THERMODYNAMICS LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 1

AIR CONDITIONING UNIT

INTRODUCTION

Air conditioning is the simultaneous control of temperature, humidity,

air movement, and the quality of air in a conditioned space of building. It is
able to provide widely varying atmosphere conditions ranging from conditions
necessary for drying telephone cables to that necessary for cotton spinning.
Air conditioning can maintain any atmospheric condition regardless of
variations in outdoor weather. For human comfort in public buildings, places
of employment and our homes, the ambient air should be between certain
limits of both temperature and humidity. Air conditioning plant usually
consists of a number of components such as: fans, filters, heat exchangers,
humidifiers, and so on. The intake of air to the plant is from external
atmosphere and in some cases air return from building and they are (air from
outside + air return) delivered from the plant via ducting to distribution
points.

The Air Conditioning Laboratory Unit A660 has been designed to

demonstrate and to evaluate the energy transfer occurring in all the
processes which are required in an air conditioning plant. The unit is mounted
on a mobile frame which houses the refrigeration unit and steam generator.

THEORIES

The performance of an air conditioner is measured by Coefficient of

Performance (C.O.P.) = Capacity/ Power consumed. When capacity is
expressed Btu/h and the power in kW, this ratio is called the Energy
Efficiency Ratio (EER).

OBJECTIVE

1. To become familiarize with the air conditioning unit.

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 2. To determine the mass flow rate of air and heat capacity of air.
3. To investigate air re-circulation and mixing, computer monitoring,
dynamic humidity and temperature control and the environmental
control of a test chamber.

EQUIPMENT

Air conditioning Laboratory Unit A660

PROCEDURE

1. Fill the wet bulb reservoir up to the marked level.

2. Switch on the power and let the system stabilize for 10 minutes.
3. Adjust the fan speed, starting from 4mm H2O.
4. Switch on the compressor and 2 heaters (front).
5. Record the readings of thermometer, evaporator, and condenser inlet and
outlet pressure.
6. Repeat the experimental with 4.3mm H2O and 4.5mm H2O.

Note: Let the fan run for 10 minutes before taking each reading.

7. Observe the piping and instrumentation and sketch the system.

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EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Record the following and find the average values for each parameter.

Parameter I II III
Dry bulb temperature of air before fan, t1 (oC)
Wet bulb temperature of air before fan, t2 (oC)
Dry bulb temperature of air before evaporator, t3 (oC)
Wet bulb temperature of air before evaporator, t4 (oC)
Dry bulb temperature of air after evaporator, t5 (oC)
Wet bulb temperature of air after evaporator, t6 (oC)
Dry bulb temperature of air at outlet, t7 (oC)
Wet bulb temperature of air at outlet, t8 (oC)
Temperature of working fluid at evaporator outlet, t13 (oC)
Temperature of working fluid at condensor inlet, t14 (oC)
Temperature of working fluid at condensor outlet, t15 (oC)
Air flow reading (mmH2O)
Evaporator outlet pressure
Condensor inlet pressure, p2
Condensor outlet pressure, p3
Refrigerant mass flow rate (g/sec)

OBSERVATIONS

Please indicate your observation during experiment.

QUESTIONS

1. Give a list of components related to air conditioning plant with a brief

description of each component.
2. From the psychometric chart, find the following:

Temperature Parameters
Specific humidity, ωA(kg of H2O/ kg of DA)
t1, t2
Specific enthalpy, hA (kJ/kg DA)
Specific humidity, ωB(kg of H2O/ kg of DA)
t3, t4
Specific enthalpy, hB (kJ/kg DA)
Specific humidity, ωC(kg of H2O/ kg of DA)
t5, t6
Specific enthalpy, hC (kJ/kg DA)
Specific humidity, ωD(kg of H2O/ kg of DA)
t7,t8 Specific enthalpy, hD (kJ/kg DA)
Specific volume, vD (m3/kg)

3. From the steam tables: for ambient air the enthalpy of the water vapor
hg at atmospheric pressure = _______ kJ/kg
Boiler feed water, hj at 20oC (assume) = _______ kJ/kg
4. Calculate the mass flow rate.
5. Calculate the specific heat capacity of air.

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 6. Draw the system featuring the main equipment in the air conditioning unit.
7. Discuss and conclude your findings. Please include the safety that should be
consider during the operation.

REFERENCES

1. Air conditioning Laboratory Unit A660 operation manual, P.A.Hilton Ltd,

United Kingdom.