AIR CONDITIONING-PRINCIPLES AND SYSTEMS

(UNIT-1)
BUILDING SERVICES-III
1.1 THERMODYNAMICS
What is thermodynamics?
• Thermodynamics is the branch of science concerned with heat,
temperature and their relation to energy and work.
• The word thermo means heat and the word dynamics means work.
 Enthalpy Entropy

Enthalpy is a kind of energy Entropy is a property.

It is the sum of internal energy and flows energy It is the flow of randomness of molecules.

It is denoted by the symbol H. It is denoted by the symbol S.

The unit is Jmol−1 The unit is JK−1

It is applicable in standard conditions It does not have any limits or conditions.

The system favor minimum enthalpy The system favor maximum entrophy.
LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS
• Zeroth Law:
If two objects are in thermal equilibrium with a third object , they are also in
thermal equilibrium with each other, thus supporting the notion of
temperature and heat.
First Law:
• Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can change form, and
location.
• The change in the internal energy of a system is equal to the heat added
to the system minus the work done by the system.

ΔU = Change in the internal energy

Q = Heat is added to the system
W = Work done by the system
Second Law:
• The second law states heat energy cannot be transferred from a body at a
lower temperature to a body at a higher temperature without the addition of
energy. The entropy in an isolated system always increases. Any isolated
system spontaneously evolves towards thermal equilibrium—the state of
maximum entropy of the system.
• For a reversible process Sf=Si and for an
irreversible reaction Sf>Si
Where:
Sf = entropy of final state
Si = entropy of initial state
Third Law:
Third law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of a system approaches
a constant value as the temperature approaches absolute zero.
The third law also concerns the entropy of a perfect crystal at absolute at
absolute zero temperature, and implies that it is impossible to cool a system
to absolute zero, or equivalently that perpetual motion machines following
this law is impossible to create.
1.2 TRANSFER OF HEAT
• Heat is a form of energy which can be felt but
which cant be seen with our eyes. It is the degree
of hotness or coldness in a body or environment.
• Heat is a form of energy which can be transferred
between two substances at different temperatures.
Usually the flow would take place from the
substance of higher temperature to lower
temperature.
• Heat is measured in units of energy ( Calories,
Joules or British Thermal Unit ).
Transfer of heat:
• Heat can be transferred from one body to another or from one location to
another.
• In order to facilitate heat transfer between two bodies, there has to be a
temperature difference between them. The temperature of the body should
be higher or lower than the other body in order to allow the heat to flow
from one body to another.
• Heat is mainly transferred by conduction, convection and radiation.
Temperature:
• Temperature of a substance is closely related to the average kinetic
energy of its molecules.
• Temperature is measured in degree Celsius (°C), Fahrenheit (F), or Kelvin
(K) scale.
• The instruments which are used to measure temperature are called
Thermometers,
Thermal energy and temperature:
• Thermal energy is the measure of the total energy an object has due to the
internal motions of its particles.
• Temperature is the measure of the average kinetic energy.
Sensible heat :
• Sensible energy is the potential energy in the form of thermal energy or
heat.
• The temperature of the thermal body should be higher than its
surroundings.
• Thermal energy can be transported by conduction, convection, radiation or
a combination of the three. The most common reference temperature used
for measurement is the room temperature.
Fundamental modes of heat transfer:

Heat transfer Conduction

Convection

Convection
Radiation

• Conduction: Transfer of heat due to direct contact.

Conduction
• Convection: Transfer of heat through liquid and
gases.
• Radiation : Transfer of energy in the form of rays
or waves or particles.
Radiation
Latent heat:
• Latent heat is the amount of energy in the form of heat released or
absorbed by a substance during a change of phase (i.e. solid, liquid, or
gas)
The latent heat is understood as the energy which is supplied or extracted
to change the state of a substance without changing its temperature.
Latent heat of fusion:
• The amount of heat required to change unit mass of a substance at the
temperature of its melting point from the solid to the liquid state without
changing temperature.
Latent heat of vaporization:
• The amount of energy (enthalpy) that must be added to a liquid substance
to transform a quantity of that substance into a gas. 
 Heating process (Breaking bonds)

Melting point °C Boiling point °C

Latent heat of fusion Latent heat of vaporisation

Cooling process (Making bonds)

 Breaking bonds
2

1 Latent heat of fusion is required to break the solid bond

1
2 Latent heat of vaporization is required to break the liquid bond

Making bonds

• When ice is heated, the initial energy is used to convert ice to water. In this
case there is a phase transition from solid → liquid. Latent heat of fusion is
needed to break the solid bonds.
• For the phase transition from liquid → gas, the latent heat of vaporization
is required to break the liquid bonds.
• Notice that there will be no rise in temperature during phase 1 and 2 as the
energy is utilised to break the bonds.
Change in state :
Saturation temperature:
• Saturation temperature is noting but the temperature at which the addition
of heat would result in the change of phase, e.g. water changes to steam
once it reaches its saturation temperature.
• It is the temperature at which liquid converts into vapor (boiling) or vapor
converts into liquid (condensation), the corresponding pressure is called as
saturation pressure.
1.3 REFRIGERATION CYCLE
COMPONENTS
There are 4 major components for the
refrigeration cycle:
• Compressor
• Condenser
• Expansion device
• Evaporator

