DEFINITION AND APLLICATIONS OF AIR CONDITIONING

Refrigeration is the process of reducing and maintaining the temperature of a space or material below the
temperature of the surroundings.

Refrigerator

Cold Storage

In addition, refrigeration embraces industrial refrigeration, including the preservation and processing of food;
removing heat from substances in chemical, petroleum, and petrochemical plants; and numerous special
applications such as those in the manufacturing and construction industries.

Food Preservation in Food Processing Brewery (Beer)

Cold Storage

Petroleum Industry: Cooled Construction: liquid nitrogen Manufacturing

Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) is used to cool the final concrete
shipped in special insulated mix.
pressure tanks in special LNG
tankers.
The field of refrigeration and air conditioning are interconnected, but each also has its own functions. The
interrelationship and independence can be schematized as in Figure 1. The largest application of refrigeration,
which is the process of cooling, is for air conditioning.

Air Conditioning Refrigeration

Heating, Cooling Industrial

Humidifying, and Dehumidifying Refrigeration
Control of air operations in including Food
Quality Air Conditioning Preservation,
Chemical and
Process Industries

Figure 1. Relationship of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning fields.

Air Conditioning embraces more than cooling it is the process of treating air to control simultaneously its
temperature, humidity, cleanliness, and distribution to meet the comfort requirements of the occupants of the
conditioned space. Air conditioning therefore includes the entire heating operation well as the regulation of
velocity, thermal radiation , and the quality of air, including removal of foreign particles and vapors.

Applications of Air Conditioning

1.) Residential and small-sized buildings air conditioning Residential and small-sized buildings air
conditioners can be a window type (Figure 2) or a split type (consisting of the compressor and condenser is
located out of doors and evaporator coil in the interior air duct). Figure 3 shows a split-type air
conditioning system in small-sized building.

Figure 2 Window Type Figure 3 Split-Type Air Condition System

2.) Air conditioning of medium-sized and large
buildings (commercial buildings such as malls,
stores and factories, hospital and other medical
buildings, office buildings). Most of the air
conditioning units are devoted for comfort air
conditioning that is meant to provide
comfortable conditions for people. Air
conditioning of building is required in all
climates. In the summer, living/working spaces
have to be cooled and in the winter the same
have to be heated. Even in places where
temperature remains normal, cooling of the
building is required to remove the heat
generated internally by people, lights,
mechanical and electrical equipment. Further in
these buildings, for the comfort, humidity and
cleanliness of air has to be maintained. In
hospitals and other medical buildings,
conditions on cleanliness and humidity are more
stringent. There ventilation requirements often
specify the use of 100 percent outdoor air, and
humidity limits. Figure 4 shows centralise air
conditioning system for large buildings.

Figure 4. Centralised AC System.

3.) Air conditioning of vehicles For comfortable journey, planes, trains, ships, buses are air conditioned. In
many of these vehicles the major contributor to the cooling load is the heat from solar radiation and in case
of public transportation, heat from people. Figure 5 & 6 shows a car and aircraft air conditioning systems.

Figure 5 Car Air Conditioning System. Figure 6 Aircraft Air Conditioning System
4.) Industrial Air Conditioning The term industrial air conditioning
refers to providing at least a partial measure of comfort for workers
in hostile environments and controlling air conditions so that they are
favorable to processing some objects or materials. Some examples of
industrial air conditioning are the following:

 Spot Heating
In a cold weather it may be more practical to warm a confined zone
where a worker is located. One such approach is through the use of
an infrared heater as in Figure 7. When its surfaces are heated to a
high temperature by means of a burner or by electricity, they radiate
heat to the affected area.

Figure 7 An infrared Heater is used to Heat

Confined Zone were a worker is located.

 Spot Cooling
If a specific area has to be cooled, it will be unwise to cool
entire room or factory. In this case, conditions may be kept
tolerable for workers by directing a stream of cool air onto
occupied areas as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8 Spot cooling

 Precision parts and clean rooms

For manufacture of precision metal parts,
electronic components and other materials
keeping temperature uniform so that metal will
not expand and contract maintaining a humidity
so that rust is prevented and filtering the air to
minimize dust. Figure 9 shows a cleanroom for
electronic components production.

