Air Conditioning Experiment

1. Air Conditioning Experiment Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Delaware

2. Members: Pamela McDowell Sean Gallagher Brian Davison Prathana Vannarath Sponsors: Dr. Suresh Advani Dr. Tony Wexler Advisor: Dr. Mike Keefe

3. Presentation Overview • Background • Concept Generation • Benchmarking • Concept Selection • Concept Development • Test Results, Modifications • Budget • Questions

4. Project BackgroundNew Curriculum for Mechanical Engineers“ME 2000 Curriculum” • Joint Laboratory Classes for Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer • Two aspects of this issue: • Hardware • Single lab apparatus for multiple labs • Lab Experiments • Increased understanding of Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer fundamentals

5. 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 no more than $4000.

6. 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 Problem Description

7. Effective learning tool Easy to Use Self Evident Easy to set up Cost Effectiveness Multiple Purposes LabView compatible data acquisition Forgiving of incompetence Quiet Quick Customers Wants • Dr. Wexler • Dr. Advani • Undergraduate students Graduate students • Judy Green: Educational Expert • Dr. Sun • William Davison • Manufacturers: Hampden, Armfield Ltd. • Other Schools: Georgia Tech, Penn State

8. Constraints (Prioritized) • Portable • Schedule dictated by NCDA • Budget set by Sponsor

9. Effective Learning Tool/ Self Evident Fun Number of Fundamentals Clear Lessons/Objectives Logical Procedure Real World Connection to Students Keeps Students’ Interests Hands-on/Interactive Survey scored 1-5: target value 5 (1-poor, 5-excellent) Easy to Use Visible Components Physically look at chosen apparatus and rate 1 - 5, target value 5. Accessible Components same as above Metrics (Prioritized)

10. Easy to set up Time Target value 15 minutes Self Contained Complete Apparatus in one moveable unit Metrics Cont’d Cost Effectiveness Low initial price Target value $4000 Low operating cost Target value $22. Durable Target value 10 years Parts availability Target value: 2 week lead time

11. Quiet Low noise level Target value of 60 dB Quick Time Target Value within set lab time (2 hrs) Forgiving of Incompetence Years of experience Target value 2 years engineering experience Metrics Cont’d

12. Systems Benchmarking(Major 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 • Others

13. Functional Benchmarking • Omega Engineering - Sensors • Carries every type of sensor we will require • Catalogs are an excellent technical reference • Optrand - Sensors • Fiber-optic pressure transducer • Air Conditioning Manufacturers - AC units • University of Delaware HVAC - sample AC

14. Concept Generation • Complete Solution (includes 1 from each section) • Number of Experiments • Lab Experiments • Presentation of Lab Reports • Apparatus • Sensors

15. 4 - 7 Experiments Easy to set up Multiple Purposes More effective learning tool than  Number of Fundamentals Keeps students interests 1 Experiment using different sensors Not an effective learning tool Difficult to set up Number of Experiments • 13 Experiments • Easy to set up • Multiple Purposes • More effective • learning tool than  • Number of Fundamentals

16. By Fundamental Self Evident: clear lessons Quick: can be completed in lab time By Component Self Evident: clear lessons Quick: can be completed in lab time More effective learning tool than  Keeps Procedure Logical Lab Experiment

17. Standard Lab Reports Self Evident: clear lessons Short Lab Reports & Technical Paper Self Evident: clear lessons More effective learning tool than  Keeps students interests Recommended by Judy Green: Educational Expert Presentation of Lab Reports

18. Other Quick: can be completed in lab time Easy to set up: can be set up in less than 15 min. Air Conditioning Unit Quick: can be completed in lab time Easy to set up: can be set up in less than 15 min. More self evident than  Easier to use than  More cost effective  More effective learning tool than  Real World Connections for Students Hands-on/Interactive Apparatus

19. Sensors • Fully Instrumented with Redundancy • Most expensive: Over Budget • Fully Instrumented without Redundancy • Most feasible • Economically Instrumented • Least expensive but sacrifices functionality

20. Number of Experiments 4 - 7 Experiments Easy to set up Effective learning tool Multiple Purposes Presentation of Lab Reports Short Lab Reports & Technical Paper Self Evident: clear lessons Effective learning tool Concept SelectionLab Experiments Lab Experiments By Component Self Evident: clear lessons Quick: can be completed in lab time Effective learning tool

21. Concept SelectionHardware • Window Air Conditioner • Quick: can be completed in lab time • Easy to set up: can be set up in less than 15 min. • Effective learning tool • Self evident • Easy to use: Visible & Accessible Components, Self Contained • Cost effective: see budget • Quiet: see demonstration • Sensors • Fully Instrumented without Redundancy

22. Educational Testing • Students of the current Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics classes performed the experiments in groups, simulating an actual lab, and completed a survey (1 is poor and 5 is excellent). • Note: Testing of the hardware was performed by team members and resulted in prototype completion, and the results shown here are for the Lab Reports.

23. Survey Questions Fun ………………….. Number of Fundamentals………. Clear Lessons/Objectives... Real World Connection to Students…………….. Keeps Students’ Interests…………….. Hands-on/Interactive. Suggestions/Comments Labeling the elements on the AC More interesting than most labs because of its relevance to daily life Good setup. Good integration of LabView software. First Round Test Results • 3 4 5 • 7% 27% 66% • 13% 47% 40% • 7% 50% 43% • 0% 12% 88% • 3% 33% 64% • 5% 37% 58%

24. Modifications • Based on suggestion from Student Surveys in First Round Testing • Wrote a Lab Manual to supplement the lab experiments • Improved the labeling on the unit

25. Survey Questions Fun ………………….. Number of Fundamentals………. Clear Lessons/Objectives... Real World Connection to Students…………….. Keeps Students’ Interests…………….. Hands-on/Interactive. Suggestions/Comments Beneficial changes - clarified ambiguities Improved Labeling Improved procedure Made it more apparent how the AC unit worked Second Round Test Results • 3 4 5 • 4% 25% 71% • 9% 43% 48% • 6% 44% 50% • 0% 8% 92% • 2% 28% 69% • 5% 33% 62%

26. Test Conclusions • Overall testing conclusions • Percentage of 4’s and 5’s increases between testing rounds • Shows that improvements were successful • All survey’s had positive comments and no 1’s or 2’s in either round • Duration of experiment always well within time constraint • Average time - 20 minutes • All lab sessions collected data that was approximately the same, therefore, forgiving of incompetence • Window air conditioner proved to be a good experimental apparatus

28. Project Labor Time • Fabrication time • 116 hours • LabVIEW time • 30 hours • Testing/Modifications • 45 hours (includes team testing of apparatus and student testing of educational effectiveness) • Lab Manual/Lab Experiments • 15 hours • HVAC Shop • Approx. 10 hours - (free of charge)

29. Conclusions • According to our customer wants and constraints, as evaluated by the metrics, we have met all the criteria for the project. • See demonstration