The refrigerant remains piped between

these four components and is contained in
a refrigerant loop.
• The compressor consumes the most power out of the HVAC system’s
component as it forces the refrigerant through the system. The compressor
turns the compressed, cool, gaseous refrigerant into a very hot and high-
pressure vapor.
• The gas then flows into the condenser, where it condenses into liquid. This
happens when warm outdoor air is blown across the condenser coil containing
the hot, gaseous refrigerant. and gives off its heat to the outside environment.
The refrigerant turns from a vapor into a hot liquid due to the high pressure and
reduction in temperature.
• The liquid refrigerant moves to the expansion valve as a hot, high pressure
liquid. The expansion valve is responsible for reducing the pressure of the
refrigerant so it can evaporate easily in the evaporator. The pressure drops
rapidly and the refrigerant turns into cold vapor.
• The low-pressure vapor moves to the evaporator. The evaporator is
responsible for cooling the air which is going to the space by evaporating the
refrigerant that is vented directly into the space. Heat transfers from air to the
refrigerant which cools the air directly before it is vented to the space. The low-
pressure liquid refrigerant is easily boiled the warm air blown across the
evaporator.
• The refrigerant heads back to the compressor and the cycle is repeated.
Components of refrigeration cycle:
1.4 VAPOR-COMPRESSION CYCLE
• The vapor compression cycle has refrigerants like NH, R-11, R12, R-22.
NH– Ammonia
R-11 – Trichlorofluoromethane
R-12 – Dichlorofluoromethane
R-22 – Chlorodifluoromethane
• The vapor compression cycle has 4 parts- compressor, condenser,
expansion valve and an evaporator.
• The compressor draws low pressure vapor from the evaporator and
compresses it with high pressure, as a result the vapor temperature also
increases.
• Hot vapor moves from the compressor to the condenser, where it is
cooled and gets converted to liquid.
• The liquid the passes to the expansion valve which reduces the pressure
of the liquid refrigerant. The liquid gets converted into vapor of low
dryness.
• The low pressure and low temperature refrigerant passes through the
evaporator, where it absorbs the latent heat from the cold chamber and
gets converted into vapor.
1.5 REFRIGERANT
• A refrigerant can be found either in fluid or gaseous form. It is used in heat
pumps and refrigeration cycle.
• In most of the cycles there will be a transition from liquid to gas and back
to liquid state again.
• The most common types of refrigerants used are:
1. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), including R12
2. Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), including R22
3. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), including R410A and R134
History of refrigerants :
• Refrigerants are fluids that can easily boil from a liquid into a vapour and
also be condensed from a vapour back into a liquid.
• An example for refrigerant would be water. It has the ability to evaporate and
condense and is easy and safe to use. It’s used in Absorption chillers as a
refrigerant.
• Water isn’t used as a refrigerant in common air conditioning units is because
there are specially made refrigerants designed specifically for this task,
which have the ability to perform more efficiently.
• All common refrigerants have extremely low boiling points compared to
water. This allows it to evaporate into a vapour with very little thermal
energy applied which means the refrigerant can extract heat more rapidly.
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), including R12, is a well known contributor
to green house gas effect. The production ceased in the year 1994.
• Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), including R22 causes lesser
damage to the ozone layer, EPA mandated a phase out as a result of
Clean Air Act 2010. The goal is to phase out R22 by the end of 2020.
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), including R410A and R134, has no chlorine
mix, as a result it is considered to be safer for the environment and also as
a replacement for R22. Air conditioners that run on R410A are more
efficient, offer better air quality, increase comfort and improve reliability.
• Based on the toxicity refrigerants are classified into 2 categories, Class A
which has a lower toxicity and Class B which has higher chronic toxicity.
• Based on flammability they are classified into 4 categories, Class 1 (no
flame propagation), Class 2L (lower flammability), Class 2 (flammability)
and Class3 (higher flammability).
CLASS 1

