A solar assisted air conditioning system, 1 kg/sec of ambient air is t...
Given:
- Mass flow rate of ambient air, m = 1 kg/s
- Heat transfer area, A = 60 m²
- Overall heat transfer coefficient, U = 25 W/m²K
- Specific heat capacity of air, cp = 1 kJ/kgK
To find:
- Effectiveness of the heat exchanger
Solution:
1. Calculation of log mean temperature difference (LMTD):
ΔT1 = T1,in - T1,out = 0 (as the same amount of air is preheated)
ΔT2 = T2,in - T2,out
Let's assume T1,in = T2,out = T1,out = Ta (ambient air temperature)
From the energy balance equation,
mcp(T2,in - T2,out) = mcp(T1,out - T1,in)
(T2,in - T2,out) = (T1,out - T1,in)
ΔT2 = Ta - T1,in
LMTD = (ΔT1 - ΔT2)/ln(ΔT1/ΔT2)
= (0 - (Ta - T1,in))/ln(0/(Ta - T1,in))
= - (Ta - T1,in)
2. Calculation of maximum possible heat transfer rate:
Q_max = mcp(T2,in - T1,in)
= 1 x 1000 x (T2,in - T1,in)
3. Calculation of actual heat transfer rate:
Q = U x A x LMTD
4. Calculation of effectiveness:
ε = Q/Q_max
= (U x A x LMTD)/(mcp(T2,in - T1,in))
Substituting the given values,
ε = (25 x 60 x (- (Ta - T1,in)))/(1 x 1000 x (T2,in - T1,in))
To find the value of T2,in, we can use the energy balance equation:
mcp(T1,out - T1,in) = mcp(T2,in - T2,out)
(T2,in - Ta) = (Ta - T1,in)
T2,in = 2Ta - T1,in
Substituting this value in the equation for effectiveness,
ε = (25 x 60 x (- (Ta - T1,in)))/(1 x 1000 x ((2Ta - T1,in) - T1,in))
Simplifying,
ε = 0.6
Therefore, the effectiveness of the heat exchanger is 0.6.