AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

AC, PRINCIPLES OF AC, PSYCHOMETRICS AND REFRIGERATION CYCLE

Conditioning air to suit our human comfort conditions.

AC is used for two purposes comfort or process control. Comfort refers to providing
air conditions that create satisfaction for people. Process control to air condition that are
required to carry out or improve some operation or process. For ex, certain values of humidity
are required for prepare operation of computers. In nuclear research facilities, very close
control of air humidity is required.

Principles-
1. Control of air temperature at desired values at all times by heating or cooling (20-25C
in foreign, 27-28C in India)
2. Control of air humidity (WV content) by humidification or de humidification. (50-
60%)
3. Control of air movement at a desired velocity.
4. Introduction of outside ventilation air as require.
5. Control of air quality (cleanliness) by the removal of dirt particles and odorous gases.
6. Control of sound produced by air condition system itself.

PSYCHOMETRICS

It is the name given to the study of air-water vapour mixtures.

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Properties of air-

Dry Bulb Temperature - Temperature of air sensed by thermometer.

Wet Bulb Temperature - Temperature of air sensed by thermometer wrapped with a water-
soaked wick, in rapid moving air.
Dew point temperature - Temperature at which the water vapours in the air would begin to
condense if the air were cooled, at constant pressure.
Humidity Ratio (W)-RH= actual WV Pressure
VP if the air is saturated at that DBT
Specific volume - The volume of air per unit Wt of dry air, in ft³/lb.
Specific Enthalpy - Heat content of air per unit wt.

REFRIGERATION
Refrigeration is the transfer of heat from one place to another by a change in
state of liquid.
Refrigerants- Are chemical compounds that are used to absorb heat by evaporation or boiling
from the liquid to vapour and reject heat

from vapour state to liquid.

In this cycle, a circulating refrigerant such as Freon enters the compressor as a vapor.
The vapor is compressed at constant entropy and exits the compressor superheated. The
superheated vapor travels through the condenser which first cools and removes the superheat
and then condenses the vapor into a liquid by removing additional heat at constant pressure
and temperature. The liquid refrigerant goes through the expansion valve (also called a
throttle valve) where its pressure abruptly decreases, causing flash evaporation and auto-
refrigeration of, typically, less than half of the liquid.

That results in a mixture of liquid and vapor at a lower temperature and pressure. The cold
liquid-vapor mixture then travels through the evaporator coil or tubes and is completely
vaporized by cooling the warm air (from the space being refrigerated) being blown by a fan
across the evaporator coil or tubes. The resulting refrigerant vapor returns to the compressor
inlet to complete the thermodynamic cycle.

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 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
TYPES OF AC AND CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

AC can be classified according to

Purpose Season Arrangement of Equipments

Comfort Industrial Summer Winter Self contained or Central or Remote AC

Cool AC's Hot AC's Unitary AC
Zero bacteria Dust free and
zone is to be certain temp. DX (Direct All water system
maintained in and humidity Window AC Split AC expansion or hydronic
Drug industries required in system) or All system
comp. room Roof top units air system
Air- Water system

CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

1. The conditioning process takes place outside the place is to be conditioned.
2. Air is conditioned in a plant and an air handle may be provided circulate air and duct are used to
distribute conditioned air to the different spaces to be conditioned.
3. In addition to the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and the motor the plant usually includes filter
for cleaning the air, fans for cleaning the air, grills for discharging the air louvers for fresh air intake,
auxiliary heat air exchanger to transfer heat from chilled water to air (when air is used and cooling
towers when water is used) cooled condenser, pumps, damps, valves, and controls are often essentials.

Direct expansion system: - In the direct expansion or DX types of air central conditioning plants the
air used for cooling space is directly chilled by the refrigerant in the cooling coil of the air handling
unit. Since the air is cooled directly by the refrigerant the cooling efficiency of the DX plants is higher.
However, it is not always feasible to carry the refrigerant piping to the large distances hence, direct
expansion or the DX type of central air conditioning system is usually used for cooling the small
buildings or the rooms on the single floor.
1) The Plant Room:
The plant room
comprises of the
important parts of the
refrigeration system,
the compressor and
the condenser. The
compressor can be
either semi-
hermetically sealed or
open type. The semi-
hermetically sealed
compressors are cooled by the air, which is blown by the fan, while open type compressor is water
cooled. The open compressor can be driven directly by motor shaft by coupling or by the belt via
pulley arrangement.