CLASS 2L
CLASS A
CLASS 2

CLASS 3
REFRIGERANT
S
CLASS 1

CLASS 2L
CLASS B
CLASS 2

CLASS 3
• Based on the toxicity and flammability the refrigerants are classified as A1,
A2L, A2, A3, B1, B2L, B2, and B3.
Selection criteria for refrigerants :
Factors to take into consideration are:
• Thermophysical properties • Relatively inexpensive to produce
• Technological issues • Low environmental impacts in case
of accidental venting
• Economic aspects
• Low gas flow rate per unit of cooling
• Safety at compressor
• Environmental factors
• Normal boiling point below 0 °C
• Non-flammable
• Non-toxic
• Easily detectable in case of leakage
• Stable under operating conditions
• Easy to recycle after use
1.6 COMPRESSOR
• High pressure fluids has the tendency to flow towards the low
pressure fluids, the compressor raises, the pressure of the
refrigerant so that the refrigerant will flow to the lower pressure
refrigerant in the evaporator coil.
• There are two service valves which act as aid for servicing the
system. One valve the high side the other valve on the lower side
• The lower side is connected to an evaporator and the higher side
valve is connected to the discharge hose.
• The compressor is normally belt driven, it has a magnetic type
clutch which provides a means of stopping the pump of the
compressor when refrigeration is not desired.
Compressor (Scroll compressor):
1.7 CONDENSER
• The condenser receives the high pressure gas from the compressor
and converts the gaseous refrigerant into liquid.
• The principle of heat transfer ,or the principle that heat will always
move from a warmer to a cooler substance.
• Air passes over the condenser coil and it carries the heat and the gas
condenses.
• The compressor increases the pressure, as a result the heat
intensity of the refrigerant gets concentrated into smaller areas, as
a result the temperature of the refrigerant will be higher than the
ambient temperature of the air which passes through the condenser
coil.
Expansion valve :
• The expansion valve removes the pressure from the liquid refrigerant
and allows the expansion, (i.e.) expansion from liquid to vapor to take
place in a evaporator. It can be found in the evaporator.
• The high-pressure liquid refrigerant entering the expansion valve is
warm while the refrigerant exiting the expansion valve is cold.
• The expansion valve has an orfice tube which is used to regulate the
amount of refrigerants entering inside the evaporator.
• Under reduced pressure, the refrigerants are coldest when it leaves the
expansion valve and enters the evaporator.
• The inlet and outlet pressure of the expansion valve will be similar to the
inlet and outlet pressure of the compressor, this is because of the
closeness of the components to each other.
Condenser :

Expansion valve :
1.8 EVAPORATOR
• Function of an evaporator coil is the opposite of a condenser. The
liquid refrigerant will be converted to gas, absorbing heat from the
air compressor. The evaporator coil is located near the air handler
where the blower fan.
• The coils are usually made of copper, steel or aluminum to conduct
heat easily. The coils consists of tubes bent into U shape and set in the
form of a panels.
• The panels are placed in an “A” position, and are lined with thin pieces
of metal known as fins.
• When the liquid refrigerants reaches the evaporator, its pressure
would be reduced, dissipating its heat and making it cooler than the
fan air flowing around it through the tubing in the evaporator coil.
• A blower is a necessary part of an evaporator in the air conditioning
system.
• The blower fan draws and forces the heated air into the evaporator, where
the heat is surrendered to the refrigerant and forces the cool air out of the
evaporator and into the space which has to be cooled.
 1.9 REFRIGERANT CONTROL DEVICES
(Expansion valves)
What is an expansion valve?
• It can be found between the condenser and the evaporator. It has a
high side and a low side.
• The opening in the side of the expansion valve towards the condenser will
be on the high side and the evaporator side will be the low side.
What is the purpose of an expansion valve?
• The function of the refrigerant device is to control the flow of the
refrigerants into the evaporator according to the evaporator load.
• It helps to maintain the pressure difference between the high side and
the low side, (i.e.) pressure difference between condenser and
evaporator.
• Types of refrigerant control devices are:
Hand expansion valve (Manual)
Capillary valve (Fixed)
Thermostatic expansion valve-superheat control (Temperature)
Automatic expansion valves-evaporator pressure control (Pressure)
Low pressure float control (Liquid level)
High pressure float control (Liquid level)
Hand expansion valve:
• The hand expansion valves are also called as
throttle valves.
• This type of valve consists of a body, needle valve,
and a hand wheel.
• The and wheel helps to control the opening of the
valve for regulating the frictional flow of the
refrigerants.
• This valve is controlled manually to maintain the
required flow of refrigerants into the system.

Where to use- Cold storage, warehouse, ice plants

where there should be a constant load.
Where to avoid- The valve is not suitable for
installations where the load varies and the compressor
runs intermittently to maintain the temperature.
Capillary expansion valve:
• Capillary tubes is wound into with coils for direct
expansion.
• The tube connects the outlet of the condenser and the
inlet of the evaporator.
• Capillary tubes are hollow copper tubes with an
internal diameter ranging between 0.51mm-2mm.
• The opening of the capillary tube is called orifice.
• There are 2 types of capillary tubes: adiabatic and non-
adiabatic tubes.
• The adiabatic tube expands refrigerants from high
pressure to low pressure while the non-adiabatic
capillary tube forms a counter heat exchange between
the suction line that joins the evaporator and the
compressor.
Where to use- Refrigerators, deep freezers, water coolers
and air conditioners
Thermostatic expansion valve:
• In an evaporator, the vapor moves along the coil
towards the suction line, the gas tends to absorb
additional heat and its temperature rises.
• The difference in the degree between the saturation
temperature and the increased temperature of the
gas is called as superheat.
• The thermostatic expansion valve provides a
constant superheat temperature within the
refrigerant vapor leaving the coil.
• The valve controls the liquid refrigerant, so the
evaporator maintains the correct amount of
refrigerants at all times.
• The valve consists of a remote bulb at the end of the evaporator coil.
• The bulb senses the superheat at the suction line and accordingly it
adjusts the flow of refrigerants into the evaporator.
• If the superheat increases, the temperature and pressure in the remote
bulb also will increase.
Automatic expansion valve:
• The automatic expansion valve comprises of the
valve which includes the needle and the seat, a
pressure bellows or diaphragm and a spring.
• The tension variable can be adjusted by adjusting the
screw.
• It has a screen or a strainer installed which will help
in preventing the foreign matters from entering inside
the valve.
Low-pressure float control valve:
• The low pressure float control valve maintains the
minimum constant level of the liquid in the
evaporator by regulating the flow of the liquid
refrigerant according to the rate of refrigerant which
got evaporated.
• It is used to maintain the level of liquid in the
evaporator to the desired level.
• The low pressure float is usually installed in the
evaporator or it may be installed external to the
units in a separate float chamber.
High-pressure float control valve:
• The high pressure float is located on the high pressure side of the
system.
• It controls the amount of liquid in the evaporator indirectly by
maintaining a constant liquid level in the high side pressure float.
• The working is similar to the low pressure float control valve.
 1.10 ELECTRIC MOTOR
What is an electric motor?
• An electric motor is an electrical machine which converts electrical energy
to mechanical energy.
Where are electric motors used?
• The HVAC industries depends on heavily on the electric motor. The
electric motor is the primary component which powers the blowers to
move air.
• The electric motor are also used to run the compressors to compress the
refrigerants, power a pump for chilled water and hot water applications
and fuel oil.
Electric motors and HVAC systems:
• HVAC equipment depends on electric motors to move air, pump
water, and run compressors.
• The type of the motor will be selected depending on the type of job
it has to perform.
• The appropriate motor should be selected for the HVAC otherwise ,
significant or continuous problems will arise throughout the
lifespan of the HVAC.
• Propeller fans require motors with low starting torque while HVAC
systems require motor with high starting torque.
Types of HVAC motor:

HVAC motor
types

Shaded pole
Split phase Compressor ECM
motor

Hermetic
Open drive Semi hermetic Two speed
( Completely PSC motor CSCR
(Open) (Semi Sealed) compressor
Sealed)
Shaded pole motor:
• The shaded pole motor are low torque
motor and are usually found in
appliances with requirement <=35Watt.
• It has low efficiency.
• This type of motor is inexpensive and
does not require a capacitor.
• The 240 volt passes through the motor,
the a shading ring help to run the
motor instead of a capacitor in one
direction.
• Used for small loads such as fans.
Split phase motor:
• Most often used in residential motors/
buildings with a single phase.
• Medium starting torque.
• The centrifugal switch is used to take
the start winding out of the circuit once
the motor has reached a certain speed
or Rpm.
• Modern split phase motors have
capacitors added to it in different
configurations to improve the efficiency
and improve the starting torque.
Compressor:
• Compressor is the heart of the refrigeration and air-conditioning
system.
• There are 3 types of compressors:
a) Open drive- Where the motor can be found in the external of the
refrigeration circuit. This type of compressor is not used often
except for certain industrial equipment's due to the leakage of
the shaft seal.
b) Semi-hermetic- Which can be rebuilt, and can be cooled by
suction gas. The motor is inside the compressor.
c) Hermetic- Motors that are cooled by suction gas, but cannot be
repaired in the field. Motor burnouts will contaminate the
system. The motor is inside the compressor.
• Most of the compressors are refrigerant cooled but some of the
older types of compressors are air cooled.
Two speed compressors:
• The two speed compressor can be used to match the system
output to the load.
• The speed of the compressor can be adjust from the setpoint of the
room thermostat.
• The two speed compressor is used when the compressor has to
run continuously, where the amount of heat removed from the
space should be proportional to the amount of heat added to the
space in order to maintain comfort.
• This compressor gives a better control over humidity as well.
Permanent split capacitor motor (PSC):
• Is a single phase motor.
• Run capacitor is connected between the run and start windings.
• The job of the run capacitor is regulate the required amount of
current to the start and the run windings throughout the run time.
This prevents windings from burning out.
• The PSC motors are used in places which have rapid pressure
equalization on shutdown.
Capacitor Start Capacitor Run (CSCR):
• Uses both start and run capacitors.
• Both the capacitors run during the startup of the motor.
• The start capacitor opens when the motor gets up to speed.
• The run capacitor remains in the circuit.
Electrically Commutated Motor (ECM):
• ECM motor are also called as Electronically controlled brushless DC
motors.
• These motors are used on blowers
• Provide excellent humidity control.
• Energy-efficient operation
• Long life
• Low operation temperature
• The ECM motors are programmable
• Has a long life.

The ECM motor has a permanent magnetic rotor unlike the other
motors which has electromagnetics motors.
How to cool the compressor?
• Compressor can be cooled by refrigerant vapor.
• The refrigerant has to be of the proper density, if the pressure is
low, it can cause the compressor to overheat
• The compressors should never run on vacuum as heat cannot be
dissipated and as a result the motor will be damaged.
 1.11 AIR HANDLING UNITS

Purpose of Air Handling Units (AHU’s) ?

