PSYCHROMETRIC PROCESSES IN AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT or APPARATUS

Moist air can be made to flow over a battery of cooling coils which may be of the direct-expansion type, or
may carry chilled-water or brine as the secondary refrigerant (Fig. 42). Sensible or simple cooling of air takes
place when it flows over dry cooling coil whose surface temperature tS is lower than dry bulb temperature of the
air.

Figure 42 Cooing and Dehumidifying Coil

There is no method by which one can obtain simple dehumidification of air. Dehumidification processes
are accompanied with simultaneous cooling or heating of air. Dehumidification will take place along with
cooling if moist air flows over a cooling coil, whose mean surface temperature tS is below the dew point
temperature tdp of the entering air. This temperature tS of the cold surface is named apparatus dewpoint of the
coil, or simply as coil ADP or tADP.

In Figure 42 shows the air enters at 1 and leaves at 2 when the surface is maintained at S. In the transfer of
heat and water vapour, in any conditioning process, the particles of air stream come in contact with a surface.
The state of contacted air mCS is that of saturated air at the temperature of the surface tS. The uncontacted air
or bypass air mB1 remains at the entering state 1. The end state of the air is the same as that produced by the
complex mixing of contacted and uncontacted particles, viz., 2 as shown in Figure 43.

where: mB1 = mass of bypass air (or wise air) which remains at temperature t1.
mCS = mass of contacted air (or saturated air at surface temperature, ts)
m2 = total mass

Figure 43 Bypass Factor and Leaving Air State

 Bypass Factor, BPF

– ratio of the mass of by-passed air, mB1 (also called wise air) to the total mass m2.
– fraction of air that by-passed the cooling unit and is not affected at all thus, it leaves the air conditioning
unit (ACU) at the same temperature, t1
– vital parameter signifying the performance of air-conditioning equipment.

 Contact Factor (CF) or Cooling Coil Efficiency, CCE

– ratio of the mass of contacted air, mc on the cooling coil or plate to the total mass of air, m2.
– fraction of air that touches the cooling coil and leaves air at temperature equal to mean surface
temperature of the cooling coil or Apparatus Dew Point of the coil.

Following equations apply to the mixture of bypass air and uncontacted air:

m2 = mB1 + mcs

mcs = m2 – mB1 ----equation (1)

m2t2 = mB1 t1 + mcs ts ---- equation (2)

substitute eq (1) to eq (2)

m2t2 = mB1 t1 + (m2 – mB1 ) ts

m2t2 = mB1 t1 + m2 ts – mB1 ts

m2 (t2 – ts) = mB1 (t1 – ts)

therefore,

mB1 = t2 – ts = BPF
m2 t1 – ts

also

mB1 = W2 – Ws = h2 – hs = BPF
m2 W1 – Ws h1 – hs

From equation (1)

mB1 = m2 – mcs and equation (2), m2t2 = mB1 t1 + mcs ts

m2t2 = (m2 – mcs) t1 + mcs ts

m2t2 = m2 t1 – mcs t1 + mcs ts

therefore, mcs = t1 – t2 = h1 – h2 = W1 – W2 = CF
m2 t1 – ts h1 – h2 W1 – Ws
also, BPF + CF = 1

Note:

 If Bypass Factor (BPF) is not given or equal to zero, then RH2 = 100% or air leaves the ACU as
saturated air. That is td2 = ts (mean surface temperature of coil or Apparatus Dew Point temperature,
tADP).

 If BPF is given or not equal to zero then RH2 < 100%

Sample Problem

1.) Three pounds per second of air enters and leaves the coil at 80oF and 60oF respectively, the coil
temperature is 50oF. Determine (a) the contact factor (b) the bypass factor (c) apparatus dew point and
(d) the amount of bypassed air in one minute. Ans: (a) 66.67% (b) 33.33% (c) 50oF (d) 60 lbs

Solution:

(a) CF = t1 – t2 = 80 – 60 = 0.6667 or 66.67%

t1 – ts 80 – 50

(b) BPF = 1 – CF = 1 – 0.6667 = 0.3333 or 33.33%

(c) ADPtemperature = ts = 50oF

(d) mB1 = m2 x BPF x Δtime = m2 x mB1 x Δtime = 3 lbs/sec x 0.3333 lbs (bypassed) x 60 sec
m2 lbs (total)
mB1 = 60 lbs
 COOLING-LOAD AIR QUANTITIES

 If a building or conditioned space to be air conditioned receives heat due to transmission or other means, it
is supposed to have sensible heat load. Heat gain in buildings require the conditioning of supply air to lower
temperature causing a cooling load on the air-conditioning equipment.

