Air Conditioning Design for a Commercial Building

CHAPTER 3 REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

3.1 Introduction For the refrigeration system, Lithium Bromide-Water Absorption System will be used. Water will be used as refrigerant and LiBr-water solution will be the absorbent. In this type of system, the compressor is replaced by a generator and absorber. A compressor compresses the refrigerant, approximately adiabatically, to condenser pressure. However, a compressor needs large amount of power to work. For systems that desire lesser energy input, generatorabsorber is used instead of a compressor. In absorption system, a mixture of two fluids is used, one of which is the refrigerant. The refrigerant is allowed to be absorbed in the absorber. It will then be pumped to the generator which is at condenser pressure. The generator will then be heated for the refrigerant to separate from the mixture.

3.2 Mass and Energy Balance

In order to know the heat requirements of mechanical and thermal equipments, state properties must be first known. The figure below shows the theoretical schematic diagram of the absorption system for the refrigeration system of the air conditioning system.

Evaporator pressure will depend upon the refrigerant temperature. Refrigerant temperature should be below the entering air dew point temperature to assure dehumidification. From state 5 of elementary summer air conditioning system, dew point temperature is found to be 60 F. Thus, we choose evaporator temperature to be 40 F.
CHAPTER 3: Refrigeration System 1

Air Conditioning Design for a Commercial Building Corresponding saturation pressure is 6.3 mm Hg (0.12163 psia). Then other properties are assumed.

Condensing temperature is assumed to be 100 F which corresponds to a saturation pressure of 49.1 mm Hg (0.94924 psia). A generator temperature of 200 F is also assumed. We also further assume that the temperatures of the strong solutions leaving the absorber and entering the generator are 100 F and 180 F, respectively. Theoretically, states 3, 4, 8, and 10 are in equilibrium (saturated) conditions. Since the pressure values for all states are already determined we can now calculate the state properties. The temperature, concentration x and enthalpy h of each state is from Figure E-4 of Thermal Environmental Engineering, 2nd Edition by James Threlkeld. The computed state properties are tabulated in the table below.

CHAPTER 3: Refrigeration System

Air Conditioning Design for a Commercial Building

Thermodynamic Properties and Flow Rates State Point 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pressure P (mm Hg) 6.3 49.1 49.1 49.1 49.1 6.3 49.1 49.1 6.3 6.3 Temperature t(F) 100 100 180 200 104 104 200 100 40 40 Concentration x 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.65 0.65 0.65 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Enthalpy h ( Btu/lbmix) -70 -70 -34 -28 -67 -67 1151 68 68 1079 Flow Rate lb mix/hr 18 030 18 030 18 030 16 642 16 642 16 642 1386.92 1386.92 1386.92 1386.92

Heat Requirements From the states calculated the heat requirements through the different thermal equipments present can now be readily known. The following table shows the energy balance calculations of the thermal equipments present herein.

Equipment Absorber Pump Generator Condenser Evaporator

Calculations qA=m10h10 + m6h6 m1h1 = qG= m4h4 + m7h7 m3h3 qC=m7(h7-h8) GIVEN Total Gains ... 1 743 389 ... 1 402 176 3 145 565

Btu/hr Loses 1 643 573 ... ... 1 502 034 ... 3 145 607

CHAPTER 3: Refrigeration System