Conference article

Effect of Condenser Air Flow on the Performance of Split Air Conditioner

Amr O. Elsayed
College of Engineering, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Abdulrahman S. Hariri
College of Engineering, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Jørgen K. Knudsen
SINTEF Energy Research, Norway

Helene Egeland
SINTEF Energy Research, Norway

Gerd B. Jacobsen
SINTEF Energy Research, Norway

Audun Ruud
SINTEF Energy Research, Norway

William M. Lafferty
SINTEF Energy Research, Norway

Joseph Ikwebe
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Adam P. Harvey
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Ryota Kuzuki
Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Shuzo Murakami
Building Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan

Toshiharu Ikaga
Keio University, Yokohama, Japan

Satoru Sadohara
Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan

Satoshi Yoshida
Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan

Toru Ichikawa
Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Yoshio Kato
Nihon Sekkei Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Tsutsumi Tanaka
Nihon Sekkei Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Yuichi Ikuta
Japan Environmental Systems Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Ken Aozasa
Institute of Building Environment and Energy Conservation, Tokyo, Japan

Download articlehttp://dx.doi.org/10.3384/ecp110572134

Published in: World Renewable Energy Congress - Sweden; 8-13 May; 2011; Linköping; Sweden

Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 57:51, p. 2134-2141

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Published: 2011-11-03

ISBN: 978-91-7393-070-3

ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)

Abstract

Split air conditioning units are usually used for small and medium scale residential buildings. Therefore; more energy efficiency and lower cost are needed along with reliable control for the air conditioning units. An experimental investigation has been carried out to study the performance of a direct expansion air conditioning (A/C) unit having a variable speed condenser fan. The modulation of heat rejection airflow has been controlled with the outdoor air temperature via a Proportional Integral Differential (PID) controller. The control algorithm allows increasing the speed of condenser fan with the increase of outdoor air temperature and vice verse. The maximum rated air flow of the fan is 0.43 m3/s at 42ºC outdoor air temperature and the minimum is 0.28m3/s. To facilitate variation of refrigerant flow rate according to the evaporator load; the traditional capillary tube was replaced with a suitable thermostatic expansion valve and liquid refrigerant reserve. The influence of condenser airflow and its temperature on the A/C unit performance and compressor power consumption has been investigated and presented at different evaporator cooling load. It has been found that a 10 % reduction in compressor power consumption is achieved by increasing the condenser air flow by about 50%.

Keywords

Split air conditioners; A/C unit performance; Variable speed condenser fan

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