Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

(ME 439)

Instructor Dr. Muhammad Asif

Lecture 18

Chapter 8
Cooling Load calculations

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology

1
 Total cooling load 1) External load
- Roof
1) External load - Wall
- Ceiling, floors and partition
2) Internal loads
- Fenestration
3) Load on the System - Exfiltration
 Ventilation
 Duct Loss and leakage 2) Internal load
- People
 Supply fan heat load
- Lights
- Power Loads
- Appliances

total cooling load on any building consists of both sensible as well as latent load components.
The sensible load affects dry bulb temperature, while the latent load affects the moisture
content of the conditioned space
 1. Estimation of external loads:
All of the load calculations are based on the ASHRAE Handbook: Fundamentals
1. ROOF Since the ASHRAE tables provide hourly CLTD values for one
typical set of conditions i.e. outdoor maximum temperature of
The basic conduction equation for heat gain is q = U A ΔT 95°F with mean temperature of 85°F and daily range of 21°F,
q = Heat gain in Btu/hr the equation is further adjusted to apply correction factors for
U = Thermal Transmittance for roof in Btu/hr.ft².°F conditions other than the mentioned base case
A = area of roof in ft2
Q Roof = U * A * CLTD Roof Corrected
ΔT = Temperature difference in °F
Due to transient heat transfer, and thermal capacity of roof
material, there is decrement factor and time lag. The heat
gain is converted to cooling load using the cooling load
temperature difference
Q = U * A * (CLTD)

CLTD = cooling load temperature difference °F. The values are

determined from tables available in chapter 28 of AHSRAE
fundamentals handbook. 1997, Table 30, Table 31

Determine roof construction and overall heat

Calculate roof area (A) from architectural plans transfer coefficient (U) (Chapter 28 ASHRAE
1997, Table 11-19)
 2. WALLS
The cooling load from walls is treated in a similar way as roof:
Q Wall = U * A * CLTD Wall Corrected

Determine walls overall heat transfer coefficient (U)

(Chapter 28 ASHRAE 1997, Table 11-19)

Calculate walls area (A). Use the architectural drawings to

determine how much wall area you have. Since you will be
finding window and door losses separately, exclude windows
and door and count only wall area.
CLTD Wall Corrected= [CLTD Wall+ (78 – TR) +(TM – 85)]

Example:
The wall has a 4" brick exterior, a 1" air gap, and 8" concrete
block wall. Calculate the overall U value of the walls
(Btu/hr/ft2/°F) based on the materials used and the standards
set forth in ASHRAE.
3. FENESTRATION
 3. FENESTRATION
For the glass types used, select from ASHRAE tables the overall
heat transfer coefficient (U). Pay attention to effect of shading,
Solar load through glass has two components: reflective films, curtains, drapes etc
1) Conductive and 2) Solar Transmission
Select CLTD Glass for time of interest, typically on an hourly basis
The absorbed and then conductive portion of the (Chapter 28 ASHRAE Table 34)
radiation through the windows is treated like the
roof & walls where CLTD values for standard glazing Determine shading coefficient (SC) from ASHRAE 1997 Chapter 29,
are tabulated in ASHARE fundamentals handbook Table 11

Determine solar cooling load factor (SCL) from ASHRAE 1997

Conductive Q Glass Conductive = U * A * CLTD Glass Corrected Chapter 28, Table A28-36

Solar Transmission Q Glass Solar = A * SC * SCL

Calculate glass area (A) from architectural plans
Q Conductive = Conductive load through the glass in Btu/hr
Q Solar = Solar transmission load through the glass in Btu/hr
U = Thermal Transmittance for glass in Btu/ (h ft2 F)
A = area of glass in ft2
CLTD = Cooling Load Temperature Difference for glass in °F
SC = Shading coefficient
SCL = Solar Cooling Load Factor
4. PARTITIONS, CEILINGS AND FLOORS
Whenever a conditioned space is adjacent to a space with a different temperature, transfer of heat
through the separating physical section must be considered.

U = coefficient of overall heat transfer between adjacent and conditioned space in

Btu/ (h ft2 F) See 1997 ASHRAE Fundamentals, Chapter 24 or 2001 ASHRAE
Fundamentals, and Chapter 25.
A = area of partition in ft2, ceiling or floor calculated from building plans
Ta = Temperature of adjacent space in °F (Note: If adjacent space is not
conditioned and temperature is not available, use outdoor air temperature less
5°F)
Trc = Inside design temperature of conditioned space in °F (assumed constant)
 5. EXFILTRATION The exfiltration rate by the crack method is given by:

Heat transfer due to exfiltration consists of both sensible as

well as latent components. The sensible heat transfer rate due
to exfiltration is given by:

The latent heat transfer rate due to infiltration is given by:

The exfiltration rate is obtained by using either the air change method or the crack method

The exfiltration rate by air change method is given by:

 2. Estimation of internal loads:
1. PEOPLE
Internal loads consist of sensible and latent heat transfers due
to occupants

Q sensible = N (QS) (CLF)

Q latent = N (QL)

N = number of people in space

QS, QL = Sensible and Latent heat gain from

occupancy is given in 1997 ASHRAE Fundamentals
Chapter 28, Table 3)

CLF = Cooling Load Factor, by hour of occupancy.

