School of Mechanical Engineering

University of Western Australia

Thermofluids 3 MECH3401
Air conditioning and the psychometric chart - tutorial sheet 1

1. An air-water vapour mixture enters an air-conditioning unit at a pressure of

140kPa, a temperature of 32oC, and a relative humidity of 80%. The mass of dry air
entering per minute is 100kg. The air-vapour mixture leaves the unit at 120kPa, 13oC,
100% relative humidity, and the moisture condensed leaves at 13oC. Determine the
heat transfer rate from the air. (71.86kW)

2. Atmospheric air enters a two-stage compressor at 98kPa, 32oC, 70% relative

humidity. The volume flowrate into the compressor is 0.24m3/s. On leaving the first
stage, the air enters an intercooler. The pressure at the exit of the intercooler is
400kPa. The air leaves the second stage at 1.75 Mpa, 160oC, and then enters an
aftercooler. The air leaves the aftercooler at 1.72 Mpa, 38oC.
What is the temperature of the air leaving the intercooler when its relative humidity is
100%, but no moisture is condensed in the intercooler? (52oC)
How much moisture is condensed per hour in the aftercooler, assuming that there is
no condensation in the intercooler? (18.17 kg/hr)

3. (a) Determine (by first law analysis) the humidity ratio and the relative humidity
of an air-water vapour mixture that has a dry-bulb temperature of 30oC, an adiabatic
saturation temperature of 24oC, and a pressure of 101 kPa. (0.0164 kg/kg, 61.1%)
(b) Use the psychrometric chart to solve 3(a), assuming that the adiabatic saturation
temperature is equal to the wet-bulb temperature.

4. A combination air-cooler and dehumidifier receives outside air at 38oC, 101 kPa,
Φ = 90%. The air is first cooled to a low temperature to condense a suitable amount
of water, after which the air is heated such that it leaves the unit at 21oC, 101 kPa, Φ =
30% The volume flow at outlet is 0.005m3/s.
Find the temperature to which the mixture is initialy cooled, and the mass of water
condensed per kg of dry air. (2.78oC, 0.034 kg/kg)
Assuming that all the liquid condensed leaves the unit at the minimum temperature,
calculate the heat transfer rate. (0.624 kW)

5. In areas where the temperature is high and the humidity is low, air conditioning
can be achieved by evaporative cooling. This involves spraying water into the air
which subsequently evaporates with a resulting decrease in the temperature of the
mixture. Consider the case of atmospheric air at 38oC, Φ = 10% at 101 kPa. Cooling
water at 10oC is sprayed into the air. If the exit stream leaves the cooler at 27oC, what
will its relative humidity be? (38%) What are the advantages of this type of air
conditioning?

6. Cooling towers are often used when supplies of cooling water are not readily
available. Consider the case where 10000 kg/hr of water at 40oC enters the top of a
cooling tower and the cool water leaves at 18oC. Air enters the tower at 101 kPa, dry-
bulb 22oC, wet bulb 15oC. The air leaving the tower has a pressure of 98kPa, a
temperature of 32oC, and Φ = 80%. Determine the rate at which (dry) air must enter
the tower, and the fraction of incoming water that is evaporated. (17300 kg/hr, 3%)

acrt March 2011 (after jaa)