Thermalfluid Lab MEC 554 / LSRC / SCA Rev.

01-2017

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Program : Bachelor of Engineering (Hons.) Mechanical

Course : Thermalfluids Lab
Course Code : MEC 554
Lecturer/Tutor Name :
Group : EMD5M4A

Lab Report

Experiments Tittle

Bil Student Name Student ID Signature

MUHAMAD ARIF B ZULKOFLI
1. 2015667016
MUHAMAD HARITH B HASBULLAH
2. 2015520904
MUHAMMAD HANIF B
3. 2015239086
SHAHABUDIAN
MUHAMMAD HAZLAMI B MOHD
4. 2016229584
SUKERI
MUHAMMAD IKHWANUDDIN B
5. TAJUL ARIF 2016229784

Lab Session : Approved by:

(Date)

Submission of Report : Received by:

(Date)
Table of Contents.
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 3
OBJECTIVE ................................................................................................................................................. 4
THEORY ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
APPARATUS ............................................................................................................................................... 7
PROCEDURE ............................................................................................................................................ 10
DATA AND RESULT .................................................................................................................................. 11
SAMPLE CALCULATION ........................................................................................................................... 12
DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................................. 17
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................... 20
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................ 21
REFERENCE .............................................................................................................................................. 23
INTRODUCTION

Air-conditioning is the main part of this experiment. Air conditioning can be define as a
process of removing the heat from the interior of an occupied space. Usually conditioning system
involve heating or cooling, filtering or cleaning air and controlling its moisture level, humidifying
or dehumidifying. The transfer of heat flow from the inside of the building, where it is useless, to
the outside area. The liquid that call refrigerant inside the system absorbs the excess heat and is
pumped through a closed system of piping to an outside coil. Fan that installed at the outside is
use to blows over the hot coil air that carried by refrigerant to the outside area. The indoor are will
be cooled by removing the heat from indoor side.

Air conditioners often use a fan to distribute the conditioned air to an occupied space such as a
building or a car to improve thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Air-conditioning is a system
giving automatic control of the required environmental conditions, by method of heating, cooling,
humidification, dehumidification, cleaning and movement of air in the building, vehicles and
others.

These control conditions may be desirable to maintain the health and comfort of the occupants or
to meet the requirements of industrial process irrespective of the external climatic conditions.
OBJECTIVE

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

Working Principles of Refrigeration

1. Liquids is absorb heat when changed from liquid to gas

2. Gases give off heat when changed from gas to liquid.

For an air conditioning system to operate with economy, the refrigerant must be used repeatedly.
For this reason, all air conditioners use the same cycle of compression, condensation, expansion,
and evaporation in a closed circuit. The same refrigerant is used to move the heat from one area,
to cool this area, and to expel this heat in another area.
i. The refrigerant comes into the compressor as a low-pressure gas, it is compressed and
then moves out of the compressor as a high-pressure gas.
ii. The gas then flows to the condenser. Here the gas condenses to a liquid, and gives off
its heat to the outside air.
iii. The liquid then moves to the expansion valve under high pressure. This valve restricts
the flow of the fluid, and lowers its pressure as it leaves the expansion valve.
iv. The low-pressure liquid then moves to the evaporator, where heat from the inside air is
absorbed and changes it from a liquid to a gas.
v. As a hot low-pressure gas, the refrigerant moves to the compressor where the entire
cycle is repeated.
Air conditioner capacity is often measured in kW or tons.
0.5 tons = 6,000 BTU. 1.75 kW = 6,000 BTU.
1 ton = 12,000 BTU. 3.5 kW = 12,000 BTU.
2 ton = 24,000 BTU. 7 kW = 24,000 BTU.
3 tons = 36,000 BTU. 10.5 kW = 36,000 BTU.
4 tons = 48,000 BTU. 14 kw = 48,000 BTU.
APPARATUS

No Apparatus Name

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

2
Panel board
3
Thermometer

4 Blower

5 Refrigerant
6 Water heater

7 Computer used to
calculate data

8 Psychometric
chart
PROCEDURE

Start the unit by having the suction fan running and the screen displaying the master Menu.
Programme 1 shows the process data displayed on a schematic layout of the program. Programme
2 displays properties of the treated air on the psychometric chart.

