

Experiment 4: Dehumidification Process

Absolute humidity:
w 1= 0.009
w 2=0.0082

To calculate cooling power for cooling coil,

Power=ḿ ( h 1−h2 )

= 0.02262kg/s (49kJ/kg- 34kJ/kg)

= 0.3393kW

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Experiment 5: Humidity regulation
ḿ ( h1 −h2 ) 0.02262( 44.5−30)
COP of humidification= = =2.64
0.1241 kW 0.1241

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6.0 Discussions:

Starting off with the heating process, the readings show that the inlet temperature is less
compared to the outlet temperature while its opposite for the humidity which is less at the outlet
compared to the inlet. Now in theory temperature shouldn’t have any effect on the absolute
humidity but the absolute humidity increases here, which may result from the fault in the sensors
for reading. In the experiment both the enthalpy and pressure increases while relative humidity
decreases as it is the ratio between the vapors in atmosphere compared to the saturation amount.

In the cooling process both the temperature and enthalpy decreases while relative humidity
increases rapidly. Absolute humidity remains constant here. So in contrast cooling process has
the total opposite readings compared to the heating process. The relative humidity increases due
to the difference degree of saturation. So lower the temperature, lower the amount of humidity
absorbed.

In the humidifying process, the temperature and enthalpy rises while the relative humidity
decreases. The absolute humidity increases by an insignificant amount of 0.0001 from 0.009 to
0.0091.Now in theory the relative humidity should be increasing during the humidifying process
but its decreases which can be put down to experimental error or maybe a cause of malfunction
in the humidifier.

In the dehumidifying process, the temperature and enthalpy decreases while the relative humidity
increases, and the absolute humidity decreases.’

The results would be more accurate if the experiment had been repeated. The values would have
been more accurate. Along with repetition shutting down of the conditioning unit for at least 15
min before conducting the next process would result in much more accurate readings but this
action could not be completed due to the time constraints.

7.0 Conclusion:

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From the experiment, we can conclude as the temperature and enthalpy increases, the relative
humidity decreases. The graph plotted on the psychrometric chart and experimental data support
the conclusion. The result also prove that it is the complete opposite, as to when temperature and
enthalpy decreases, the relative humidity increases. The absolute humidity should remain
constant for heating and cooling process but that was not the case in the heating process that
might be a result of a fault in sensors. For the humidifier the absolute and relative humidity
should increase with increase in temperature but that didn’t happen for the latter ,which can be
put down to experimental error. For dehumidifier it’s the opposite of humidifier.

8.0 Reference’s:

1). What is Dehumidification? Cooling & Dehumidification, Heating & Dehumidification .

[ONLINE] Available at:http://www.brighthubengineering.com/hvac/41505-psychrometric-
processes-cooling-heating-and-dehumidification/. [Accessed 22 March 2015].
2) How Does Air Conditioning Work | Airconco [ONLINE] Available
at:http://www.airconco.com/how_does_air_conditioning_work/. [Accessed 20 March 2015]

3) Yunus A. Cengel, Michael A. Boles (7th edition)2011, Thermodynamics, An Engineering

Approach, McGrawhill.

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