Team 10ME Project: Air Conditioner

LabMembers Customer Advisor Sean M. Gallagher, Brian Davison U of D ME Department Dr. Keefe Prathana Vannarath, Pam McDowell Dr. Wexler

Mission: Design a set of thermodynamic and heat transfer experiments for the University of Delaware Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Laboratory, using a window air conditioner, that will be completed by April for approximately $4000.

Approach: Determine the nature of the problem by identifying customer(s) and their wants, needs and constraints. Then benchmark to identify competitors, metrics and possible solutions. Generate concepts; compare, eliminate, expand and synthesize possible solutions based on the metrics. Proceed to a Go/No-Go review of the concepts. Build and test a prototype.

Project Background• ME 2000 Curriculum

– Joint Laboratory Classes– Combined Thermodynamics II and Heat

Transfer Lab

• Single lab apparatus for multiple labs• Increased understanding of

Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer fundamentals

Problem Description

• Hardware– Develop a lab

apparatus using a window air conditioner and sensors

– Develop a Data Acquisition Program

• Lab Experiments

– Develop a set of experiments that include a variety of Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer Principles

X

Compressor

T, P T, P

T, P T, P

Mass flowfluid

Expansionvalve

T1 T2 T3

T4

RelativeHumidity

airM

airM

RH

waterM

Inside CoilOutside Coil

Lab Setup Schematic

PP

Customers Wants

Dr. Wexler Dr. Advani Undergraduate

students Graduate students

Dr. Sun George Sestak from

ASHRAE Manufacturers:

Hampden, Armfield Ltd. Other Schools: Georgia

Tech, Penn State

Effective learning tool Easy to Use Self Evident Easy to set up Cost Effectiveness Easy fabrication LabView compatible data

acquisition

Forgiving of incompetence Quiet Quick

Constraints (Prioritized)

• Portable

• Schedule dictated by NCDA

• Budget set by Sponsor

• Dr Keefe set by himself

Systems Benchmarking(Competitors)

• Hampden Basic Refrigeration Cycle Trainer• Hampden Basic Refrigeration Cycle and Heat

Pump Trainer• Hampden Refrigeration Demonstrator• Hampden Heat Pump Trainer• Armfield Heat Exchanger Training Equipment

Series• Armfield Heat Transfer Teaching Equipment

Series• Armfield Temperature Measurement Bench

MetricsHardware

• Easy to Use– Visible

Components– Accessible

Components

• Cost Effectiveness– Low initial price– Low operating

cost– Durable– Parts availability

Hardware Cont’d

• Quiet– Low noise level

• Target value of 60 dB

• Easy Maintenance– Parts visibility– Parts availability

• Easy to set up– Time

• Target value 15 minutes

– Self Contained

MetricsLab Experiments

• Self Evident– Clear

Lessons/Objectives

– Logical Procedure

• Effective Learning Tool– Fun– Number of

Fundamentals– Clear

Lessons/Objectives– Real World Connection

to Students– Keeps Students’

Interests– Hands-on/Interactive

Lab Experiments Cont’d

• Quick– Time

• Target Value within set lab time (2 hrs)

• Multiple Purposes– Number of

Fundamentals used

– Combination of Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer Principles

Preliminary Functional Benchmarking

Benchmarking: Comparative Performance Scale of (0-5)Effective Learning Tool Easy Set Up

Abbreviated Easy to Use Low CostList of Wants Self Evident

The Top 10 #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF!Competitors score

H-RST-3B 4.0 4.0 3.0 4.0 .0 15.25

H-6710-CDL 3.5 4.0 3.0 4.0 .0 14.58

H-RST-2 3.5 4.0 3.0 4.0 .0 14.58

H-6830 3.0 4.0 3.0 4.0 .0 13.90

HT10X 2.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 9.80

HT30X 2.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 9.80

HT2 1.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 7.90

Lab Experiment Concepts

5 - 8 Experiments– Easy to set up– More effective

learning tool than

– Multiple Purposes

One Experiment using different sensors– Not an effective

learning tool– Difficult to set up

Lab Experiment Concepts Cont’d14 Experiments

– Easy to set up– More Effective

learning tool than

– Multiple Purposes

Thermodynamic Fundamentals• Expansion Valve• Compressor• Condenser Coil• Evaporator Coil• Phase Changes: Liquid Vapor

Liquid• Coefficient of Performance• Diagrams: T-s and P-h• Psychrometric Chart

Heat Transfer Fundamentals• Convection

• Conduction

• Radiation

Actual Progress

• Wanted to be here:– Generated Concepts– Researching

Functional Benchmarking

– Researched Effective Learning Tools

– Researched Safety Issues

– Generating Lab Experiments

• We are here:– Generated

Preliminary Concepts– Started Functional

Benchmarking– Researching Effective

learning tools– Researched Safety

issues– Beginning Lab Write-

ups

Division Of Labor

• Sean– Heat Transfer

Labs• Variables

– Knowns– Unknowns

• Equations• Possible overlap

between labs

• Pam– Thermodynamics

Labs• Variables

– Knowns– Unknowns

• Equations• Possible overlap

between labs

Division Of Labor (Cont’d)

• Prathana– Ambassador of

Educational Prowess• Continue to

investigate various methods of teaching

• Determine criteria for evaluating educational effectiveness of each lab

• Apply criteria to each individual experiment

• Brian– Locate and obtain

window AC unit from UD housing to be used as a reference

– Determine which brands of AC units best fit our wants

Detailed 4 Week Outlook• Week of 10/26

– Evaluate variables and equations

• conduction• expansion valve

• compressor – Research, organize,

and classify various methods of teaching

– Obtain free or really cheap AC unit from

• Week of 11/2– Evaluate variables and

equations• convection• condenser coil• evaporator coil

– Determine criteria to evaluate educational effectiveness of each lab

– Determine where in AC unit sensors could be placed for labs

• conduction• expansion valve• compressor

Detailed 4 Week Outlook (Cont’d)

• Week of 11/9– Evaluate variables and

equations• Radiation• Phase changes• Coefficient of performance

– Where to place sensors

• convection• condenser coil• evaporator coil

– Educational Effectivness• convection • condenser coil• evaporator coil

• Week of 11/16– Evaluate variables and

equations• Diagrams: T-s and P-h• Psychrometric Chart

– Where to place sensors• Radiation• Phase changes• Coefficient of performance

– Educational effectiveness

• radiation• Phase changes• Coefficient of performance

Generic Schedule Overview

• December– Finish evaluating each of our lab concepts against our metrics

• January– Sleep

• February– Compare lab concepts against maximum overlap of

sensor position optimum set of experiments– Determine AC unit to be used in the experiments

• March– Send AC unit away to have sensors installed

• April– Finishing touches

Preliminary Budget

Component Est. Price Quantity Subtotal TotalAir Conditioning Unit 250.00$ 1 250.00$ Lab Cart 100.00$ 1 100.00$ Rel. Humidity/Temp Sensor 225.00$ 4 900.00$ Mass Flowmeter 1,000.00$ 1 1,000.00$ Thermocouple 25.00$ 4 100.00$ Pressure Transducer 255.00$ 10 2,550.00$ Air Flowmeter 400.00$ 2 800.00$ Assorted Fittings 100.00$ 1 100.00$ Wiring, Connectors 75.00$ 1 75.00$ Refrigerant Recharge 25.00$ 1 25.00$

-$ -$

Total: 5,900.00$

Preliminary Budget: Project 99.10, ME Air Conditioning ExperimentFully Instrumented Version

Concluding Remarks