Figure 9 Cleanroom.

 Printing
In printing industries (Figure 10), control of
humidity is a must. In some printing processes the
paper is run through several different passes, and air
conditioning must be maintained to provide proper
registration. If the humidity is not properly
maintained the problems of static electricity, curling
or buckling of paper or the failure of the ink to dry
arise.

Figure 10 Printing Industry

 Computer rooms
In computer rooms as shown is Figure 8, air conditioning controls temperature, humidity and cleanliness
of the air. Some electronic components operate in a faulty manner if they become too hot. One means of
preventing such localized high temperature is to maintain the air temperature in the computer room in
the range of 20 to 23 oC. The electronic components in the computer functions favorably at even lower
temperatures, but this temperature is a compromise with the lowest comfortable temperature for
occupants. A relative humidity of about 65% is maintained for comfort condition. Figure 9 shows air
conditioning of computer server room.

Figure 8 Computer room Figure 9 Air conditioning system in a computer

server room/centre.

 Textiles
Like paper, textiles are sensitive to changes in humidity
and to a lesser extent changes in temperature. In modern
textile plants, yarn moves at very high speeds and any
changes in flexibility and strength of the yarn because of
the change in humidity and temperature will thus affect
the production.

Figure 10 Textile Plant

 Environmental Laboratories
The role of air conditioning may vary from one
laboratory to the other. In one laboratory, a very low
temperature, say – 40oC must be maintained to test
certain equipment at low temperatures, and in another,
a high temperature and humidity may be required to
study behavior of animals in tropical climates.

Figure 11 Environmental Laboratory

AIR CONDITIONING TERMINOLOGY

Air conditioning – is the simultaneous control of temperature, humidity, air movement, and the quantity of air
in a space.
Moist Air – is a binary mixture of dry air and water vapour.

Dry Air – is the non-condensing component of moist air. It is a mixture of a number of gases (mainly
nitrogen, N2 and oxygen, O2, and other gases like argon, Ar, carbon dioxide, CO2, and hydrogen
H2) that contains no water vapour.

Water Vapor or simply Vapor – the condensing component of moist air which may exist in a saturated or
superheated state.
Saturated Vapor – is a vapor at the saturation conditions (saturation temperature and saturation pressure). It is
100% vapour.

Superheated Vapor – vapor having temeperature higher than the saturation temeperature corresponding to
existing pressure.
Saturated Air – moist air containing saturated water vapour. It contains all the water vapor it is capable of
holding (maximum moisture content and no longer capable of absorbing more moisture).

Unsaturated Air – air containing superheated water vapor and capable of absorbing more moisture. A
superheated vapor is a vapour having a temperature higher than the saturation temperature
corresponding to the existing pressure.

Psychrometry – is the study of the properties of mixture of air and water vapour or moist air.

PSYCHROMETRIC PROPERTIES OF AIR:

1. Temperature, t, refers to the temperature of moist air measured by the use of Psychrometer.
Psychrometer (Figure 2) is instrument consisting of two thermometers, one is used to measure the dry-bulb
temperature, td and the other is used to measure the wet-bulb temperature, tw of the air.

a. Dry-bulb temperature, td – is the actual temperature of the air that is measured by an ordinary
thermometer.
 The Dry Bulb temperature, usually referred to as air
temperature, is the air property that is most common
used. When people refer to the temperature of the air,
they are normally referring to its dry bulb temperature.

 The Dry Bulb Temperature refers basically to the

ambient air temperature. It is called "Dry Bulb" because
the air temperature is indicated by a thermometer not
affected by the moisture of the air.

b. Wet-Bulb Temperature, tw – is the temperature of the air as

measured by an ordinary
thermometer with bulb wrapped
with a wetted wick or cloth and
exposed to a current of rapidly
moving air. Figure 1 Dry-bulb and Wet-bulb
temperature.
  The adiabatic evaporation of water from the thermometer
and the cooling effect is indicated by a "wet bulb
temperature" lower than the "dry bulb temperature" in the
air.

