ME Project: Air Conditioner Lab
Team: 10 Members: Sean M. Gallagher, Brian Davison,
Prathana Vannarath, Pam McDowell
Customer: University of Delaware Mechanical Engineering
Department
Advisor: Dr. Keefe
Mission: Design a thermodynamic and heat transfer experiment
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
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
Mission Statement
Customers
• Dr. Tony Wexler
• Dr. Suresh Advani
• Undergraduate students who perform the laboratory
experiment
• Graduate students who supervise the experiment
• Dr. Sun as a representative laboratory professor
• George Sestak from ASHRAE
• Manufacturers who would fabricate our device
• Other schools who would be interested in a similar experiment
• Dr. Michael Keefe for Senior Design requirements
Wants (Prioritized)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Effective learning tool
Easy to Use
Self Evident
Easy to set up
Low manufacturing cost
Easy fabrication
LabView compatible data acquisition
Forgiving of incompetence
Quiet
Quick
Accessible parts
Durable
Constraints (Prioritized)
• Safety regulations set by U of D
• Portable
• Schedule dictated by NCDA
• Budget
Benchmarking:
Areas under investigation
• Lab supply companies
• Educational methods
• Safety issues
Detailed Two Week Schedule
(Division of Labor)
• Week of 9/28
– Continue to contact &
interview customers
(group)
– Refine customer wants
(group)
– Benchmark lab supply
companies (Brian)
– Benchmark educational
methods (Prathana)
– Benchmark safety issues
(Pam)
• Week of 10/5
– Developing the
fundamentals of the
lab
• What key lessons to
include (Sean)
• Best way to
demonstrate lessons
(group)
• Required equipment
(Brian)
Schedule Overview
• Preliminary Lab Layout by 10/16
– Multiple lab lessons developed
– Best educational format used
• Preliminary Equipment Design by 10/29
– Hardware components selected
– Design of component installation on AC unit
• Develop detailed lab layout and design for
Preliminary Design Report on 11/24
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