Energy Balance

This experiment tries to prove one of the most principles of the

universe : conservation of energy. The method described is similar to
a cooling mechanism of any fridge in that it removes energy from one
medium and then it pumps it to another heat exchanger. The places
for errors to occur are plentyES184
but the experiment proves to be fairly
accurate. Easiest improves would be to modernize the system so that
u1609047
the random human errors are removed.
First year School of Engineering, University of Warwick

24/11/2016

Energy Balance

Introduction
This report discusses an experiment to study the relationship of heat and energy within
an isolated system attempting to support the first law of thermodynamics. The objective of the
experiment is to test whether the equation of conservation of energy holds. The way in which
the experiment was designed it resembles a cooling circuit in which heat is removed from one
medium and the removed in another heat transfer point. The refrigerant is the one
transporting the heat, the working fluid, that removes energy form the water in the evaporator
and it damps that energy in the condenser which has a flow of air traveling across it. By
measuring and compering the power input of the compressor and what temperature both the
 Energy Balance

incoming and outgoing water and air flow it can be shown that energy ,in a large measure, has
been conserved.

Theory

A fundamental concept in engineering is the first law of thermodynamics which states that the
internal energy is conserved in a control volume. This law has many applications in
engineering, such as: heat exchangers, pumps, turbines, and refrigeration cycles. It is used to
understand the states of fluids as they enter or leave a control volume. The general form of the
first law is Equation 1.

( )
2
V
dE
dt
V
2 ( out
)
=QW + m h + + g z mout hout + out + g z out
2

Equation 1 : First law of thermodynamics

Q
This energy balances states that heat transfer into a system less the work out of a system

W m m
plus the mass flow out times its internal energy less the mass flow in times its

internal energy is equal to the energy storage term ( dEdt )(PotterSomerton , 2006)

Apparatus and Method

Apparatus
This experiment included:

Donfuss SC21GX Universal Compressor running a refrigerant called R134a with the
serial number 1008304 (appendices 1) (Figure 1) (Danfoss, 2015). The unit include

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 Energy Balance

several comments key to the experiment a compressor and a condenser. The

compressor keeps the cycles running by providing power it compresses molecules of
the gas increasing the temperature of the refrigerant, the condenser rejects heat into an
air flow. It was connected to an ammeter and a voltmeter for us to be able to calculate
power.
Evaporator which was designed as coaxial tube-in-tube to extract heat from flowing
water this specific model had both the inner tube and the shell made of copper. In the
experiment the water and the refrigerant were traveling in opposite direction, counter
current
Throttle valve (expansion valve) which allows some of the refrigerant to vaporise by
dropping the pressure.
6 Temperature sensors
1. Refrigerant in
2. Radiator
3. Refrigerant high pressure
4. Refrigerant out
5. Water inlet
6. Water outlet
Everyone displayed on a temperature indicator. (figure 2)
R134a refrigerant fluid and filter for it
Copper pipes
Ball valve for water inlet
Sight glass
Pressure gauges
Anemometer which measures the speed of the fan using rev counter and it converts it
into volumetric flowrate using the cross-sectional area of the fan is. It also had a
temperature gauge.
Rotameter measures the flow rate of liquids or gases in this experiment the flow of
water. The rotameter consists of a metal ball that acts as a float being pushed by the
water, the faster the water is moving the more energy it will have to send the ball
higher. The specific one we had was calibrated for 20C
(Warwick School of Engineering and Prof. van Veen, 2016-7)

Method
Part I
The experiment was initiated with an overall inspection of the equipment provide and the
apparatus. For later calculations of volumetric flow of air measurement of size have been taken
h w
using a ruler from: the rectangular air inlet face of the condenser ( and ), the round

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 Energy Balance

d out
air outlet from the other side ( ) and of the fans motor which covered the centre of the
hout w out
outlet ( and ),. Equation 2 and 3 have been used to find the area, the
measurements and the values of the calculated area can be found in Table 1 and 2 respectively.

A in=h in x w
(2)

A out = ( 4 ) (d out
2
) hout w out (3)

(Warwick School of Engineering and Prof. van Veen, 2016-7)

With the opening of the ball valve the flow of water was started, the flow could be controlled
from the valve (red laver pictured in figure 4) until the top of ball in the rotameter reached the
level of the line of the flow rate chosen for the first test 5 l/min . At all times the level of the
ball was supervised and upon any change it was intervened to bring back to the level wanted.
This was followed by the switch on of the compressor and condenser system.

