UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA
DESIGN OF CHILLED FLOOR SYSTEM FOR COOLING
IN MALAYSIA
This report submitted in accordance with requirement of the Universiti Teknikal
Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) for the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Technology
(Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Systems) (Hons.)
by
MUHAMMAD NAJIB BIN AZIZ
B071210417
901113146196
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
2016
UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA
BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS LAPORAN PROJEK SARJANA MUDA
TAJUK: Design of Chilled Floor System for Cooling in Malaysia
SESI PENGAJIAN: 2015/16 Semester 1
Saya MUHAMMAD NAJIB BIN AZIZ
mengaku membenarkan Laporan PSM ini disimpan di Perpustakaan UniversitiTeknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:
1. Laporan PSM adalah hak milik Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dan penulis.2. Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dibenarkan membuat salinan
untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja dengan izin penulis.3. Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan laporan PSM ini sebagai bahan
pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi.4. **Sila tandakan ( )
SULIT
TERHAD
TIDAK TERHAD
(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatanatau kepentingan Malaysia sebagaimana yang termaktubdalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972)
(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukanoleh organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan)
Alamat Tetap:NO. 52 JALAN INDAH 3/4
TAMAN AMPANG INDAH
68000 AMPANG, SELANGOR
Tarikh: ________________________
Disahkan oleh:
Cop Rasmi:
Tarikh: _______________________
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FAKULTI TEKNOLOGI KEJURUTERAANTel : +606 331 6019 | Faks : +606 331 6431/6411
Rujukan Kami (Our Ref) :Rujukan Tuan (Your Ref) :
25 JAN 2016PustakawanPerpustakaan UTeMUniversiti Teknikal Malaysia MelakaHang Tuah Jaya,76100 Durian Tunggal,Melaka.
Tuan/Puan,
PENGKELASAN LAPORAN PSM SEBAGAI SULIT/TERHAD LAPORAN PROJEKSARJANA MUDA TEKNOLOGI KEJURUTERAAN MEKANIKAL (SISTEMPENYAMANAN UDARA DAN PENYEJUKBEKUAN): MUHAMMAD NAJIB BIN AZIZ
Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa Laporan PSM yang tersebut di atas bertajuk“Design of Chilled Floor System for Cooling in Malaysia” mohon dikelaskansebagai *SULIT / TERHAD untuk tempoh LIMA (5) tahun dari tarikh surat ini.
2. Hal ini adalah kerana IANYA MERUPAKAN PROJEK YANG DITAJA OLEHSYARIKAT LUAR DAN HASIL KAJIANNYA ADALAH SULIT.
Sekian dimaklumkan. Terima kasih.
Yang benar,
________________Tandatangan dan Cop Penyelia
DECLARATION
I hereby, declared this report entitled “Design of Chilled Floor System for Cooling
in Malaysia” is the results of my own research except as cited in references.
Signature : ………………………………………….
Author’s Name : Muhammad Najib bin Aziz
Date : 25 January 2016
APPROVAL
This report is submitted to the Faculty of Engineering Technology of UTeM as a
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Mechanical
Engineering Technology (Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Systems) (Hons.).
The member of the supervisory is as follow:
………………………………
(Project Supervisor)
i
ABSTRACT
This project is based on one of the Hydronic Radiant Cooling (HRC) type systems
that are Chilled Floor System. This project basically based on the limitation
occurring of using the conventional air conditioning such as high utility bills and
damage environment. Therefore, by applying Hydronic Radiant Cooling System, the
limitation that occurs from conventional air conditional can be dealt. Overall of this
project are focusing on measuring the room temperature and humidity inside the
environmental chamber. The varied number of copper tube is installed to extend the
height of cooling inside the environmental chamber. In additional, by closed the
entire ventilation hole on the environmental chamber has been done to keep the heat
inside, and small fan been installed at the floor of the chamber to extend the cooling
height. The copper tube for chilled floor panel is covered with aluminium sheet
during this experiment to increase cooling capacity and silica gel is placed at the air
supply entrance to absorb the air moisture from outside before entering the chamber.