• Air handling units’ condition and distribute air within a building.
• They take fresh ambient air from outside, clean it, heat it or cool it,
maybe humidify it and then force it through some ductwork around to the
designed areas within a building.
• Most units will have an additional duct run to then pull the used dirty air out
of the rooms, back to the AHU, where a fan will discharge it back to
atmosphere.
Where can you find Air Handling Units (AHU’s) ?
• Air handling units, found in medium to large commercial and industrial
buildings.
• They are usually located in the basement, on the roof or on the floors of
a building. AHU’s will serve a specified area or zone within a building
single purpose such as just the buildings toilets in case of a multistory
building .
• Multiple AHU’s around a high rise building.
• Old high rise buildings usually have just one large AHU, located on
the roof which supplies air to the entire building through ducts.
• This system does not have a return duct and they usually rely on air
leaks. This design isn’t so common anymore in new buildings
because it’s very inefficient,
• Multiple smaller AHU’s supplying different zones in order to
improve the efficiency
• The buildings are also more air tight so we need to have a return
duct to regulate the pressure inside the building.
Parts of AHU:

AHU

Cooling and Centrifugal

Grills Dampers Filters Humidifier Duct
Heating coil fan
 Grills:
The grills prevents the entry of objects, and
wildlife from entering inside the flow and
return duct to protect the mechanical
components inside the AHU.

 Dampers:
Dampers are fins which can be opened or
closed to control the entry of air entering or
exiting the ducts.
There are 2 types, motorized and fixed
dampers.
• Filters:
The job of the filter is to capture all the dirt and dust entering inside
the AHU and prevent it from passing through.
Filters helps keep the building clean and provide breathable air for
the occupants inside the building.
Prevents the dust from coming in contact with the mechanical
components of the AHU. Dust causes the components to wear out.
Across each filter banks (gaps between the filters and the
equipment) the AHU has a pressure sensor.
The pressure sensors measure how dirty the filters are and warn
the engineers when they have to replace the filters as the pressure
of the filters drop when dust accumulates.
There are two types of filters:

Filters

Panel Bag
Filters Filters

Panel filter : This type of filter is used to

filter larger dust particles. They are also
called as pre-filters.
Bag filter : This type of filter is used to
filter smaller dust particles.
• Cooling and heating coil :
Cooling and heating coil are used to
heat and cool the air as required.
The air temperature is constantly
measured with the help of temperature
sensors from the moment it enters the
AHU till it exits out to the supply duct.
The exiting air temperature or the
designed air temperature has to be at
the set level to maintain the comfort of
the occupants inside the buildings.
Inside the coils are heat exchangers
which are usually heated or chill
water, refrigerant or steam.
• Centrifugal fan :
The centrifugal fan is responsible for
pulling the air from outside, through
the dampers, the filters, the cooling and
the heating coils then pushing the air
through the supply duct.
They are also known as the supply
fans.
The fan also has a pressure sensor
which shows if the fan is running.
There is another pressure sensor
near the duct work which measures
the pressure of the air and based on the
requirement the speed of the fan is
adjusted.
Modern AHU’s have replaced centrifugal fans with Electronically
Commutated fans (EC fans).
The return AHU is the simplest form of the AHU which consists of a
centrifugal fan or the exhaust fan and a damper.

The fan pulls out the air from the building and pushes it outside the building
through the dampers which is located at the exit of the AHU.
The dampers close when the AHU turns off.
• Humidifier:
For buildings that requires humidity control, humidity sensors are placed at
the supply AHU to measure the set point of the moisture which has to
released by the humidifier
If the ambient air moisture content is below the required humidity level,
the sensors will trigger the humidifier to spray the required amount of
water mist.
Humidifiers are extremely important for document storage, computer
rooms, server rooms, labs etc.
For places that have high humidity in the atmosphere, it can be reduced
with the help of the cooling coil.
The air hits the cooling coil, causing the moisture in the air to condense
and flow away, there is a drain pan under the cooling coil to catch the water
and drain this away.
The cooling coil will reduce the temperature by removing the heat and reduce
the moisture

• Duct :
Duct is used to send air to the designated area.
Separate ducts are used to bring used air from the building and send it to the
return duct.
 1.12 COOLING TOWER

What is the use of cooling tower?

• Cooling tower rejects the heat from the building to the environment.
• Heat is picked up from the people, systems, furniture's, solar gain, etc.
and sent to the cooling tower.
• Basically the cooling tower takes the water in at a certain temperature and
sends it out at a lower temperature.
Parts of a cooling tower:
• Exhaust fan
• Drift eliminator
• Water Inlet
• Packing unit
• Inlet shield
• Makeup water
• Ball valve
• Overflow valve
• Drain pipe
• Basin
• Condenser water outlet
.
 Exhaust fan:
The exhaust fan pulls the hot air out of the
unit.

 Inlet shield :
Inlet shield acts as a filter while allowing
the ambient air inside the cooling tower.
It prevents birds, dust, insects etc. from
entering inside the cooling tower.
Air comes in through the inlet shield and
flushes out through the exhaust fan.
 Motor :
The cooling tower’s exhaust fan is run by a motor.
The motor drives the exhaust fan by a gear-belt mechanism.