a) No Process- The data and psychometric chart to read the initial properties of the air as it
enters the air conditioning unit is printed.
b) Sensible Heating-
i) 1 KW pre-heater is switched on and allow 5 minute. The data and psychometric
chart is printed.
ii) Then, the 0.5 KW re-heater is switched on and allow 5 minute. 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 heaters is switched on to boil the water. When steam is
produced, only 3KW of heat is switched to maintain the steam and allow 5 minute. The
data and psychometric chart is printed. Then, the amount of steam introduced, the change
in relative humidity, and the corresponding rise of the temperature is calculated.
d) Cooling and Dehumidification- The compressor of the refrigeration system is switched on.
The air is cooled until 18oC to 20oc. (stable temperature), allow 5 minute when temperature
stable. Then the data and psychometric chart is printed. The heat rate and amount of
moisture removed from the air is calculated. During experiment, the time and the rate of
condensation (100ml) from the beginning of the cooling process (stable temperature) is
measured. Analysis is be compared.
DATA AND RESULT
No Sensib Sensible Steam Cooling and Cooling
Experiment Proce le Heating Humidifica Dehumidificatio And
ss Heatin (1.5 tion n Dehumidificati
g KW) (5 minute) on
Reading
(1 (100 ml)
KW)
T1 ( TA d ) 29.3 29.6 29.7 29.8 30.3 31.6
T2 ( TA w ) 26.0 26.7 26.7 26.8 26.7 27.2
T3 ( TB d ) 29.8 46.5 45.7 37.7 31.2 32.0
T4 ( TB w ) 26.6 32.9 32.9 38.4 27.5 27.7
T5 ( TC d ) 29.2 46.7 46.1 37.3 18.5 18.4
T6 ( TC w ) 25.7 30.7 31.2 37.8 22.6 22.3
T7 ( TD d ) 29.3 45.0 50.7 37.4 18.9 18.8
T8 ( TD w ) 29.9 31.1 27.0 33.4 31.0 31.4
T9 ( T 1 ) X X 30.7 X 22.1 21.2
T10 ( T 2 ) X X 30.0 X 70.7 82.4
T11 ( T 3 ) X X 30.1 X 43.3 45.0
T12 ( T 4 ) X X 33.0 X 4.6 5.9
Qp X 999.5 1008.0 X X 0.0
Qr X 0.0 536.0 X X 0.0
Qb X X 0.0 2763.9 X 0.0
Pevap ( P 1 ) X X 498.5 X 189.7 204.0
Pcond ( P 3 ) X X 566.5 X 1034.8 1084.4
ma 211.3 206.3 205.8 206.6 212.3 212.3
mr X X 0.0 X 0.0 0.0
Time X X 0.0 X 0.0 0.0
Drain Water X X 0.0 X 100 ml 100 ml
(ml)
SAMPLE CALCULATION

a) No Process:
ma= 211.3 g/s = 0.2113 kg/s
Inlet Outlet
Tdry = 29.3C Tdry = 29.8C
Twet = 26.0C Twet= 26.6C
1 = 77.220 % = 0.7722
1 = 0.020033 kgv/kga

It can be assumed that there is no changes in this process because no process occur.The air
properties do not change. So the reading be get from the room is the reading of room temperature.

b) Sensible Heating (1KW Pre-Heater):

ma= 206.3 g/s = 0.2063 kg/s

Inlet Outlet
Tdry = 29.6C Tdry = 45.0C
Twet = 26.7C Twet = 31.1C
1 = 79.941% 2 = 37.812%
1 = 0.021137kgv/kga 2 = 0.023188 kgv/kga

Temperature rises at exit

Tdry = 45.0C 29.6C =15.4 C

Twet = 31.1C 26.7C = 4.4C
c) Sensible Heating (1.5KW Pre-Heater)
ma= 205.8 g/s = 0.2058 kg/s
Inlet Outlet
Tdry = 29.7C Tdry =50.7C
Twet = 26.7C Twet = 27.0C
1 = 79.327% 2 = 15.920%
1 = 0.021095 kgv/kga 2 = 0.012802 kgv/kga