Chilled water from mini chiller are pumped and circulated inside chilled floor panel
through copper tubes. The temperatures in the mini chiller are considered by mixing
of water, ice, sodium chloride (salt) and propylene glycol (C3H8O2) with different
ratio. The main purpose of this project is to consider of using Chilled Floor as
cooling alternative in Malaysia for thermal comfort and to preserve food product.
Lastly, by the end of this experiment, the minimum temperature achieved by water
chilled inside the mini chiller is -18°C, while 14°C for the temperature inside the
environmental chamber.
ii
ABSTRAK
Projek ini adalah salah satu daripada sistem Penyejukan Kitaran Hydro (HRC)’ iaitu
sistem lantai sejuk. Secara amnya Projek ini berdasarkan kekurangan yang berlaku
jika menggunakan penyaman udara konvensional antaranya ialan bil utiliti yang
tinggi dan merosakkan alam sekitar. Oleh itu, dengan mengaplikasi system
Penyejukan Kitaran Hydro, kekurangan yang berlaku daripada penyaman udara
konvensional dapat ditangani. Secara keseluruhan, projek ini memfokuskan
pengukuran suhu bilik dan kelembapan di dalam ruangan kerja. Bilangan tiub
kuprum yang di pasang di dalam ruangan kerja akan diubah ubah untuk
meningkatkan had ketingggian suhu. Sebagai tambahan, semua salur udara yang
terdapat pada ruangan kerja ditutup bagi menyimpan suhu sejuk, dan kipas dipasang
pada lantai ruangan kerja bagi menolak udara sejuk ke atas. Panel lantai sejuk di
liputi dengan aluminium semasa eksperimen bagi meningkatkan kemampuan
penyejukan dan gel silika ditempatkan di saluran masuk udara untuk memerangkap
kelembapan udara dari luar daripada masuk ke dalam ruangan. Air sejuk daripada
chiller mini akan dipam dan disebarkan ke panel lantai sejuk melalui tiub kuprum.
Suhu chiller mini adalah dengan campuran air, ais, sodium klorida (garam) dan
propelina glikol(C3H8O2) dengan nisbah yang berlainan. Tujuan utama projek ini
adalah untuk mempertimbangkan penggunaan sistem lantai sejuk sebagai penyejuk
alternatif di Malaysia untuk keselesaan dan penjagaan produk makanan. Di akhir
kajian ini, suhu minimum yang dapat dicapai oleh air sejuk di dalam chiller mini
adalah -18°C, manakala 14°C bagi suhu ruang kerja.
iii
DEDICATION
I dedicate this project to my beloved parents, Aziz bin Ariffin and Hafizah
binti Hussin and also to my siblings and my fiancé who always love me, support and
prayed for my success. I also dedicate all my hard work and effort for this project to
my supervisor Dr. Ahmed Salem Saeed Bin Ghooth for supporting me throughout
this project.
Lastly, I dedicate this project to my lecturers and friends who becomes my
references and always keep support me through this final year project. I will always
appreciate all helps comes from them during this project was done.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Alhamdulillah thanks to Allah S.W.T for the blessings favors and gifts,
finally can prepared a full complete report for Final Year Project (FYP). In preparing
this report, too many trials and challenges had to overcome, but all that used as a
teaching and a very valuable experience for my hard work finally paid off when this
report was successfully completed properly.
The special thank goes to my helpful supervisor, Dr. Ahmed
Salem Saeed Bin Ghooth. The supervision and support that he gave truly help the
progression and smoothness of this project. The co-operation is much indeed
appreciated.
I would like to grab this chance to express my appreciation and thanks to my
friends who have shared some knowledge to me in the completion of this report.
Their entire companion is truly appreciated as it was a great pleasure to know them
Great deals appreciated go to the contribution of my faculty of Engineering
Technology (FTK). Last but not least I would like to thank my family especially my
beloved parents for all support.