 The rate of evaporation from the wet bandage on the bulb,

and the temperature difference between the dry bulb and wet
bulb, depends on the humidity of the air. The evaporation is
reduced when the air contains more water vapor.

 The wet bulb temperature is always lower than the dry bulb
temperature but will be identical with 100% relative
humidity (the air is at the saturation line).
Figure 2 Sling Psychrometers

c. Dew-Point Temperature, tdp – is the saturation temperature corresponding to the actual partial pressure
of the vapor in air or the temperature at which condensation of moisture
begins when the air is cooled at constant pressure.

T, K pv
td Moist air condition
(or superheated vapor)
in unsaturated air

tdp

s, kJ/kg.K
Figure 3 T-s diagram (water vapor)

therefore tdp = tsat @ pv also pv = psat @ tdp

 If moisture condenses on a cold bottle taken from the refrigerator, the dew-point temperature of
the air is above the temperature in the refrigerator.

 The Dew Point temperature can be measured by filling a metal can with water and some ice
cubes. Stir by a thermometer and watch the outside of the can. When the vapor in the air starts to
condensate on the outside of the can, the temperature on the thermometer is pretty close to the
dew point of the actual air.

d. Wet Bulb Depression, WBD – is the difference between the dry-bulb temperature and the wet-bulb
temperature.

WBD = td – tw
 e. Dew-point Depression, DPD – is the difference between dry-bulb temperature and the dew-point
temperature.

DPD = td – tdp

 For Saturated Air: td = tw = tdp WBD = 0 and DPD = 0

 For Unsaturated Air: td > tw > tdp WBD > 0 and DPD > 0

Figure 4 For Unsaturated Air td > tw > tdp

2. Pressure (or total pressure of moist air), pt, pertains to the ambient pressure; it is the barometric pressure or
atmospheric pressure that is equal to 101.325 kPa at standard condition.

 Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressure

States that the total pressure, pt is the sum of the pressure that each gas would exert if it were to
occupy the vessel alone at volume V and temperature T.

Consider a volume, V of moist air

Dry Air: at pt and T
mass = ma
volume = Va = V
pressure = pa where: pt = total pressure of dry air-water vapor mixture
temperature = Ta = T or atmospheric pressure, kPa
pa = partial pressure exerted by dry air, kPa
Water vapor: pv = partial pressure exerted by water vapour, kPa
mass = mv T = absolute temperature of moist air which is
volume = Vv = V equal to the temperature of each component, K
pressure = pv
temperature = Tv = T

Figure 5 Moist Air (binary mixture of dry air and water vapor)

Applying Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressure:

pt = pa + pv

then, pa = pt – pv
3. Humidity Ratio (moisture content, mixing ratio or specific humidity), W, kg/kg d.a. – is the ratio of the
mass of water vapor to the mass of dry air in a given volume of the mixture or moist air.

W = mass of water vapor = mv = pv V / RvT = Ra pv = Ra pv . = 287.08 pv .

mass of dry air ma pa V / RaT Rv pa Rv (pt – pv ) 461.5 (pt – pv )

For dry air: Ra = 287.08 J/kg.K

For water vapor: Rv = 461.5 J/kg.K

W = 0.622 pv . kg/kg d.a.

(pt – pv )

4. Relative Humidity, Ø (or RH) – is the ratio of mass of water vapor mv in a certain volume of moist air at a
given temperature to the mass of water vapor mvs in the same volume of
saturated air at same temperature t.

– (expressed in percentage, %) is the amount of moisture in the air

compared to what the air can "hold" at that temperature.

Ø = mv = pv V / RvT
mvs td ps V / RvT

Ø = pv
ps td

Figure 6 As dry bulb temperature of moist air increases the

relative humidity decreases.

The relative humidity turns out to be the ratio of partial pressure of water vapor in a certain unsaturated
moist air at a given temperature t, to the saturation pressure of water vapor (or partial pressure of water
vapor in saturated air) at the same temperature t.