Temperature rises at exit

Tdry = 50.7C 29.7C =21.0 C

Twet = 27.0C 26.7C =0.3 C

d) Steam Humidification:
ma = 206.6 g/s = 0.2066 kg/s

Inlet Outlet
Tdry = 29.8C Tdry = 37.7C
Twet = 26.8C Twet = 38.4C

From the psychrometric chart:

1 = 79.366 % 2 = 104.539 %
1 = 0.021231 kgv/kga 2 = 0.045081 kgv/kga

Dry air mass balance: ma1= ma2 = ma

Water vapor balance: ma1 a1+ mw = ma2 a2
Amount of steam, mw = ma (2 1)
= 0.2066 kg/s x (0.045081 0.021231 )
= 4.92741 x 10-3 kg/s
The relative humidity changes, = 2 - 1
= 104.539 % -79.366 %
=25.173%
Temperature rises at exit
Tdry = 37.7C 29.8C = 7.9 C
Twet = 38.4C 26.8C = 11.6 C
e) Cooling and dehumidification:
ma = 212.3 g/s =0.2123 kg/s
Inlet Outlet
Tdry = 31.2C Tdry = 18.5C
Twet = 27.5C Twet = 22.6C

From the psychrometric chart:

1 = 75.516 % 2=141.291 %
1= 0.021908 kgv/kga 2 = 0.019118 kgv/kga
Dry air mass balance: ma1= ma2= ma
Water mass balance: ma1 a1 = ma2 a2+ mw

Amount of moisture, mw = ma (1 2)
= 0.2123 ( 0.0219080.019118 )
= 5.92317 x 10-4 kg/s

Amount of heat rate:

hw = hf , T2=18.5 , therefore =?
From Table A-11,
By using interpolation method
79.32 76.52 79.32 x
=
20 18 20 18.5
hw = 77.22 kJ/kg
State 1:
1=0.021908 kgv/kga,
1 = 75.516 %,
T1 =31.2 C,
ma = 0.2123 kg/s

ha1 = CpT1 = 1.005 x31.2C =31.356 kJ/kg

hg1 = 2501.3 + 1.82T
= 2501.3 + 1.82(31.2)
= 2558.084 kJ/kg

Therefore, h1 = ha1 + hg1

= 31.356 + (0.021908)2558.084
= 87.3985 kJ/kg

State 2:
2= 0.019118 kgv/kga,
2 = 141.291%,
T2 = 18.5 C,
ma = 0.2123kg/s

ha2= Cp T2 = 1.005 x18.5 C = 18.5925 kJ/kg

Therefore,
h2 = ha2 + hg2 = 18.5925 + (0.019118)(2501.3 + 1.82T)
=18.5925 + (0.019118)(2501.3 + 1.82(18.5))

= 67.056 kJ/kg

Energy balance: mihi = Qout + mehe

Qout = ma (h1 h2) mwhw
= 0.2123 (87.3985-67.056)-(5.92317 x 10-4)(77.22)
= 4.2730kJ/s
Rate of condensation:

Rate of condensation = 0.01 liter/4273sec

= 2.3403 x 10-6 liter/second

Based on the observation, the value for dry bulb and wet bulb outlet temperature are lower compare
to previous process. At this stage, the compressor of refrigeration system make the temperature
become stable because it be switched on until the air be cooled until 18oC to 20oC. Process cooling
and dehumidification are occur during this phase. The cooled air has start flow and the temperature
will decrease.
DISCUSSION

In this experiment we had done analysis of air-conditioning process using heating

ventilation and cooling (HVAC). The analysis is consist of four process, which are no process,
sensible heating, steam humidification and cooling and dehumidification. Those processes are
the treatment of air inside an air-conditioning unit.