v
TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract i
Abstrak ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of Content v
List of Figures ix
List of Tables xi
List Abbreviations, Symbols and Nomenclatures xiii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project Background 1
1.2 Problem Statement 3
1.3 Project Objective 3
1.4 Project Scope 4
1.5 Thesis Outline 4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 5
2.2 Conventional air-conditioning system 6
2.3 Refrigerator and preserving process 8
vi
2.3.1 Preserving (Drying and Freezing) 8
2.3.2 Preserving Temperature 9
2.4 Hydronic Radiant Cooling System 11
2.4.1 Chilled Floor System 12
2.4.2 Copper tubes 13
2.4.3 Aluminum sheet 14
2.4.4 Cooling power 15
2.5 Thermal comfort 16
2.5.1 Dehumidification 17
2.5.2 Silica Gel 17
2.6 Ventilation 18
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 20
3.2 Flow chart 20
3.3 Design and preparation of prototype 22
3.3.1 Materials and Equipment. 22
3.3.2 Prototype preparation 24
3.3.3 Environmental chamber preparation 24
3.3.4 Chiller preparation 28
3.3.5 Chilled floor system preparation 29
3.4 Experimental work 31
3.4.1 Exp1: Checking water temperature (Mini Chiller) 31
vii
3.4.2 Exp2: Measure environmental chamber temperature 33
with different distance
3.4.3 Exp3: Checking with varied number of cooper tubes 34
for minimum temperature and maximum height
3.4.4 Exp4: Closed all air inlet and outlet of environmental 35
chamber
CHAPTER 4: RESULT & DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction 37
4.2 Experiment 1 - Mini chiller water 37
4.2.1 Chilled Water (H2O + Ice) 38
4.2.2 Salted Chilled Water (H2O + NaCl) 39
4.2.3 Propylene Glycol Salted Chilled Water 41
(C3H8O2 + Ws)
4.2.4 Propylene Glycol Chilled Water 43
(C3H8O2 + H2O)
4.3 Experiment 2 - Environmental chamber temperature 45
with different height
4.4 Experiment 3 - Environmental chamber temperature 48
with additional number of copper tubes
4.5 Experiment 4 - Closed all air inlet and outlet of 51
environmental chamber
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION & FUTURE WORK
5.1 Introduction 55
viii
5.2 Summary of research 55
5.3 Achievement Of Research Objectives 56
5.4 Significant Of Research 56
5.5 Problem Faced During Research 57
5.6 Suggestion For Future Work 57
APPENDICES 58
REFERENCE 60
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Vapor Compression Refrigeration System Diagram 7
Figure 2.2: Vapor Absorption Refrigeration System Diagram 7
Figure 2.3: Refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 8
Figure 2.4: Hydronic Radiant System 12
Figure 2.5: Schematic represent serpentine pattern 14
Figure 2.6: Copper tube covered by aluminum 15
Figure 2.7: Flow in a typical office displacement ventilation system 19
Figure 3.1: Project flow chart 21
Figure 3.2: Schematic diagram of the prototype 24
Figure 3.3: Isometric diagram and dimension of environmental chamber 25
Figure 3.4: 6 passes Copper tube 29
Figure 3.5: 10 passes Copper tube 29
Figure 3.6: Environmental chamber with zero ventilation 36
Figure 4.1: Temperature chilled water 38
Figure 4.2: Salted chilled water 40
Figure 4.3: Propylene glycol salted chilled water 42
x
Figure 4.4: Propylene glycol chilled water 44
Figure 4.5: 6 passes copper tube temperature 47
Figure 4.6: 10 passes copper tube temperature 50
Figure 4.7: 10 passes copper tube with zero ventilation 53
xi
LIST OF TABLE
Table 2.1: Fruits and vegetables preservation temperature 10
Table 2.1: Heat exchange coefficient, minimum and maximum 13
recommended surface temperature and cooling and
heating capacity
Table 2.2: Thermal conductivity of tubing materials 14
Table 3.1: Environmental chamber preparation procedure 25
Table 3.2: Mini chiller main parts 28
Table 3.3: Chilled floor piping procedure 30
Table 3.4: Mixing substance and measuring water temperature procedure 31
Table 3.5: Measuring environmental chamber temperature procedure 33
Table 3.6: Install 10 passes copper tubes 35
Table 3.7: Zero ventilation environmental chamber procedure 36
Table 4.1: Temperature of chilled water data 38
Table 4.2: Salted chilled water data 39
Table 4.3: Propylene glycol salted chilled water data 41
Table 4.4: Propylene glycol chilled water data 43
Table 4.5: 6 passes copper tube chamber temperature and relative humidity 45
xii
Table 4.6: 6 passes copper tube temperature data 46
Table 4.7: 10 passes copper tube chamber temperature and relative humidity 48
Table 4.8: 10 passes copper tube temperature data 48
Table 4.9: 10 passes copper tube with zero ventilation chamber 51
temperatures and RH
Table 4.10: 10 passes copper tube and zero ventilation temperature data 52
Table A1: Fruit and vegetables Produce load compatibility 58
xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, SYMBOLS AND
NOMENCLATURE
- Heat transfer by convection (W/m 2)
- Convective coefficient (W/m 2 K)
- Room air temperature (°C)
- Surface temperature (°C)
- Heat transfer by radiation (W/m 2)
, - Stephan-Bolzmann constant (W/m 2 K 4)
- Mean radiant temperature of an unconditioned surface (K)
- Mean radiant temperature of a cooled surface (K)
- Configuration factor (-)
- Emissivity factor (-)
- Sum of convective and radiant heat coefficient (W/m 2 K).
