ME3322 – Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

Air Conditioning Processes

Asiri Manchanayaka
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There are four main air conditioning processes

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Combination of main A/C processes

1. Heating and humidifying (winter
time)
2. Heating and dehumidifying (food
processing)
3. Cooling and humidifying
4. Cooling and dehumidifying (Sri
Lanka coastal areas)
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Simplified schematic diagram of a typical A/C system

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Example 01
An A/C system takes in atmospheric air at 12 0C and 25% RH at a steady
rate of 50 m3/min and conditions it to 22 0C in the heating section and then
humidified by the injection of hot steam in the humidifying section.
Assuming that the entire process takes place at 1 atm, determine,

(i) The rate of heat supply in the heating section

(ii) The required mass flow rate of the steam in the humidifying section
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Schematic diagram for the problem

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● ③

① ● ●②
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T (0C) RH (%) h (kJ/kg of d.a) v (m3/kg) w (kg of v/kg of d.a) ṁd.a. (kg/min)
① 12 25
② 20
③ 22 50

(Fill the table referring the Psychrometric chart)

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T (0C) RH (%) h (kJ/kg of d.a) v (m3/kg) w (kg of v/kg of d.a) ṁd.a. (kg/min)
① 12 25 18 0.811 0.0024
② 20 15 26.5 0.834 0.0024
③ 22 50 44 0.848 0.0085
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T (0C) RH (%) h (kJ/kg of d.a) v (m3/kg) w (kg of v/kg of d.a) ṁd.a. (kg/min)
① 12 25 18 0.811 0.0024 61.65
② 20 15 26.5 0.834 0.0024
③ 22 50 44 0.848 0.0085
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(i) Let the rate of heat supply in the heating section is Q

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(ii)
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Example 02
Air at 1 atm, 35 0C and 70% RH enters an air conditioner at a rate of
9.5 m3/min and leaves as saturated air at 15 0C. Part of the moisture in the
air which condenses during the process is removed at 15 0C. Determine the
rate of heat and moisture removal from the air.
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T (0C) RH (%) h (kJ/kg of d.a) v (m3/kg) w (kg of v/kg of d.a) ṁd.a. (kg/min)
①
②