49322 Airconditioning

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Engineering: Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): (48651 Thermodynamics AND (120 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10061 Bachelor of Engineering Diploma Engineering Practice OR 120 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10066 Bachelor of Engineering Science OR 120 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10067 Bachelor of Engineering OR 120 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09067 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Diploma Professional Engineering Practice OR 120 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09066 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)))
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.

Description

Airconditioning systems are required by modern society and they need to be functional, well-controlled, and energy-efficient, to maintain human comfort and health, industrial productivity, while minimising their environmental impact. The objectives of this subject are: to advance student understanding of refrigeration and airconditioning systems; to develop basic skills for carrying out the design and construction of airconditioning for buildings; and to enhance knowledge of energy conservation and management as applicable to airconditioning systems. Topics include principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer, airconditioning systems and components, design criteria and standards, psychometry and airconditioning processing, refrigeration, load estimation, computer software for load estimation, duct and pipe design, control system, noise and pollution, and lifecycle assessment.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1.	Explain the principles of airconditioning design, including human comfort, climate, environmental impact, and building infrastructure. (B.1)
2.	Demonstrate technical capability in the design of a moderately complex airconditioning system. (C.1)
3.	Calculate the environmental impact of an airconditioning system in order to optimise its design over its lifetime. (D.1)
4.	Write a technical report. (E.1)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

Socially Responsible: FEIT graduates identify, engage, and influence stakeholders, and apply expert judgment establishing and managing constraints, conflicts and uncertainties within a hazards and risk framework to define system requirements and interactivity. (B.1)
Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design thinking and decision-making methodologies in new contexts or to novel problems, to explore, test, analyse and synthesise complex ideas, theories or concepts. (C.1)
Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply theoretical, conceptual, software and physical tools and advanced discipline knowledge to research, evaluate and predict future performance of systems characterised by complexity. (D.1)
Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating autonomously within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

Engineers Australia Stage 1 competencies

Students enrolled in the Master of Professional Engineering should note that this subject contributes to the development of the following Engineers Australia Stage 1 competencies:

1.3. In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline.
1.6. Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline.
2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources.
2.3. Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes.
3.2. Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject includes 3.0 hours lecture time per week. The 3.0 hours will be spent on lecturing and tutoring alternately, depending on the contents covered in each week and aiming to maximize the effectiveness of students’ learning. In general the percentage of class time on lecturing will be 60% and tutoring 40%. Before and after the class time, you will need to use the resources for learning such as UTSCanvas to prepare for and revise your study. Two one-hour consultations will be arranged weekly to assist students’ self-study outside class time. Assignments and laboratory will be arranged to consolidate students’ learning. Feedback including detailed marking criteria will be provided to the students after each of the assessment items (except the final examination) is marked.

As a student in this subject you are expected to help keep a good order in the lecture room. You are also expected to well organise your time and participate actively and collaborate effectively in teamwork inside and outside class time to reach the learning objectives.

Content (topics)

Introduction to Air Conditioning Systems
Air-Conditioning Systems
Moist Air Properties and Conditioning Processes
Energy Calculations and Building Simulation
Comfort and Health—Indoor Environmental Quality
Heat Transmission in Building Structures
Vapour-compression refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems
Laboratory experiments: instrumentation and measurements
Space Heating Load
Heating and Cooling Loads
Computer software for load estimation (CAMEL and eQuest)
Duct Design
Building HVAC Energy Use and Environmental Impact
Exergy Analysis of Air Conditioning System
Major Project: Building Airconditioning: The Energy Cost and Environmental Impact

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Laboratory

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1, 2 and 3

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

B.1, C.1 and D.1

Type:

Laboratory/practical

Weight:

15%

Assessment task 2: Assignments

Intent:	These assignments are aimed to help students to enhance and demonstrate their understanding of and analysis skills for air conditioning processes.
Objective(s):	This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1 and 2 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1 and C.1
Type:	Exercises
Weight:	20%

Assessment task 3: Project

Intent:	The aim of the project is to enhance students’ learning of Building HVAC and Energy Simulation and the Environmental Impact, through the using of software package for load estimation in the design of air condition systems.
Objective(s):	This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): E.1
Type:	Project
Weight:	15%

Assessment task 4: Examination (open book)

Objective(s):	This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1 and D.1
Type:	Examination
Weight:	50%
Length:	2 hours plus 10 minutes reading time

Minimum requirements

In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.

References

Stoecker, W.F. and Jones, J.W., Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1982.
McQuiston, Parker & Spitler, Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning, Analysis and Design, 6th ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2005.
Jones, W.P., Air Conditioning Engineering, 4th ed., Arnold, 1994
AIRAH, Series of Application Manual, 2nd ed., 1997.
Stanford, Herbert W., Analysis and Design of Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1988
Bobenhausen, W., Simplified Design of HVAC Systems, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1994.