Chapter 4

Chapter 4:
BASIC AIR CONDITIONING

Air conditioning is used throughout the world to counter the negative effects
caused by heat and humidity. Without air conditioning, people tire easily and feel
lethargic, resulting in low morale and productivity.
In order to provide comfortable environment, you need to have an
understanding of the principles and theory of air conditioning, be able to recognize
system components and controls, and understand how they work within the system.
This chapter will provide you with information required to meet those
requirements.
CONTENT:
1. Principles of Air Conditioning
2. Purpose of Air Conditioning
3. Factors Influencing Human Comfort
4. Psychrometry of Air
5. Psychrometric Process
1. PRINCIPLES OF AIR CONDITIONING

ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning
Engineers) define air conditioning as a process of treating air so as to control
simultaneously its temperature, humidity, cleanliness & distribution to meet the
condition of a given space.
It is the process of conditioning the air in a space to maintain a predetermined
temperature-humidity relationship to meet comfort or technical requirements. This
warming and cooling of the air is uisually referred to as winter and summer air
conditioning.
TYPES OF AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM COMMONLY MANUFACTURED:

1. Window Type Air Conditioners – small package type A/C units consist of
direct expansion refrigeration as cooling system, condenser fan, circulating fan, and
control system. It is understood to serve one space or many units serving larger space.
2. Split Type Air Conditioners – consist of outdoor unit which are typically
condenser and compressor and the indoor unit that cools air before it is supplied to the
condition space. It is usually installed inside the condition space.
a. Single-split A/C units – consist of one indoor unit to match one outdoor
unit.
b. Multi-split A/C units – consist of two or more indoor units to match
one outdoor unit.
3. Roof Top Package A/C – larger package type A/C and are usually
installed outside the condition space typically on the roof top of the building where it
served. Components are:
a. Cooling/heating coil
b. Condenser coil
c. Compressor
d. Circulating fan
e. Condenser fan for air cooled condenser
f. Air intake porch, grilles, and filter
g. Supply air porch
h. Package controller and control panel built in the system
4. Chilled Water A/C units – consist of refrigeration circuit and chilled
water circuit. The chilled water A/C units are manufactured in small capacity, 3-
15 tons, while the large capacity units are made from 50 to 500 tons of refrigeration.
a. The refrigeration circuit consist of simple vapor refrigeration
components and its system controller
b. The chilled water circuit consist of package water chiller, chilled water
circulating pump, air handlers such as FCU and AHU, connecting chilled water
pipings and system controller.
5. Combined Hot Water and Chilled Water System – known as four-pipe water
system normally consist of hot water lines and the heating coils, cooled water lines and
the cooling coils, circulating pumps, air handlers, and controlling system.
2. PURPOSE OF AIR CONDITIONING

1. Health and Human Comfort
The human body is amazingly adaptable organism. However, variation in
outdoor temperature, humidity, and cleanliness when beyond the normal adaptability
reults to discomfort. In this regard, it is necessary to provide modified air conditioner to
maintain healthy and comfortable human environment.
2. Industrial Purpose and Special Air Conditioning/Ventilation
Examples for air conditioning services for industrial services are:
a. Data processing area for computer rooms
b. Textile Processing
c. Drying & Storing Farm Crops
d. Nuclear Facilities
e. Industial Exhaust System
f. Air Conditioning of wood and paper products facilities
3. FACTORS INFLUENCING HUMAN COMFORT

1. Human heat lost due to convection, evaporation, & radiation in
human bodies.
2. Insulating factor – discomfort due to improper clothing
3. Physiological factors – due to activity, age, and health
4. Thermal comfort factor – due to varying air temperature and
humidity
5. Noise beyond acceptable limit
4. PSYCHROMETRY OF AIR
Psychrometry is the study of properties of air and water vapor mixture under
varying temperatures and pressures. It is presented on psychrometric chart.
Psychrometric chart is a graphical representation of the thermodynamic
properties of moist air.
Psychrometric Properties:
1. Relative Humidity (RH)– is define as the ratio of the mole fraction
of water vapor in moist air to mole fraction of water vapor in saturated air.
– existing partial pressure of water vapor divided by
saturation pressure of pure water vapor at same temperature.
2. Humidity Ratio (w) – the mass of water interspersed in each kg dry
of air.
w = kg of W.V. / kg dry air
3. Dry Bulb Temperature - is the temperature of the air as measured
by an ordinary thermometer.
4. Wet Bulb Temperature – is thermodynamic adiabatic temperature
in an adiabatic saturation process, and measured by a wet bulb thermometer.
5. Dew Point Temperature – is the temperature at which air can be
cooled to its saturation before condensation begin.
6. Enthalpy (h) – the enthalpy of mixture of dry air and water vapor is
the enthalpy of dry air and the enthalpy of water vapor. Thus,
h = ha + hs; ha = Cpt
hs = Whg
h =Cpt + Whg
where: Cp = specific heat of air @ constant pressure
Cp = 1.0062 KJ/Kg-K
t = temperature of air-vapor mixture, °C hg =
enthalpy of sat. steam @ air vapor mixture
7. Specific Volume – is a ratio of unit volume of dry air per unit
weight of dry air.
v = RaT/Pa; m3 / kg dry air
= RaT/(Pt – Ps)
= 0.287 T/(Pt – Ps)
5. PSYCHROMETRIC PROCESS
1. Sensible Heating or Cooling – a change in dry bulb temperature at
constant humidity ratio.
2. Humidification – an addition of water vapor
a. Adiabatic addition of moisture h=C
b. Addition of moisture with addition of heat
3. Cooling and Dehumidification Process – reduction of both dry bulb
temperature and humidity ratio
4. Chemical Dehumidification – the water vapor from air is adsorbed
or absorbed by hygroscopic material at constant enthalpy.
5. Mixing Process – in mixing process, two streams of air of different
condition are mixed to create another new condition.
m1 + m2 = m3; mass balance
m1h1 + m2h2 = m3h3; energy balance
m1W1 + m2W2 = m3W3; humidity ratio

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Chapter 4:

BASIC AIR CONDITIONING

1. PRINCIPLES OF AIR CONDITIONING

TYPES OF AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM COMMONLY MANUFACTURED:

2. PURPOSE OF AIR CONDITIONING

3. FACTORS INFLUENCING HUMAN COMFORT

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