 Inlet system :
The inlet system conveys the warm water from the chiller unit and is
sprayed inside the cooling tower by means of a nozzle.
The sprayed water falls on thin plastic units
which are called as packing units.
Droplets of water which are sprayed on the
packing unit will be spread across its surface.
The air from the inlet shield will cool the
condense water and remove the heat from the
water droplets.
The hot air will also cause a certain amount of
evaporation to take place in the sprayed water
droplets.
In order to capture the evaporated water to a
certain extent which will increase the efficiency
of the cooling towers, there is a drift eliminator
placed below the exhaust fan.
The drift eliminators purposely change
direction to cause the leaving air to condense
against the sides.
This squeezes some of the moisture out of the
air which then runs back down to the fill
packaging for further cooling and eventually
accumulates in the basin of the cooling tower to
be sent back to the chiller.
The makeup water supplies water to the cooling
tower when the ball valve goes below the float.
If the water goes beyond the holding capacity,
the excess water overflows through the overflow
pipe.
Cooling tower has a drain pipe which will drain
the dirty water (when the water needs to be
changed).
 1.13 WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER
SYSTEM
• Window air conditioner system is referred to as the room air conditioner
system.
• This system can be mounted in the walls, or windows.
• It works on vapor compression refrigeration system.
• There are 6 components:
Condenser
Condenser fan
Compressor
Expansion device
Evaporator blower
Evaporator
• The unit can be divided into 2 sections:

Evaporator

Evaporator
Indoor Part
blower
Expansion
Window Air valve
Conditioner Compressor

Condenser
Outdoor
Part Condenser
blower
• The room air is sent to the evaporator which take place only is the
blower is on.
• The hot air is sucked in and the sucked in room air comes in contact
with the evaporator coil which as a result cools the air while heating
the refrigerant simultaneously.
• The cool air is sent to the room by means of a blower fan.
• The condenser comes in contact with the outside atmospheric air,
due to the temperature difference condensation takes place where its
temperature reduces and gets converted to a high pressure ambient
temperature liquid refrigerant.
• A base plate can be found below the evaporator to collect the
condensed water from the evaporator.
• When the warm air from the room comes in contact with the cool
evaporator condensation takes place on the surface which fall on the
base plate and sent through the outlet.
What are the requirements to install a window air conditioner?:
• A slot should be made in one of the walls where the air conditioner
should be placed.
• The system extends two feet beyond the wall on the back side, where
the air is thrown away by the condenser.
• The dew which is collected by the air conditioner is thrown from the
backside for which it requires space or provision for the water to drip.
1.14 SPLIT AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
• The split unit system consist of two part:

Split unit
system

Out door Indoor

unit unit
• Outdoor unit:
This unit is the main component of
the air conditioner like the
compressor, condenser coil and the
expansion coil.
This unit is installed outside the
room which is to be cooled.
The outdoor unit consists of a fan
which blows air over the condenser
which as a result cools it.
The gas passes through the
expansion coil and gets converted
into low pressure low temperature
liquid refrigerant.
• Indoor unit:
This is the unit which produces the cooling effect inside the room.
The indoor unit has an evaporator coil, a long blower and a filter.
After the refrigerants passes the expansion valve it goes to the evaporator
coil.
The blower blows the hot, humid and filtered air from the room over th
cooling coil. As the air blows, the temperature reduces.
The required temperature can be adjusted by the occupant with the help of
a thermostat.
Recently the usage of multi split air conditioners is found to be common
where there may be multiple- split air conditioners., i.e. there will be one
outdoor unit and two indoor units placed in two different rooms or a single
large room.
Due to the long distance between the outdoor and the indoor unit, there
tends to loss in the cooling effect. The window A.C. of 1 ton will have a
better performance when compared to the split A.C. of the same tonnage.
However, by providing proper insulation between in indoor and the outdoor
unit, the efficiency of the split unit A.C. increases.
1.15 PACKAGE AIR CONDITIONER
SYSTEM (PACU)
What is a package air-conditioning system?
• A package air-conditioning system is an all in one unit. It has all the
major components such as the compressor, condenser, expansion
valve and the evaporator.
• This type of unit can be used where there is a lack of space for a AHU
inside the building.
• An AHU would require a separate space for the chiller unit, cooling
tower, and the AHU.
• The PACU can be installed either on the rooftop or on the side of the
building.
• This type of unit is suitable for all types climates as it is equipped it with
a cooling and a heating coil.
• The PACU units are commonly used at restaurants, commercials places
and homes.
• It requires a duct system to supply the conditioned air to the rooms.
• The humidity and chillness can be adjusted with accuracy as per ther the
requirement.
Difference between PACU and Split unit:
PACU
Installation Faster, easier and
cheaper to install as it is
factory assembled.
Split unit
The units have to be
installed in different
places, charged with
refrigerants

Maintenance These are more They are less vulnerable

accessible and easy to to wear and tear as most
maintain. components are inside.
Takes a lot of time to
repair as there are 2
parts separate units.

