INTRODUCTION

Air-conditioning is a process of treating air for the comfort requirements of the occupants in the
conditioned space. The properties of air can be modified by underground certain thermodynamic
processes. The most basic of processes involved in an air-conditioning system are simple
heating, steam humidification, simple cooling and dehumidification.

HVAC systems control the humidity, temperature and the quality of air around the area of the
certain places. The system need to transfer the heat by absorb the heat of the area and then bring
it out into the outer space of the area. Somehow it does relate with air pollution.

Air conditioning processes can be modeled as steady flow processes:

Mass conservation:

Dry air : ma,i = mw,e

Water : mw,i = mw,e or mai i = ma,ee

Energy conservation:

Disregard kinetic and potential energy changes

Steady Flow Energy Balance

Ei = Eo

Qi + Wi + mihi = Qe + We + mehe

a) Sensible heating

Conservation of mass:

ma,1 = mw,2 and (1 = 2)

Conservation of energy:
 Q = ma (h2 - h1)

q = h2 - h1

b) Steam humidification

Dry air mass balance: ma1 = ma2 =ma3 =ma

Water mass balance: ma11 = ma22 , (1 = 2) (heating section)

ma22 + mw = ma33 ( humidifying section)

mw = ma(3 - 2)

Energy Balance: Qin + mah1 = ma h2 ( heating section)

Qin = ma (h2 - h1)

c)Cooling dehumidification

Dry air mass balance: ma1 = ma2 = ma

ma22 + mw = ma3

mw = ma(1 - 2)

Energy Balance: mhin = Qout + mhout

Qout = m (h2 - h1) - mwhw

OBJECTIVE

To observe and understand the changes in air properties as it is treated in a basic air-conditioning
unit.

THEORY

Air conditioning processes include heating in order to increase temperature where in the
moisture content (humidity ratio) of the air remains constant, humidification with steam in order
to increase the moisture content of the air with some increase in temperature, cooling normally
will be with dehumidification, evaporative cooling, adiabatic mixing of two or more airstream,
and cooling tower processes. Humidification is a process that results in an increase in the amount
of moisture in the air. Dehumidification, on the other hand, results in a decrease in the moisture
content of the air. These processes are used to condition the air in building in order to provide
comfortable surrounding for the occupants, and maintain the environmental control necessary for
a variety of commercial and industrial processes.

An adiabatic process is one in which the air loses sensible heat by an amount equal to the latent
heat gain. Cooling is the transfer of energy from the space or air supplied to the space by virtue
of a difference in temperature between the source and the space or air. In the usual cooling
process air is circulated over a surface at a low temperature. Cooling usually denotes sensible
heat transfer, with a decrease in the air temperature. Heating is the transfer of energy to a space
or to the air in a space by virtue of a difference in temperature between the source and the space
or air. Heating can take place through direct radiation and free convection, heating of forced
circulated air, heating of water that is circulated to the vicinity space. Dehumidifying is the
transfer of water vapor from the atmospheric air. Latent heat transfer is associated with this
process. This process is most often accompanied by circulating the air over a surface maintained
at a sufficiently low temperature to cause the condensation of water vapor from the mixture.
Humidifying is the transfer of water vapor to atmospheric air. This process is usually
accomplished by introducing water vapor or by spraying fine droplets of water that evaporate
into the circulating air stream.
APPARATUS

Computer Linked Air Conditioning Laboratory Unit (P.A. Hilton), stopwatch, Air Conditioning
Laboratory Unit.

Figure 1: Air Conditioning Laboratory Unit

Figure 2: Linked Computer

Figure 3: Stopwatch
PROCEDURE

The unit started by the suction fan is running and the screen is displayed the master Menu.
Programme 1 showed the process data displayed on a schematic layout of the system.
Programme 2 displayed the properties of the treated air on the psychometric chart.

a) No Process - the data and psychometric chart is printed to read the initial properties of the
air as it enters the air-conditioning unit.

b) Sensible Heating -

I. 1 kW pre-heater is switched and allowed 5 minutes. The data and psychometric chart is
printed.

II. Then the 0.5 kW re-heater is switched and allowed 5 minutes. The data and psychometric
chart is printed.

III. For this process, the temperature rise of the air at the exit is calculated

c) Steam Humidification - All water heater is switched on. When steam is produced, only 3 kW
of heat is switched to maintain the steam and allowed 5 minutes. The data and
psychrometric chart is printed. Then, the amount of steam introduced, the change in
relative humidity and the corresponding rise of temperature is calculated

d) Cooling and Dehumidification - The compressor of the refrigeration system is switched on.
The air is cooled until 18 to 20 (stable temperature), temperature is stable and
allowed 5 minutes. Then the data and psychrometric chart is printed. The heat rate and
amount of moisture remove from the air is calculated. During the experiment, the time
and the rate of condensation (100ml) is measured from the beginning of the cooling
process (stable temperature). Compared the analysis.
RESULT & DATA