Illustrations:

Figure 44 Sensible heat load, Qs

The sensible heat load, Qs is given by:

Qs = m cp (t2 – t1)

where: Qs = sensible heat load, kJ/sec or kW

m = mass flow rate of supply air, kg/sec
cp = specific heat of the supply air = 1.0062 kJ/kg.oC, approximately
t2 = inside space temperature to be maintained, oC dry bulb
t1 = supply air temperature entering space, oC dry bulb

 If the building gains moisture, it is supposed to have a latent heat load. A gain of moisture will require the
condensation of moisture for the dehumidification of supply air in the conditioning apparatus hence cooling
load.

Illustrations:

Figure 45 Latent heat load, QL

 Moisture picked up = (W2 – W1) , kg/kg d.a.

where: W2 = humidity ratio of inside air, kg/kg d.a

W1 = humidity ratio of supply air, kg/kg d.a

Rate of moisture picked up = m (W2 – W1) , kg/s

where: m = mass flow rate of supply air, kg/sec

The latent heat load, QL is given by:

QL = m hfg (W2 – W1)

QL = 2500 (m) (W2 – W1) , kJ/sec or kW

where: QL = latent heat load, kJ/sec or kW

m = mass flow rate of supply air, kg/sec
hfg = the latent heat of steam (water vapor) in the air conditioning is approximately 2500 kJ/kg.

Total Heat Load, QT

Figure 46 Total heat load, QT

The total heat load, QT is given by:

QT = Qs + QL

QT = m (h2 – h1) , kJ/sec or kW

where: QT = total heat load, kJ/sec or kW

h2 = enthalpy of inside air, kJ/kg
h1 = enthalpy of supply air, kJ/kg
Sensible Heat Ratio SHR or Sensible Heat Factor SHF
– is the ratio of the sensible heat load to the total heat load.

SHR = Qs . = Qs .
QT Qs + QL

 A SHR of 0.78 to 0.8 is quite common in air conditioning practice in a normal dry climate. A lower
value of SHR such as 0.65, implies a high latent heat load which is quite common in a humid
climate.

Sample Problems:

1.) An auditorium is to be maintained at a temperature of 25 oC dry bulb and 19oC wet bulb temperatures. The
sensible heat load is 88 kW and 58 kg/hr of moisture must be removed. Air is supplied to the auditorium at
18oC. Determine (a) the mass flow rate of supply air, (b) the relative humidity, dew point, and wet bulb
temperatures of the supply air, (c) the latent heat, and (d) the sensible heat ratio.

Solution: Given: t2 = 25oC; tw2 = 19oC; Qs = 88 kW; t1 = 18oC; Rate of moisture pick up = 58 kg/hr

(a) Qs = (1.0062) (m) (t2 – t1)

88 = (1.0062) (m) (25 – 18)
m = 12.49 kg/sec

(b) From the psychrometric chart at t2 = 25oC and tw2 = 19oC the W2 = 0.0114 kg/kgd.a

Rate of moisture pick up = m (W2 – W1)

(58 kg/hr) (1 hr/3600 sec) = 12.49 kg/sec (0.0114 – W1)
W1 = 0.0101 kg/kgd.a
From the psychrometric chart at t1 = 18oC and W1 = 0.0101 kg/kgd.a
Ø1 = 77%; tdp1 = 14.2oC and tw1 = 15.6oC

(c) QL = (2500) (m) (W2 – W1)

= (2500) (12.49) (0.0114 – 0.0101) = 40.59 kW

(d) SHR = Qs . = 88 . = 0.6843

Qs + QL 88 + 40.59

2.) An auditorium is to be maintained at 25oC dry bulb temperature and 50 percent relative humidity. The
supply air enters the auditorium at 17oC. The sensible and latent heat loads are 150 kW and 61 kW,
respectively. Determine the wet bulb temperature, relative humidity, and volume flow rate of the supply
air. Ans: 14oC, 72%, 15.54 m3/sec