Noise As the unit is outdoor, If the unit malfunctions ,

the unit wont cause any it starts making annoying
disturbance, unless there loud noise from the
is an issue with the evaporator.
ductwork.
1.16 DIRECT EXPANSION SYSTEM (DX
SYSTEM)
• In the DX types of systems the air which is used to cool the space is
directly chilled by a refrigerant in the cooling coil of the AHU.
• Since the air is cooled directly by the refrigerant, it is considered to be an
efficient process.
• It is not always possible to carry refrigerant piping over a long distance,
hence DX systems will be used to cool small buildings where the
requirement is 5-30 tons capacity.
• Though the efficiency of the DX plant is higher, the refrigeration piping
cannot be taken for a long distance since there will be a drop in the
pressure and cooling loss.
• If long piping systems are provided, a large quantity of refrigerants should
also be provided .
• There are 3 parts to the DX unit:
1. The plant room
2. The AHU room
3. The Air conditioning room
Plant room:
• The plant room has the important parts for the refrigeration cycle which are
the compressor and the condenser.
• The compressor can be semi-hermetically sealed where the motor and the
compressor will be in a closed shell, or open type compressor where the
motor and the compressor will be separate.
• Semi-hermetic compressor will be cooled by air while the open
compressor will be cooled by water.
AHU room:
• This room has an expansion valve and AHU unit.
• The refrigerant leaving the condenser from the plant room, enters the
thermostatic expansion valve, and then the air handling unit.
• The air handling unit is a large box type of unit that comprises of the
evaporator, air filter and a large blower After leaving the thermostatic
expansion valve the refrigerant enters the cooling coil where it cools the air
that enters the room to be air conditioned.
• The evaporator in the air handling unit of the DX central air conditioning
system is of coil type covered with the fins to dissipate the heat from the
refrigerant to the air more efficiently.
• There are two ducts connected to the air handling unit:
1) Supply air duct which supplies the chilled air from AHU to the rooms
which are to be air conditioned .
2) Return air duct which carries the air from the warm air from the rooms
back to the AHU.
The return air is then passed through the filters and then over the cooling
coil. The blower then passes the chilled air through ducts to the rooms that
are to be air conditioned.
Air conditioned room:
• The room which is to be conditioned is called the air conditioned room. It
can be a residential room, a hotel room, a part of an office etc.
• The ducts from the AHU will be passed to the rooms which have to be
cooled. The ducts will be connected to grills which supply chill air to the
room.
• The air from the room passes through another set of duct called the return
duct which ends up at the AHU unit.

.
1.17 CHILLED WATER SYSTEM
• The chill water system is a type of centralized air conditioning system
which us used in shopping malls, airports, hotels etc., where the tonnage
is greater than 50 tons.
• In the DX systems the refrigerants is used to directly cool the air which
has to be supplied to the room, while in the case of chilled water system
the refrigerants chills the which in turn chills the room air.
• In the chilled water systems , the water will be chilled up to a low
temperature of 6⁰C to 8⁰C by the refrigeration plant.
• The chilled water will be distributed to various floors and parts of the
building with the help of pumps.
• AHU’s are installed at different parts of the building which comprises of a
blower, cooling coil and ducts.
• A return duct Is provided to the rooms which have to be conditioned. The
return air passes to the cooling coil, gets cooled and then passes back to
the conditioned space.
Parts of chill water air conditioning system:
Central Air
Conditioning
Plant Room
.
A.H.U Room
Chilled water air
conditioning
system
Air Conditioned
Room

Cooling Tower
Central Air Conditioning Plant Room:
• This room has a compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve on a
structural steel framework.
• The compressor is an open type compressor where the motor and the
compressor are belt driven. The compressor can be cooled by water.
• The evaporators are called as chillers as they chill the water.
• Chill water is sent to various parts of the building which are to be
conditioned.
• It then enters the A.H.U, enters the cooling coil, cools the air, absorbs heat
from the air and comes back to the plant to be cooled again.
• The amount of water which is to be sent to the chiller is controlled by a
flow switch.
• The blower sucks the air from the conditioned space and sends the air to
the coil to cool the air. The duct through which the air passes are well
insulated.
A.H.U Room:
• This room comprises of cooling coil, filters, blowerws supply and return
ducts.
• The A,H.U‘s are installed in each floor which are to be conditioned.
• The chill water flows from the cooling coil, The return air from the
conditioned room comes in contact with the coil which results in the air
getting cool.
• The cool air passes through the filters and then supplies to the rooms with
the help of the blowers and ductworks.