See 1997 ASHRAE Fundamentals, Chapter 28,
Table 37
2. LIGHTS
The lighting load is only sensible

1. Fluorescent lights
2. Incandescent lights

The usage factor accounts for any lamps that are

W = Watts input from electrical lighting plan or lighting load data installed but are not switched on at the time at
FUT = Lighting use factor, as appropriate which load calculations are performed
FSA = special ballast allowance factor, as appropriate
CLF = Cooling Load Factor, by hour of occupancy. See 1997 ASHRAE
Fundamentals, Chapter 28, Table 38

The ballast factor takes into account the load imposed by ballasts used in
fluorescent lights. A typical ballast factor value of 1.25 is taken for fluorescent
lights, while it is equal to 1.0 for incandescent lamps
3. POWER LOADS 4. APPLIANCES
In a cooling load estimate, heat gain from all appliances-
The industrial and commercial applications use various
electrical, gas, or steam-should be taken into account.
equipment such as fans, pumps, machine tools, elevators,
Because of the variety of appliances, applications,
escalators and other machinery, which add significantly to the
schedules, use, and installations, estimates can be very
heat gain.
subjective
 3. Estimation of load on system:
cooling load on the coil due to sensible heat transfer of the
 Ventilation ventilated air is given by:
 Duct Loss and leakage
 Supply fan heat load
1. VENTILATION
The latent heat load on the coil due to ventilation is given by:

2. SUPPLY FAN LOAD

Supply fans that supply air to the space add heat to the space

Note: See 1997 ASHRAE Fundamentals,

Chapter 28, and Table 4 for motor heat gain
3. DUCT LOSS & LEAKAGE
Heat gain is normally estimated as a percentage of the space
sensible cooling load (usually 1% to 5%) and applied to the
temperature of the air leaving the cooling coil in the form of
temperature increase

Commercial type or existing older systems can have leakage from

10% to 20% of the total system airflow. Per energy conservation
guidelines, in a new installation, the duct system should not leak
more than 1% to 3% of total system airflow.
Finally the required cooling capacity of the system which is equal to the total
load on the coil is obtained from the equation:

One can also calculate the sensible heat factor for the coil (CSHF) and draw
the process line on the Psychrometric chart and find the required coil
Apparatus Dew Point Temperature (coil ADP) from the above data
Example 2. Zone Division
Estimate the cooling load of an office building located at 40° N latitude. Due to solar exposure and sun movement, the heat
The following data of building is gathered: gain through exterior walls (in perimetric areas) will
Number of floors: 1 be much higher than the interior zones. The central
Floor area: 64 ft x 80 ft = 5120 ft2 zone heat gain conduction through the walls are
Floor-to-floor Height: 15 ft zero due to ΔT=0
Window area: 20 % of the wall area
Windows: Double glazed
Wall: Wall number 13 [U= 0.2 Btu/h.ft2.F, as per table 33A*, pg 28.46
Roof: Roof number 13 [U= 0.2 Btu/h.ft2.F as per table 31, pg 28.42]
Windows: U= 0.55 Btu/h.ft2.F
Recommended ventilation: ½ air change per hour (min) or 20 cfm/person
Occupancy: 7 persons per 1000 sq-ft
Working: 8 hrs of working - 9.00 to 17.00 hrs

1. Design Conditions
Outdoor design dry-bulb: 90 °F
Outdoor design wet-bulb: 75 °F
Indoor design Dry-bulb: 78 °F
Daily Range: 20 °F
Relative humidity: 50%
Wind velocity: 7½ mph
 ASSUMPTIONS

i. Occupancy hours for people from 0900 to 1700 hrs

ii. 2 persons per room
iii. Light remains on from 0900 to 1700 hrs.
iv. 1536 watts of lights per room
v. 200 watts for computer per room
vi. Roof number is 13 as per Table 31t page-28.42 and U value for roof is 0.055 Btu/h.ft 2. °F.
vii. Wall number is 13 as per Table 33A, page-28.46 and U value for wall is 0.2 Btu/h.ft2.°F.
viii. Window is un-coated double glazed and U value is 0.55 which is found from Table 11, page-29.8
ix. Values of Cooling Load Temperature Difference (CLTD) for roof are taken from Table30, Page-28.42
x. Values of Cooling Load Temperature Difference (CLTD) for wall are taken from Table32, Page-28.45
xi. Values of Cooling Load Temperature Difference (CLTD) for glass are taken from Table34, Page-28.49
xii. Values of Shading Coefficient (SC) are taken from Table 11, page-29.25
xiii. Values of Solar Cooling Load (SCL) are taken from Table 36, page-28.50, zone Type C
xiv. Values of Cooling Load Factor (CLF) for lighting are taken from Table38 based on lights on for 8 hours, Page-
28.52, zone Type C
xv. Values of Cooling Load Factor (CLF) for people are taken from Table37 based on 8 hours in space, Page-28.51,
zone Type C
xvi. Rates of Sensible Heat Gain (SHG) and Latent Heat Gain (LHG) from people are taken from Table 3, page-28.8
xvii. It is assumed that there will be one Computer in each room also assumed that heat gain will be 680 Btu/hr
1. External Load calculation Calculation of Heat Load due to Roof (per room):

a. ROOF
b. Walls

Zone 5 is an internal
zone with NO solar
exposure. Therefore
heat load due to
conduction through the
walls for zone 5 is Zero.
 b. Windows

Windows heat load has two components

1) Conduction and 2) Radiation

SOLAR TRANSMISSION THROUGH WINDOWS Zone 5?

(RADIATION LOAD)
 1. Internal Load calculation b. LIGHTS
a. PEOPLE
Calculation of Internal Load (People):
c. APPLIANCES
 3. Load on System Latent Heat

VENTILATION
Ventilation load has two components
1) Sensible load and 2) Latent load
Sensible Heat
ZONE LOAD SUMMARY
The maximum load of the
building is found at 17.00
hours. The maximum space
loads which required for the
building are 224987 Btu/hr
sensible, 11080 Btu/hr latent.
Also the maximum total loads for the
building (included space and fresh air
loads) are 235067 Btu/hr “sensible”,
28880 Btu/hr “latent”.
 End of Chapter 6 & 8
Assignment # 4
• Cooling load calculations
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