1
In this chapter, introduction of the most important topics that involve
background, problems statement, objectives, scope of the project are provided and
the thesis organization of overall chapters is provided within the chapter as well.
1.1 Project Background
Air-conditioning is the process of treating the temperature, relative humidity,
cleanliness and distribution of air to the conditioned space. Many years ago, some
ancient architectural already practiced cooling techniques for controlling building
temperature to local climate condition such as high thermal wall, high room ceilings
and shading. The primary modern air-conditioning system was developed in 1902 by
a young electrical engineer named Willis Carrier.
Now a day’s use of conventional air conditioning becomes very important, it
has been used in many aspects of the life over the world such as for residential,
industrial and commercial. The main purpose of this system is to provide thermal
comfort and improving indoor air quality (IAQ) for occupants. Significantly, the
application of air-conditioning in daily live allows people to feel comfortable
especially in Malaysia that is known as a hot and humid zone due to achievement the
thermal comfort for human body, via lowering the occupied zoned temperature by
commonly vapour compression system.
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
2
Normally, people are spending 90% of their days indoors (inside the office or
house). That shows the acceptable and appropriate temperature is very important for
occupants to get better thermal comfort. Ventilation is also improves indoor air
quality. Although air conditioning is very convenient, some limitations are
associated, such as high utility bills cause of using a compressor, the refrigerant also
contains chemicals cause to damage the environment and ozone layer, the air
circulation can transmit infectious bacteria and allergic reactions cause by airborne
dust and fungi that only circulating inside the zone, too long spent time in
conditioned space will result skin drought cause by humidity decreases, and the
temperature provided is only for human comfort does not suitable for preserving
fresh food.
In point of fact, a practical system that creates a more comfortable thermal
environment than conventional all-air systems with low energy consumption would
be built in the line with current modern technology. An alternative system names a
Hydronic radiant cooling (HRC) system which is using water as the transport
medium becomes one of the significant solutions since it is able to reduce the amount
of air distribute through the buildings, as 100% ventilation is provided by outside air
system without recirculating air fraction. HRC is divided into 3 types, which are
chilled ceiling, chilled wall and chilled floor system. Unlike the conventional air
conditioning, Hydronic Radiant Cooling (HRC) system does not us a vapour
compression cycle that consume 70% of the total electrical consumption in the
world, as using water to replace refrigerant gas as a cooling medium that is unlimited
source, cheap and also environmental friendly. The natural cooling provided by HRC
is more acceptable range for thermal comfort.
In this project study, Chilled Floor System is designed, fabricated a prototype
and tested the application for cooling in Malaysia. Floor chilled panel with
Aluminum sheet, which are installed at the floor is cooled by using water circulation
system via mixing the water, ice and glycol as cooling medium to lower the zone
temperature. The main parameters that recorded in consideration are temperature of
the zone for human comfort and preserving large amount of food product, and also
relative humidity for controlling the humidity of the required zone. The air flow will
3
examine to be forced in order to raise an extended the height of cooling zone by
using either exhaust or supply fan. In order to control the humidity and dry air
temperature, Silica Gel material is placed at the entrance of the environmental
chamber where the air inlet is supplied. Therefore, the experimental work is carried
out to confirm the suitability of this application in Malaysia.
