Team 10
ME Project: Air Conditioner Lab
Members
Sean M. Gallagher, Brian Davison
Prathana Vannarath, Pam McDowell
Customer
Advisor
U of D ME Department
Dr. Wexler
Dr. Keefe
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
Lab Setup Schematic
Expansion
valve
Mass flow
fluid
T, P
T, P
X

M air
T1
P
P
T2

M air
T3
RH
T, P
T4
Relative
Humidity
T, P
Compressor

M water
Outside Coil
Inside Coil
Customers
 Dr. Wexler
 Dr. Advani
 Undergraduate students
Graduate students
 Dr. Sun
 George Sestak from
ASHRAE
 Manufacturers: Hampden,
Armfield Ltd.
 Other Schools: Georgia
Tech, Penn State
Wants
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
Metrics
Hardware
• Cost Effectiveness
–
–
–
–
Low initial price
Low operating cost
Durable
Parts availability
• Easy to Use
– Visible Components
– Accessible
Components
Hardware Cont’d
• Easy Maintenance
– Parts visibility
– Parts availability
• Easy to set up
– Time
• Target value 15 minutes
– Self Contained
• Quiet
– Low noise level
• Target value of 60 dB
Metrics
Lab Experiments
• Effective Learning Tool • Self Evident
– Fun
– Number of
Fundamentals
– Clear
Lessons/Objectives
– Real World Connection
to Students
– Keeps Students’
Interests
– Hands-on/Interactive
– Clear
Lessons/Objectives
– Logical Procedure
Lab Experiments Cont’d
• Multiple Purposes
– Number of
Fundamentals used
– Combination of
Thermodynamic and
Heat Transfer
Principles
• Quick
– Time
• Target Value within set
lab time (2 hrs)
Preliminary Functional
Benchmarking
Benchma rking: Compa ra tive Performa nce Sca le of (0-5)
Effec tive Lea rning Tool
Ea sy Set Up
Abbrevia ted
Ea sy to Use
Low Cost
List of Wa nts
Self Evid ent
The Top 10
#REF!
#REF!
#REF!
#REF!
#REF!
Competitors
H-RST-3B
H-6710-CDL
H-RST-2
H-6830
HT10X
HT30X
HT2
sc ore
4.0
3.5
3.5
3.0
2.0
2.0
1.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
3.0
3.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
15.25
14.58
14.58
13.90
9.80
9.80
7.90
Lab Experiment Concepts
One Experiment using
different sensors
– Not an effective
learning tool
– Difficult to set up
5 - 8 Experiments
– Easy to set up
– More effective
learning tool than 
– Multiple Purposes
Lab Experiment Concepts Cont’d
14 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
Coefficient of Performance
Diagrams: T-s and P-h
Psychrometric Chart
Liquid
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 Writeups
Division Of Labor
• Sean
• Pam
– Heat Transfer Labs
• Variables
– Knowns
– Unknowns
• Equations
• Possible overlap
between labs
– 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
Preliminary Budget: Project 99.10, ME Air Conditioning Experiment
Fully Instrumented Version
Component
Est. Price
Quantity
Subtotal
Total
Air 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
Concluding
Remarks