T, K ps pv
td Moist air condition
(or superheated vapor)
in unsaturated air

tdp

 If pv = ps the Ø = 100%
a saturated air
s, kJ/kg.K
Figure 14 T-s diagram (water vapor)
  Degree of Saturation, u, % – is the ratio of the actual specific humidity W to the specific humidity of
saturated air, Ws at temperature td.

0.622 pv .
u = W = (pt – pv )_ = pv pt – ps
Ws td 0.622 ps . ps pt – pv
(pt – ps )

where: pt = total pressure or atmospheric pressure

u = Ø pt – ps ps = Saturation pressure or Psat @ td
pt – pv pv = Vapor pressure or Psat @ tdp

saturated vapor in
saturated air
T, K ps pv
td Moist air condition
(or superheated vapor)
Ws W in unsaturated air

tdp

 If pv = ps the Ø = 100%

Figure 15 T-s diagram (water vapor)

5. Enthalpy of moist air, h , kJ/kg d.a. – is the sum of the enthalpy of dry air and the enthalpy of water vapor.

Hmoist air = Hdry air + Hwater vapor = Ha + Hv

( Hmoist air = ma ha + mv hv ) 1
ma
Hmoist air = ha + mv hv
ma ma

h = ha + W hv

For dry air: ha = cp ( td – tref ) ; tref = reference temperature = 0

ha = 1.0062 td

For Water Vapor: hv = hg @ td

h = 1.0062 td + W hg @ td kJ/kg.d.a
6. Specific Volume v, m3/kg d.a. – is the number of cubic meters of mixture per kilogram of dry air.

 Specific volume of moist air could be just as well be the cubic meters of dry air per kilogram of dry
air, since the volumes occupied by individual substance are the same. Therefore,

v = va = RaT
pa

v = Ra T . m3/kg.da.a
pt – pv

 Psychrometrics – is the science that deals with the

relationship that exist within a mixture of air and water
vapor.

 Psychrometric Chart (Figure 8) – is a graphical

representation of the thermodynamics properties of moist
air.

Figure 7 Constant property lines on a

psychrometric chart

Figure 8 Psychrometric Chart (SI)

Sample Problems

1.) Compute the humidity of air at 65 per cent relative humidity and 34ºC when the barometer pressure is 101.3
kPa. Ans: 0.022 kg/kg d.a.

2.) What is the enthalpy of the air-vapor mixture in Problem no.1? Ans: 90.61 kJ/kg.d.a.

3.) What is the specific volume of an air-vapor mixture at 30oC and relative humidity of 40 per cent at 101.3
kPa pressure? Ans: 0.873 m3/kg d.a.

4.) A mixture of dry air and water vapor is at a temperature of 21oC under a pressure of 101.3 kPa. The dew
point temperature is 15oC. Find (a) partial pressure of water vapor, (b) relative humidity, (c) humidity ratio,
(d) enthalpy, (e) specific volume, and degree of saturation. Ans: 1.7044 kPa; 68.56%; 0.01064 kg/kg d.a.;
48.16 kJ/kg d.a.; 0.847 m3/kg d.a.; 67.99%

5.) Calculate the specific volume of an air-vapor mixture in cubic meters per kilogram of dry air at the
following conditions t = 32oC, W = 0.016 kg/kg, and Pt = 100 kPa. Ans: 0.899 m3/kg d.a.

6.) Moist air at a dry bulb temperature of 25oC has a relative humidity of 50 per cent when the barometric
pressure is 101.4 kPa. Determine (a) the partial pressures of water vapor and dry air, (b) the dew point
temperature, (c) the specific humidity, (d) the specific volume, and (e) the enthalpy. Ans: 1.5855 kPa;
99.81 kPa; 13.9oC; 0.00988 kg/kg.d.a.; 0.857 cu.m/kgd.a.; 50.32 kJ/kg d.a.

7.) Air at a temperature of 33oC has a relative humidity of 50 per cent. Determine (a) the wet bulb temperature,
(b) the dew point temperature, (c) the humidity ratio, (d) the enthalpy and (e) specific volume. Ans: 24.5oC;
21.4oC; 0.0160 kg/kg d.a.; 74 kJ/kg d.a.; 0.887 m3/kg d.a.