.
Air Conditioned Rooms:
• The rooms which are to be conditioned are called as air conditioned
rooms. These rooms can be hotel rooms, apartment rooms, hospital
rooms, shops, theatres, etc.
• The ceiling will be provided with a supply and return duct.
• The supply duct supplies cool air to the room while the return duct send
the conditioned air to the A.H.U for cooling.
Cooling Tower:
• It is used to cool the compressor and the condenser.
• When the cool water passes through the compressor and the condenser, a
percentage of evaporation takes place.
• The cooling tower cools the water by atmospheric air and this water will be
re-circulated through the compressor and the condenser.
1.18 FAN COIL UNITS (FCU)
• This type of unit is very common for apartments, offices, canteens, homes,
etc.
• They are used to condition the local air to suit the temperature requirement
of the space.
• It has 2 ducts:
1. A supply duct
2. A return duct
• The supply duct distributes air which runs along various rooms of the
building.
• The supply duct has has fan units which contains the cooling and the
heating coils.
• A motorized fan is used to blow the conditioned air into the room.
• A.H.U supplies air into the building through the main supply duct.
• The main duct will branch off into smaller ducts which leads to each
rooms. Based on the requirements, there will be a certain amount of air
changes taking place inside the room per hour.
• The ducts are not directly connected with the fan coil unit, there will be a
gap between the duct and the F.C.U.
• A motorized fan sucks in fresh air, this air passes through the cooling and
heating coils.
• After the air enters the room, cools or heats the occupants and the
equipments; it then returns to the A.H.U by the return duct while a part of
the air goes to the F.C.U.
• The return air mixes with the fresh air and gets conditioned before being
conditioned back inside the room.
• F.C.U are located on the ceiling. They are usually covered by a false
ceiling.
• There will be 2 types of grills:
1. Supply grill (Diffuser)
2. Return grill
• The supply grill or the diffuser are
used to supply or distribute air
into the conditioned space while
the return grill will return the
conditioned air to the A.H.U.
• Air returns to the A.H.U through
the return duct. Some of the air
can be pulled by the ceiling voids
which will be mixed with the
ceiling voids. This sucked air
mixes with the fresh air and gets
pulled back into the fan coil unit.
• The air which is to be conditioned
is called the conditioned air.
Components of F.C.U:
• The F.C.U unit contains:
1. Filters
2. Fans
3. Heating coils
4. Cooling coil
5. Drip tray
• Air enters through the filters to clean and remove the air entering the air
entering inside the conditioning room.
• The dusty filters can be pulled out, cleaned/replaced and put back in
place.
• The unit usually has 1-3 fans depending on the size of the room.
• The fans are driven by an electric motor.
• Small 80 watts motors are usually used.
• The heating and cooling coil uses hot/cool water which are circulated
through the pipes from the boilers and chillers.
• A cooling coil can create a lot of condensation when warm air comes in
contact with the cooling coil.
• The condensed water will be collected in the drip tray.
1.19 DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM
• District cooling systems are also known as DCS systems. It has the ability
to distribute chill water or other medium to multiple buildings through a
network of underground pipes.
• This gives the buildings an advantage of not having the necessity of
installing a chiller unit of their own, which as a result would reduce the
electricity consumption .
• The DCS system helps to reduce 20%-35%of the electricity consumption
which is required for air conditioning spaces.
• There are some countries where there will be a demand for heating as
well, in those places there will be an installation of District Heating and
Cooling System (DHCS).
• There are 3 parts for DCS systems:
Central
Chiller Plant

Distribution
DCS System
Network

Consumer
Substation

Central Chiller Plant:

• The central chiller plant comprises of a compressor driven chiller which
uses sources like the river, ocean, lakes for cooling.
• Large group of chillers are installed in the central chiller plant which help in
satisfying the cooling demand of various buildings in the city.
• The sea water condenses which can be used to reject the heat from the
central chiller.
Distribution Network:
• The chill water will be distributed from the central chiller plant to the user
sub station by means of an insulated supply and return pipes.
Consumer Substation:
• The consumer substation consists of A.H.U, heat exchangers, chill water
piping system.
• The building substation of each building is connected to the DCS by
means of a distribution network.
• The consumer substation can be connected by direct or indirect
connection with the DCS unit.
1.20 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
CFC/HFC:
• Air conditioners are complex machines which are made up of many parts.
CFC/HFC are the cooling agents which are used in air conditioners which,
when released, increases the holes in the ozone layer over time.
• Older models of AC use CHC and HCFC which cause global warming
while the new models use HFC and HFO which play a major role in ozone
depletion.
Energy use:
• Air conditioners require lots of energy to function properly. When fossil
fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is also released into the air , more
commonly known as greenhouse gas, which is the major contribution to
ozone depletion.
• The average and typical air conditioner will consume about 3000 to 5000
watts of electricity every hour, depending on the season.
Unclean duct:
• Air conditioners do not impact the environment in a global way, but it also
causes an impact in small scale as well. The duct over time collects dust
and bacteria each time the air conditioner is turned on.
Materials used:
• In the past air conditioners were made out of metals. As metal is too
expensive and heavy, the use of plastic was opted for the modern air
conditioners.
• The production of plastic alone releases carbon dioxide into the air and
causes greenhouse effect.
• There are places, due to global warming, that are extremely warm and
need the presence of coolant. Though this turn into a cycle since ACs
contribute to global warming, we undoubtedly still need them in order to
survive the rising temperatures, whether it’s at home or in our working
spaces.
• . However, all is not lost as we still have the option of going
with more eco-friendly air conditioners can be both beneficial for your
health as well as the world’s health, and as technology advances, so do
the efforts to make them less harmful to our environment
1.21 LATEST INNOVATIONS
Invertor Technology:
• An inverter is a device which has the ability to convert frequency. This
technology is used in home technology to control voltage, current and
frequency.
• Inverter air conditioners are used to adjust the power supply frequency to
the compressor to control the refrigerant (gas) flow rate which as a result
in less current consumption. An inverter has precise temperature control
the indoor temperature by starting or stopping their compressor.
• The non- inverter air conditioners starts and stops repeatedly. This causes
an increase in the power consumption and frequent starting and stopping
of the compressor.