The condenser is of shell and tube type and is cooled by the water. The refrigerant flows along the
tube side of the condenser and water along the shell side, which enables faster cooling of the
refrigerant. The water used for cooling the compressor and the condenser is cooled in the cooling
tower kept at the top of the plant room, though it can be kept at other convenient location also.

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2) The Air Handling Unit Room:
The refrigerant leaving the condenser in the plant room enters the thermostatic expansion valve and
then the air handling unit, which is kept in the separate room. The air handling unit is a large box type
of unit that comprises of the evaporator or the cooling coil, air filter and the large blower. After
leaving the thermostatic expansion valve the refrigerant enters the cooling coil where it cools the air
that enters the room to be air conditioned. The evaporator in the air handling unit of the DX central air
conditioning system is of coil type covered with the fins to increasing the heat transfer efficiency from
the refrigerant to the air.
There are two types of ducts connected to the air handling unit: for absorbing the hot return air from
the rooms and for sending the chilled air to the rooms to be air conditioned. The blower of the air
handling unit enables absorbing the hot return air that has absorbed the heat from the room via the
ducts. This air is then passed through the filters and then over the cooling coil. The blower then passes
the chilled air through ducts to the rooms that are to be air conditioned.

Chilled water system: - This system is also known as all water system. In this medium of cooling is
chilled water. Water or Brine is passed over the evaporator coil in which water is cooled. The unit
containing the vapour coil in which water is cooled is known as
chiller. Chilled water from the chillers is pumped into the
cooling coil provided in the AHU
. The air to be cooled is passed over the cooling coil thus
cooled.
. The cooled air is finally applied to space to be air conditioned
through ducts.
. In this system the temperature of the room is varied or
controlled by varying the quantity of water flowing through the
cooling coil in the terminal units as the load varies.
. Chilled water is usually distrusted through two systems. One
pipe supplied the chilled water the other takes the chilled water
back to the central plant.
. This system is used when 100 tonne or more refrigeration is
required.

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1.AC plant room
The plant room comprises of all the
important components of the chilled water air
conditioning plant. These include the
compressor, condenser, thermostatic
expansion valve and the evaporator or the
chiller. The compressor is of open type and
can be driven by the motor directly or by the
belt via pulley arrangement connected to the
motor. It is cooled by the water just like the
automotive engine.
The evaporator is also called as the chiller,
because it chills the water. The water chilled
in the chiller is pumped to various parts of the
building that are to be air conditioned. It
enters the air handling unit, cools the air in
cooling coil, absorbs the heat and returns back
to the plant room to get chilled again. The
amount of water passing into the chiller is
controlled by the flow switch.
AC plant room is a room to accommodate the machine for the air conditioning process. Either air
processing or cooling process takes place in a plant room. LP, LT refrigerant that comes from the
evaporator is converted to HP, HT in the compressor that is than liquefied at the same pressure in the
condenser and send back to the evaporator coil (in the AHU). The parts located in the AC plant room
are endorser compressor, receiver & the evaporator. In case of the chilled water system evaporator is
located in the AHU.

Requirements-
1. Plant room should be totally enclosed should have artificial lights & mechanical ventilation.
2. It should be acoustically treated.
3. The area for a plant room for 100-tonn capacities should be about 100m².
4. The min ht for the plant room should be 4.1m.
5. An independent exit should be provided. Emergency light and exit should also be provided.

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 6. Ramps, hoists and cut outs should be provided for the machine to be taken out from the
repairing
7. Special consideration should be made for the foundation special pile or special rafter should
be provided.
8. The foundation should be such to sustain the 2.5 times the operating wt of the machine.
9. The machine should be raised 6` above from the floor.
10. Cooling tower is required when water-cooled condenser is used.

2. Air Handling Unit Rooms:

The air handling units are installed in the various parts of the building that are to be air conditioned, in
the place called air handling unit rooms. The air handling units comprise of the cooling coil, air filter,
the blower and the supply and return air ducts. The chilled water flows through the cooling coil. The
blower absorbs the return hot air from the air conditioned space and blows it over the cooling coil thus
cooling the air. This cooled air passes over the air filter and is passed by the supply air ducts into the
space which is to be air conditioned. The air handling unit and the ducts passing through it are
insulated to reduce the loss of the cooling effect.
This unit is provided with 2 inlets, one for fresh air intake & another for return air from the
conditioning spares.
When the return air mixing with 10% of the fresh air first passing over the filter passes over the
evaporator coils the refrigerant absorbs the heat.
As a result cold airs are blown out by the blower present in the AHU, which distribute the air.
The used air is again return to this unit.
In case of chilled water system
instead of evaporator coil filled
with refrigerant chilled water
coil is present in AHU.
Function- Clean, cool, circulate
& re circulate the air.
Components-
1. Filter to remove dust.
2. Cooling coil for cooling the
air.
3. Blower to pressurise the air passing through the duct.
Requirements
1. Chilled water is required. Drainage should be provided and fresh air from outside is required
2. One AHU can serve an area of 475 sq meters.
3. The area of AHU room should be around 20 sq meters and the maximum length of duct from AHU
room should be 30-40m.
4. Only the AHU panels should be provided and other panel should be placed outside the room.

