MEENG322| Refrigeration System

TOPICS

1. Sources of heat
2. Equipment running time
3. Cooling Load Calculations
a. Wall Gain Load
b. Air Change Load
c. Product Load
d. Miscellaneous Load

4. Sample Problem
5. Tables

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Some common sources of heat (source: Principles of Refrigeration by R. Dossat):

• heat that leaks into the refrigerated space from the outside by conduction through the insulated
walls;

• heat the enters the space by direct radiation through glass or other transparent materials;

• heat that is brought into the space by warm outside air entering the space through open doors or
through cracks around windows and doors;

• heat given off by a warm product as its temperature is lowered to the desired level;
• heat given off by people occupying the refrigerated space;
• heat given off by any heat-producing equipment located inside the space, such as electric motors,
lights, electronic equipment, steam, and materials handling equipment.

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 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION

Equipment Running Time

To determine the required BTU per hour capacity of the equipment, the total load for 24-hr period is
divided by the desired running time for the equipment, that is

𝐵𝑇𝑈
𝐵𝑇𝑈 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑,
𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 24 ℎ𝑟
ℎ𝑟 𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 (ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠)

Normally, running time usually used is 18 hrs in order to give time for defrosting.

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Wall Gain Load

(1) Wall Gain Load– this is also called as wall leakage load, is a measure of the heat flow rate by
conduction through the walls of the refrigerated space from the outside to the inside.

The quantity of heat transmitted or wall gain load can be computed using the formula below,

𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝑄 = 𝐴 𝑈 ∆𝑇

where,
Q is the quantity of heat transmitted
A is the outside surface area of the wall
U is the overall coefficient of heat transmission
ΔT is the temperature differential across the wall

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Wall Gain Load
Example:

Determine the total quantity of heat in BTU per hour that will pass through a wall 10’ x 20’ if the U
factor for the wall is 0.16 BTU/hr-ft2-°F and the temperature on one side of the wall is 40°F while the
temperature on the other side is 95°F.
Solution:

𝑄 = 𝐴 𝑈 ∆𝑇

𝐵𝑇𝑈
= (10 𝑥 20 𝑓𝑡2) 0.16 (95 − 40°𝐹)
ℎ𝑟 − 𝑓𝑡 2 − ℉

𝐵𝑇𝑈
= 1760
ℎ𝑟

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Wall Gain Load
calculation…

To determine the wall gain load in BTU per 24 hr as required in refrigeration load calculations, the
result is multiplied by 24 hr, hence

𝐵𝑇𝑈
= 1760 𝑥 24 ℎ𝑟
ℎ𝑟
𝐵𝑇𝑈
= 42240
24 − ℎ𝑟

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Engr. MarkAlvin
AlvinNogales
Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Wall Gain Load

Another method can be used by using the table corresponding to the thickness of wall insulation and on
the temperature difference across the wall,

𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑥 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟

where,
Wall gain factor can be found using the Table 10-5

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Wall Gain Load
source: Principles of Refrigeration by R. Dossat

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Wall Gain Load
Example:

Calculate the wall gain load for a cooler with 4” of corkboard with 200 sq. ft of total outside surface
area and that temperature difference across the walls is 55°F.

Solution:
From Table 10-5, wall gain factor is 99 BUT/ft2-24 hr

𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑥 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟

𝐵𝑇𝑈
= (200 𝑓𝑡2) 99
𝑓𝑡 2 − 24ℎ𝑟

𝐵𝑇𝑈
= 19800
24 − ℎ𝑟

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Air Change Load
(2) Air Change Load– the air changes occurring in the space are brought about almost entirely by
infiltration through door openings. The quantity of outside air entering a space through door opening in a
24-hr period depends on the number, size, and location of the door or doors; on the frequency and
duration of the door openings; and on the densities of the inside and outside air.

To calculate the air change load in BTU per 24 hours, multiply the air change volume by the standard
air density to convert to pounds per hour and then by the difference in enthalpy between outdoor
and indoor air (ho – hi),

𝐴𝑖𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝐴𝑖𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑥 𝑉𝑖 𝑥 𝜌𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑑 𝑥 (ℎ𝑜 − ℎ𝑖 )

where,
Air change – number of air changes per 24 hrs
𝑉𝑖 is the inside volume
𝜌𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑑 is the air standard density

ℎ𝑜 − ℎ𝑖 is the difference in enthalpy between outdoor and indoor air

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Air Change Load
source: Principles of Refrigeration by R. Dossat

Engr.Mark
Engr. MarkAlvin
AlvinNogales
Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION

Engr.Mark
Engr. MarkAlvin
AlvinNogales
Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Air Change Load
Example:
A storage cooler located in a hotel kitchen has inside dimension of 16’ x 25’ x 10’. From the Table 10-
6A, determine the number of air changes per 24.
Solution:
From Table 10-6A, for volume V=16*25*10=4000 ft3 and this categorized as heavy usage hence,
number of air changes per 24-hr is 12.3 (1.5 x 8.2)

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Air Change Load
Example:
The inside volume of a storage cooler in a busy supermarket is 6000 ft3 and usage is heavy. The inside
is maintained at 35°F and 90% RH and the outside conditions are 75°F and 50% RH. Calculate the air
change load.
Solution:
From Table 10-6A, number of air changes per 24-hr is 9.75 (1.5 x 6.5) for volume V=6000 ft3 and heavy usage.

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION

30−25
15 − 10 ℎ0 = 25 + ∗ 16 =28.2
25
ℎ𝑖 = 10 + ∗ 12 = 12.4
25

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Nogales ℎ𝑖 @35°F, 90% RH ℎ𝑜 @75°F,
MEENG322| 50% RH
Refrigeration System
 COOLING LOAD CALCULATION
Cooling Load Calculations: Air Change Load

Hence,

𝐴𝑖𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝐴𝑖𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑥 𝑉𝑖 𝑥 𝜌𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑑 𝑥 (ℎ𝑜 − ℎ𝑖 )

= 9.75 𝑥 6000 𝑥 0.075 𝑥 (28.2 − 12.4)

𝐵𝑇𝑈
= 69322.5
24 − ℎ𝑟

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

1. A cooler wall 10 ft by 18 ft is insulated with the equivalent of 3 in of corkboard. Compute the heat gain through the
wall in Btu/24 hr if the inside temperature is 37°F and the outside temperature is 78°F. Ans. 165312 Btu/24 hr

2. A small walk- in cooler has an interior volume of 400 cu. Feet and receives heavy usage. If the inside of the cooler is
maintained at 35°F and the outside conditions are 90°F and 60% RH, determine the air change load in Btu/24 hr. Ans.
50300 Btu/24 hr

3. A frozen storage room has an interior volume of 2000 cu. ft and is maintained at -10°F. The usage is light and the
outside conditions are 50°F and 60% RH, determine the air change load in Btu/24 hr. Ans. 16100 Btu/24 hr

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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
 REFERENCES:

1. Refrigeration and Air- Conditioning by Stoecker and Jones

2. Industrial Refrigeration by Stoecker

3. Principles of Refrigeration by Dossat

Engr.Mark
Engr. MarkAlvin
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Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System
Engr. Mark Alvin Nogales MEENG322| Refrigeration System