Sensible heating

Reading No process Steam Cooling and

1KW 1.5KW humidification dehumidification
T1 (TA d) 30.8 31.4 31 31.1 32.3 32.1
T2 (TA w) 25.8 25.8 25.8 26.4 25.9 26.0
T3 ( TB d) 31.6 44.0 46.8 38.0 32.6 32.3
T4 ( TB w ) 26.8 31.3 32.3 38.5 26.9 26.9
T5 ( TC d ) 30.2 40.8 46.2 37.4 17.7 17.4
T6 ( TC w ) 25.5 28.6 30.2 37.6 21.2 20.8
T7 ( TD d ) 30.2 38.3 49.7 37.5 18.2 17.9
T8 ( TD w ) 30.5 31.5 37.3 36.1 27.6 28.0
T9 ( T 1 ) x x x 21.1 20.5
T10 ( T 2 ) x x x 82.0 86.5
T11 ( T 3 ) x x x 44.9 44.9
T12 ( T 4 ) x x x 5.2 5.3
Qp x 1010.5 1007.2 x x
Qr x 0 535.6 x x
Qb x x 2754.6 x
Pevap ( P 1 ) x x x 194.6 196.3
Pcond ( P 3 ) x x x 1078.6 1065.4
ma 53.1 206.3 201.2 204.1 51.0 52.5
mr x x x 0 0
Time x x x 178355s
Drain Water (ml) x x x 100ml
SAMPLE CALCULATION
1) No process:
ma= 53.1 g/s

TAdry = 30.8 C TBdry = 31.6 C

TAwet = 25.8 C TBwet = 26.8 C

2) Sensible Heating:

a) 1kW pre-heater

ma= 206.3 g/s

TAdry = 31.4 C TBdry = 44.0 C

TAwet = 25.8 C TBwet = 31.3 C

Temperature rises at exit

Tdry = 31.4 C 25.8 C = 5.6 C

Twet = 44.0 C 31.3 C = 12.7 C

b) 0.5kW re-heater

ma= 201.2 g/s

TCdry = 46.2 C TDdry = 49.7 C

TCwet = 30.2 C TDwet = 37.3 C

 Temperature rises at exit

Tdry = 46.2 C 30.2 C = 16.0 C

Twet = 49.7 C 37.3 C = 12.4C

3) Steam humidification:
ma = 204.1 g/s

TAdry = 31.1 C TCdry = 37.9 C

TAwet = 26.4 C TCwet = 37.6 C

From the psychrometric chart:

1 = 70 % 2 = 88 %

1 = 0.021 2 = 0.05

Dry air mass balance: ma1= ma2 = ma

Water vapor balance: ma1 a1+ mw = ma2 a2

Amount of steam, mw = ma (2 1)

= 0.2041 kg/s x (0.05 0.021)

= 0.0059189 kg/s

The relative humidity changes, = 2 - 1

= 88 % - 70%

= 18% @ 0.18

Temperature rises at exit

Tdry = 31.1 C 26.4 C = 4.7 C

 Twet = 37.9 C 37.6 C = 0.3 C

4) Cooling and dehumidification:

TBdry = 32.6 C TCdry = 17.7 C

TBwet = 26.9 C TCwet = 21.2 C

From the psychrometric chart:

1 =66 % 2 = 99 %

1= 0.0218 2 = 0.008

Dry air mass balance: ma1= ma2= ma

Water mass balance: ma1 a1 = ma2 a2+ mw

mw = ma (2 1)

Energy balance: mihi = Qout + mehe

Qout = ma (h1 h2) mwhw

State 1:

1= 0.0218, 1 = 66 %, T1 =32.6 C, ma = 51.0 g/s

ha1 = CpT1 = 1.005 x 32.6 C = 32.763 kJ/kg

hg1 = 2501.3 + 1.82T

= 2501.3 + 1.82 (32.6)

= 2560.06 kJ/kg

Therefore h1 = ha1 + hg1

= 32.763 + (0.0218)2560.06

= 38.35 kJ/kg

State 2:

2= 0.008, 2 = 99 %, T2 = 17.7 C, ma = 52.5 g/s

ha2= Cp T2 = 1.005 x 17.7 C = 17.7885 kJ/kg

Therefore h2 = ha2 + hg2 = 17.785 + 0.008[2501.3 + 1.82 (17.7)]

= 38.06 kJ/kg

hw = hf @ T2 (from Table A-4)

17.715 62.982
= 2015 = 83.91562.982

hf = 74.29 kJ/kg =

Amount of moisture, mw = ma (1 2)

= 0.051 (0.0218 0.008)

= 0.0007038 kg/s

Heat rate removed, Qout = ma (h1 h2) mwhw

= 0.051 (38.35 38.06) 0.0007 (74.29)

= 0.0372 kJ/s
REFERENCES

1. Marshall, B. (2011, June 28). How Air Conditioners Work. Retrieved October 01, 2017,
from http://home.howstuffworks.com/ac2.htm
2. How air conditioners work: Components and functions of AC units. (n.d.). Retrieved
October 04, 2017, from http://www.airconditioning-and-heating.com/how-acs-work/
3. Five Basic Components of an Effective Air Conditioning System. (2012, August 31).
Retrieved October 01, 2017, from
http://allweatherheatingandairconditioning.com/blog/five-basic-components-of-an-
effective-air-conditioning-system/
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5. http://www.tranebelgium.com/files/book-doc/17/fr/17.wlzvwi1e.pdf
6. http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/buildings/commercial/hvac.htm
7. https://www.swtc.edu/Ag_Power/air_conditioning/lecture/basic_cycle.htm