3) Air Conditioned Rooms:

These are the rooms or spaces that are to be air conditioned. These can be residential or hotel rooms,
halls, shops, offices, complete theater, various parts of the airport etc. At the top of these rooms the
supply and the return air ducts are laid. The supply air ducts supply the cool air to the room via one set
of the diffusers, while the return air ducts absorbs the hot return air from the room by another set of
the diffusers. The hot return air enters the air handling unit, gets cooled and again enters the room via
supply duct to produce air conditioning effect.

4) Fan Coil Unit

1. This provides individually room controls. This is small scale
AHU.
2. It consists of water coil to cool the air, Fan for blowing room
air over the coil, Enclosure for the equipment, controls for fan
speed & water flow.
3. FCU may be floor mounted or placed under corridor recessed
in ceiling and connected through ducts.

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Requirements
1. The minimum size of FCU is one meter long and three meter deep.
2. For fire prevention, pressure in the room should be kept lower

5. Cooling tower.-
Cooling tower is in the AC system where water-cooled condenser is used.
The condenser water removes heat from the high temperature refrigerant and temperature is raised.
The purpose of cooling tower is to dispose heat gained by the water. In the cooling tower water is
sprayed in to the air from the top. In dropping downward through the tower, it comes in contact with
the air. The air picks ups heat from the water and carries heat into the atmosphere, some of the water is
evaporated and reminder is cooled. The cooled water is collected at the base of the tower .The pumps
circulates the water through the cooled condenser.

Water cooled condenser

Air cooled condenser

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 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
PACKAGED AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Packaged air conditioners are factory manufactured units, delivered to site for direct
installation. They contain vapour compression cycle refrigeration system, using the
evaporator for cooling and the condenser for heating, with fan delivery of the processed air.
They are available in a wide range of power capacity, fan outputs, refrigeration and heating
load for adaptation to various building types and situations.
Packages contain all the processes of conventional air handling units, with exception of
a steam or water humidifier.

1. Self contained (Single packaged)- suitable for relatively small rooms, for example
shops, restaurants and classroom. May be free standing or attached to structure. Available
up to about 3 tonnes of refrigeration capacity and 1- 1.5 tonnes generally. Example-
WINDOW AC and THROUGH-THE- WALL UNITS

2. Split (Double) Packaged- it has two separate units. One contains fan, filter, evaporator
and expansion valve for interior location. The other contains condenser. Fan and
compressor for external location. The two link by the refrigeration pipe work. This has the
advantage that one external unit and serves several internal units. Cooling load- 1.5-3
tonnes generally. Can be available up to about 50 tonnes of refrigeration capacity.

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3. Roof top units- Designed to locate outdoors and generally installed on roofs. All the
equipments packaged together except compressor and condenser may be remote. Rooftop
units may be used with ductwork and air outlets. They must have weatherproofing
features not required with equipments located indoors. All electrical parts must be
moisture proof and the casing and other parts exposed must be corrosion protected. The
advantages of rooftop units are that they do not use available building space and they are
relatively low in cost. Use in one storey buildings such as supermarkets and suburban
commercial building.

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 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Ducts, Grills, diffusers, outlets, filters

FILTER- Filters are installed in the air distributor system to clean the contamination in the
air due to the dust, smoke, odour, gases and bacteria etc.
1. Dry screen filter.
2. viscous impingement
3. fibrous
4. electrostatic dry screen filter
1. Dry screen filter depend on the use mesh, to prevent the passage of particles. When the air
passes through the mesh the dirt remain at the one side and fresh air pass by. The mesh is
renewable, cleanable, and thrown away .

2. Viscous impingement filter. In such type of filter the air passes through the mesh coated
with oil or grease The particle get adhere to the mesh.
This is renewable, cleanable and thrown away mesh.

3. Fibrous system . Fibrous system thrown away they

have small fibres installed on the surface .These fibres
increased the surface area of the mesh and have are
more effective

4. Electrostatic filter. In such filter the

air is passed between the electrically
charged plates which give the particles in
the air a strong electrical charge, then the
air flow between collector plants which
have an electrical charge of an opposite
nature. The particles is in air are attracted
to the collector plate and trap . Cleaned
periodically, renewable.