In the no process, based on the observation we can see that the different between Inlet
and outlet dry temperature is slightly increase by 0.5C which can be negligible. Same with wet
temperature slightly increase by 0.6C which also can be negligible. We can assumed that there
is no changes in this process because no process occur. The air properties do not change. The
reading be get from the room is the reading of room temperature. The temperature and moisture
in this process will act as a controlled variable for the other 3 processes. For the sensible heating,
as the 1kW pre-heater switched on for 5 minutes, the air steam flow inside a duct and passes the
heaters. At this stage, heat is added to the air stream causes the temperature at the exit is higher
than the temperature at inlet. The dry temperature increase for 1.5kW is higher (increase by 21.0
C) than 1kW (increase by 15.4C). For 1.5kW, the final moisture content decline by a lot due to
the heat produced causing the moisture to dry out. The humidifier is to increase the humidity of
the space to avoiding adverse health effects such as dry mucous membrane and respiratory
distress. Next, when the steam humidification, the air flow through the section of water boiling to
produce steam. The relative humidity changes is 25.173%. We can see that the moisture at outlet
is higher than inlet. The dry temperature increase by 7.9 C while the wet temperature increase
by 11.6 C. The temperature increase because the steam has ability to hold maximum moisture of
air. Hence the relative humidity is also increase. Lastly the cooling and dehumidification. We see
decrease in moisture content compared to the controlled variable. It has less 0.000915kg/kg of
moisture content compared to the controlled variable. This is due to the refrigerated cooled coils
at the middle that causes the moisture in the air to condense on the coils. The condensed water is
then channelled to the outside of the system. The time needed to condense water to fill up or
drain water of 100ml is about minutes. Dehumidifier is to decrease the humidity of the space
thus making the space less hospitable to allergens such as dust mites.
 Figure 1 nanoe-g technology

The diagram above show advanced air treatment technology which call nanoe-g which
was introduce by Panasonic. This technology is to eliminate the bacteria, fungi and viruses in the
air. It have filter that removes the dust particle and bacteria for making the ambience air more
pure, fresher and healthier. It works by generating active hydrogen and oxygen ion which form
Hydroperoxy radicals (HOO-) in which it reacts with the virus and turn them into harmless water
vapour.
 Figure 2 automotive cooling system

The diagram above shows the operation diagram of a car air-conditioning system. Air
conditioning in an automotive unit is same mechanism with housing unit. The cycle begins with
the compressor. The compressor is located at the engine where it is driven by the engine via a
belting system. The compressed fluid is discharged into the condenser where it is located in front
of the car. The condenser is place in front of the radiator coolant. Once it is cooled, it goes
through a filter to remove moisture and particles. It is then expanded into gas and enters the
evaporating coil. The air from outside is cooled into the engine where it is then cooled to a lower
temperature via a ducting system. Once it is cooled by the evaporator, it is then pushed into the
car by a blower.
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, objective has been achieved that is to observe and understand the changes
in air properties as it is treated in a basic air-conditioning unit.

Although this process is mostly computerized, the error that might occur during the experiment
was the time taken to start the stop watch that we miss. Then we need to make sure the connection
of the piping system is thight without any leaking to avoid wasting gaseous.

We also understand that, to heat the air, we need a blower that blows the air to a set of heater. Then
to cool the air, we need to do the steam humidification process to increase the humidity in the air
then consecutively cool it with a refrigerant in the condensing part of the machine to create a cool
comfortable flow of air.
APPENDIX

Psychrometric chart
Table A-4
REFERENCE

1. THERMAL ENGINEERING, MC GRAW HILL,2013, CENGEL, BOLES.

2. NICOLAS LEMIRE, Eng, MEMBER ASHRAE and ROLAND CHARNEUX, Eng,
FELLOW ASHRAE ENERGY EFFICIENT LABORATORY DESIGN Vol 47, No 5,
May 2005.
3. C.W. MARANVILLE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, IMPROVING EFFICIENTOF A
HVAC SYSTEM WITH COMFORT, MODELLING, ZONAL DESIGN AND
THERMODYNAMIC DEVICES.
4. http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/buildings/commercial/hvac.htm