1.2 Problem Statement
Based on the limitation of the conventional air conditioning stated above such
as high utility bills and damage environment, there are several alternative ways has
been proposed, and one of the ideas is replace the conventional air conditioning
system with HRC system. In this project, the major idea is to design of the floor
chilled system to provide certain cooling for preserving some fresh fruits and flowers
with extend distance for cooling from the floor is a challenge in case of using chilled
floor system with appropriate number of tubes and ventilation.
1.3 Project Objective
In order to say the project is successful done, the objectives have been
declared, and must be achieved in completing the project. The most important
objectives of the current project are to:-
1. Consider the possibility of accepting chilled floor system as an
alternative cooling system for Malaysia.
2. Preserve large amount of fruits, vegetables and flowers.
4
1.4 Project Scope
In this project, the area of consideration is environmental chamber.
Temperature and relative humidity will be measured inside the environmental
chamber. Temperature will be measured and recorded in several positions or height
to achieve human thermal comfort temperature based on the ASHRAE guideline
recommended which is 23°C to 26°C for room temperature (TR) and 30% to 60% for
relative humidity (RH) by varying the number of the cooper tubes, varying the
configuration of air inlet and air outlet to achieve appropriate extend distance. The
fabrication of the prototype made of plywood as the environmental chamber. The
silica gel is place at the air entrance inside of the environmental chamber. For the
chilled floor panel, the copper tube is covered with Aluminium sheet during this
experiment to increase cooling capacity. Water temperature in the mini chiller will be
considered by mixing the water with ice and glycol.
1.5 Thesis Outline
The development for a Chilled Floor System contains and elaborates specific
topics like introduction, literature reviews, methodology, result and analysis,
conclusion, and recommendation for future work. Chapter 1 contains introduction,
objectives, scope of project, project limitation and problem statement. Chapter 2
describes about the previous studies and research that relevant to the project. Chapter
3 presents the research methodology used in this project. Chapter 4 indicates all
results and discussion with analysis. Chapter 5 shows the most important conclusion
and recommendation for future work.
5
The review in this chapter focuses on a specific survey related to brief
introduction, conventional air-conditioning system, refrigerator and preserving
process, hydronic radiant cooling system, thermal comfort, and ventilation.
Additionally, the current study intends to investigate the possibility of using the HRC
system in Malaysia.
2.1 Introduction
Hydronic Radiant Cooling (HRC) system is a new system compared to the
conventional air conditioning due to HRC system does not rely on the vapor
compression cycle to generate cooling effect (Lawrence Berkeley, 2004). Nowadays
it can be said there are three major types of HRC system commonly used for cooling
purpose such as chilled radiant ceiling, chilled radiant floor and chilled radiant wall
systems. Malaysia is classified as a hot-humid zone due to the location, that is
encourages us to investigate an alternative cooling system (ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA
Standard 90.1-2007). The theories and findings associated with the previous studies
are reviewed and described to gain the highlight knowledge associated with the
proposed current study.
LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER 2
6
2.2 Conventional Air-Conditioning System
Recent studies reported that air-conditioning can be recognized by the
methods of how they conduct cooling process in the conditioned space (Beaty and
Fink, 2013). In Malaysia currently, most of air-conditioning used is conventional air-
conditioning while the applications of hydronic radiant cooling system is still not
very popular. Conventional air-conditioning typically relies on vapor compression.
Recirculate air is important in conventional air-conditioning system in order to
maintain the temperature difference between supply air and room air so that it is in
comfort range (Feutsel and Stetiu, 1995). Even though this air-conditioning is still
providing comfort toward people but the use of refrigerant for providing cooling
effect has its own side-defects. For examples, global warming and ozone depletion
are caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and other refrigerants type used in
conventional air conditioning system. Therefore, conventional air-conditioning
system is not practical to use nowadays even it is still able to fulfill comfort
requirements for human because this system are energy intensive and not
environmentally friendly. Conventional air-conditioning system divided into two
types of system that is Vapor Compression Refrigeration System, VCRS and Vapor
Absorption Refrigeration System, VARS (HVAC and Refrigeration System, Bureau
of Energy Efficiency).