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FAN- creates the pressure difference that causes the air to flow in the air distribution system.
PARTS-
1. impellers- it is the set of rotable blades that push against the air.
2. electric motor- that rotates the impeller.
3. Housing- the housing is the casing that encloses the impeller.

TYPES OF FAN
1. Centrifugal fans
2. Axial fans

Centrifugal fans-Can produce high pressure and has the

capacity for large volume of air. It may have one or two
inlets. In this type of fan the air enters the impeller
parallel to the axis of rotation and flow radically through
the impeller and discharges to the outside edge. It
consists of cylinder wheel to which no. of blades are
fixed in parallel around the circumference of the
cylinder. The wheel is mounted on shaft or axle. The
assembly is placed in e casing which has 1 or 2 wholes
concentric to the axle to act s the entry to the air. The
rotation of the wheel draw the air into the casing and is
exposed to the casing outlet and connected to the duct.
Centrifugal fans can be classified according to the
assembly of their blades

Forward curve blade- tip Backward curve blade- Radial blade type- blades
of blade of this type of fan tip of blade of this type of have no curvature. They
is inclined towards the fan is inclined backward are well efficient as
direction of rotation. This from the direction of forward blade type. They
type of fan is used when rotation. Quit in operation, can operate in high speed
high volume of air is runs at satisfactory speed. and high pressure.
required. Satisfactory for small
quantity of air.

Axial fan-
In this type of fan air flows through the impeller in the direction parallel to the axis of
rotation. on the basis of configuration of the fans hence related the impeller.
Types of axial fan-

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 The propeller type. Tube axial type . The Vane axial fan. The
These fans are often used impeller usually has 6- 9 impeller usually has 8- 16
for small air moving force blades mounted within a blades, usually airfoil
P
such to exhaust It is cylindrical casing. The blades. This can move the
capable of moving good blades can be airfoil lower amount of air than
amount of air but less than blades or curved sheet the propeller and can
centrifugal fan and it is metal. The volume flow rotate against the high
nosier than centrifugal and fan total pressure can pressure than propeller.
fan. It can operate at LP. be adjusted for tube axial
An impeller having 3 to 6 fans driven directly by
blades is mounted within a motor.
circular ring.

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Piping- selection of material of piping depend on :
1. Properties of the fluid being carried
2. Temperature
3. Pressure
4. Exposure to oxidation or corrosion .
In addition cost and availability
Most commonly used in hydronic system-Carbon (black) steel pipe copper tube
Joining of steel pipe is usually done with either screwed., welded or flenged fitting
Copper tubing . joint are made either by soldering or by flaking .

Valves.
GENERAL SERVICE VALVES. Valves are used controlling the fan of the fluis grouped into
three classes
Stopping flow For stopping the flow of the fluid used for isolating equipment for serve are in
isolating sector of a system so that it may be served yet along the rest of the system to operate
gate valve
Regulating flow rate . To adjust flow rate normally :
Example : globevalve, plug valve , butterfly valve, angle valve, needle valve .
Limiting flow direction ; Valvethat allow flow in only one direction are called check valve .
reverse flow could ocour when the system is not operating particularly if there is a static head
of water .
E.g.: swing check
Vertical lift check or spring loaded check .
Check valves are usually installed act the discharged of a pump.
Pipe insulation : may be made from natural material such as wool, felt ,rock or glass fibres
cork and rubber . pipe insulation may be furnished in blanket form or premolded to be size of
a pipe to be covered.
Vapour barriers treated paper or aluminium foil . molding spong rubber insulation .
DUCT: valvanised steel metal – material .
Alternative – molded glass fibre
Stainless steel , copper or aluminium corrosion resistance material
Duct insulation :Insulation+vapour barrier
Glass fibre+aluminium foil
Insulation comes in either size based on blanket.
Air supply devices
Grills and register :They enable control of the air distribution in both direction if needed .
Grills with volume control dampers mounted behind the grills called registers.
Ceiling diffusers : These devices usually consist of a service of separated concentric ring or
louvers with a collar or neck to connect to the duct they may be round square or rectangular in
shape In addition to those that distribution air equally in all direction they can be designed to
distribute air in any desired direction .
Slot diffusers :This is long strip shaped outlet with one or more narrow opening depending
upon the number of bars or vanes.
Plenum ceiling :hung oiling are available with slots or perforation throughout most or all the
ceiling . Which can serve as supply air outlet.

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