Air Conditioning Loads

The load analysis

LOAD COMPONENTS
There are two distinctly different components of the air conditioning
load;
(1) The sensible load (heat gain) and
(2) The latent load (water vapor gain).
1. SENSIBLE LOADS
There are 3 source categories of sensible heat gain:
o eat flow from warmer surroundings (sometimes called
the transmission load and sensible infiltration load).
o eat flow from solar radiation (sometimes called radiation
load).
o eat flow into the space from energy consuming ob!ects
within the space (sometimes called internal loads); these
ob!ects usually include:
lighting
office appliances
coo"ing or "itchen appliances
entertainment appliances
occupants within the space
any other energy consuming devices
2. LATENT LOADS
There are 2 source categories of latent heat gain:
o #oisture entering the space from surroundings that are at
a higher vapor pressure (higher humidity ratio) than the
space.
o #oisture generated within the space from moisture
generating ob!ects. These ob!ects usually include:
occupants within the space
moisture generated by coo"ing or warming
appliances
industrial or production machinery which evaporates
water
THE TIME ASPECTS OF LOADS
Throughout the 2$ hours of the day each of the load contributors
varies with time. Then% because of the thermal storage characteristics
of the building the time at which the space may reali&e the heat gain
as a cooling load will be considerably offset from the time the heat
started to flow. The time offset will vary% for each source.
The macro time offset% of course% is the calendar time variations.
DESIGN LOAD
The design load is normally considered the statistical norm of the
ma'imum load
(alculating eat )oad
The amount of heat generated is "nown as the heat gain or heat load.
eat is measured in either *ritish Thermal +nits (*T+) or ,ilowatts
(,-). 1,- is e.uivalent to 3$12*T+s.
/actors include:
The floor area of the room
The si&e and position of windows% and whether they have blinds
or shades
The number of room occupants (if any)
The heat generated by e.uipment
The heat generated by lighting
Floor Area of Room
The amount of cooling re.uired depends on the area of the room. To
calculate the area in s.uare meters:
Roo Area BT! " Length #$ % &idth #$ % ''(
Window Size and Position
0outh -indow *T+ 1 0outh /acing window )ength (m) ' -idth (m) '
234
5orth -indow *T+ 1 5orth /acing windows )ength (m) ' -idth (m) '
167
8f there are no blinds on the windows multiply the result(s) by 1.7.
&indo)s BT! " So*th &indo)#s$ BT! + North &indo)#s$ BT!
Occupants
The heat output is around $44 *T+ per person.
Total 9ccupant *T+ 1 5umber of occupants ' $44
Equipment
(learly most heat in a 0erver :oom is generated by the e.uipment.
This is tric"ier to calculate that you might thin". The wattage on
e.uipment is the ma'imum power consumption rating; the actual
power consumed may be less. owever it is probably safer to
overestimate the wattage than underestimate it.
;dd together all the wattages for 0witches% :outers and multiply by
3.7.
<.uipment *T+ 1 Total wattage for all e.uipment ' 3.7
Lighting
Ta"e the total wattage of the lighting and multiply by $.27.
)ighting *T+ 1 Total wattage for all lighting ' $.27
Total ooling Required
;dd all the *T+s together.
Total Heat Load " Roo Area BT! + &indo)s BT! + Total
O,,*-ant BT! + E.*i-ent BT! + Lighting BT!
1 ton of cooling is e.uivalent to 12 thousand *T+s.