To find 3 positions for measurements of the influent air, the inlet face of the condenser was
divided into a grid of 9 equal rectangles, for each of the sectors the anemometer was used to
measure air speed and temperature. This was done while making sure that the anemometers
fan was parallel to the inlet face and that no hand was affecting the temperature probe that was
near the handle, this was ensured with the help of a stand that was adjusted and moved for
every position. The data was recoded in Table 3, an average was calculated and filed in Table 4.
To pick the numbers the particular values of Table 3 were compared with the average and the
closest 3, in order, were recorded as the representative positions used later on both the inlet
and outlet faces (see Table 4). When further measurements of wind speed or temperature were
done using the anemometer the same precautions as outlined before were taken.

Part II
Further readings from the equipment ware taken they consisted of: the flow rate of water,
water inlet and outlet temperature and finally the number of amps and volts powering the
circuit. To measure the temperature the nob on the temperature display was to be moved to the
required channel (5 and 6) (see figure 3).

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 Energy Balance

At the 3 representative positions, aforementioned measurements of air velocity

air , , v air , out air , , T air, out
v and temperature T were taken on both sides so as to give a

change in temperature which would be used later in calculations, as heat rejected by the
system.

Afterwards the readings and measurements in Part II were repeated with the only difference
being the rates of flow of water which was changed to 3 l/min and 8 l/min respectively.

air , , v air , out air , , T air, out

In Table 3 the values for average velocity v and temperature T of

air on the influent and effluent sides were calculated using equations (4) to (7)

The calculation bellow were made to get the data required for the analysis.

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 Energy Balance

The equation above are taken as they are from the briefing sheet that was provide as guidance

(4)
(5)

(6)
(7)

(8)
(9)

(10)

(11)
(12)

(13)

(Warwick School of Engineering and Prof. van Veen, 2016-7).

Observations and Results

The methodology left several places were errors might have occurred while undergoing the
process like

not pausing the measurements after a change of water flow rate was made, the break
was required to assure that the system has reached an equilibrium state
not taking the measurements in the exact place as not even using the stand would
guarantee that

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 Energy Balance

Table 1: measurements for area Table 2: areas

Table 4 : Average vair, in 2.38 m/s
hin 27.6 cm Ain
+/- 1 mm Representative Column 3
2
win 740 cm 26.8 cm
Table 3:
+/- 0.02 cm2 +/- 1 mm +/- 2.71031 %
Position Row 2
Aout Representative Column 3
vdair
out,mapping Column +/-
25 cm
1 5 mmColumn 2 Column 3
Row
h 1 442 cm 2.06 m/s8cm
2
2.82 m/s 2.28 m/s2
Position Row 1
out (motor)
Representative Column 1
2
Row 2 +/- 0.27
2.18 m/s+/- 1 mm2.65 m/s +/- 6.110
2.38 m/s %
wout (motor) 8cm
Row 3 2.24 m/s+/- 1 mm2.6 m/s 2.22m/s3
Position Row 3

Table 4

TEST 1 TEST 2 TEST 3 Av. uncert.

mw 3 5 8
l/min l/min l/min +/-2.74
+/- 0.125 l +/- 0.125 +/- 0.125 %

T 5, w 11.3 C 11.6 C 11.4 C

+/- 0.874
%
T 6, w , out 8.1 C 7.0 C 9.3 C
+/- 1.25
I %
3.51 A 3.38 A 3.34 A
+/- 0.230
U %
228 V 229 V 229V
+/- 0.440
%

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 Energy Balance

vair , (1) and 2.37 m/s 2.30 m/s 1.98 m/s vair, in
T ai r , (1) 23.9 C 24.1 C 22 C +/- %
vair , (2) and 2.18 m/s 2.44 m/s 2.09 m/s Tair, in
23.9C 23.2 C 22.3 C +/- %
T ai r , (2)
vair , (3) and 2.38 m/s 2.26 m/s 2.25 m/s
23.1C 22.7C 23.2 C
T ai r , (3)
vair , out (4) and 3.40 m/s 4.10 m/s 4.40 m/s vair, out
29.6 C 29.8C 29.3C +/- %
T ai r , out (4)
vair , out (5) and 3.40 m/s 3.30 m/s 3.45 m/s Tair, out
31.8 C 30.5 C 31.5 C +/- %
Tair, out (5)
vair , out (6) and 4.40 m/s 4.20 m/s 4.41 m/s
33.4 C 31.5 C 32.4 C
T ai r , out (6)
v 170900 m/s 172400 m/s 156100 m/s
v out 164800 m/s 173700 m/s 180700 m/s
v ,23 170500 m/s 172300 m/s 156800 m/s
v out , 23 160100 m/s 169400 m/s 154500 m/s
air 2.37 m/s 2.30 m/s 1.98 m/s
v
v air out 2.37 m/s 2.30 m/s 1.98 m/s
air 23.6 C 23.1 C 22.5 C
T
T airout 31.6 C 30.6 C 31.1 C
T 8 C 7.5 C 8.6 C

Table 5

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3

P el. 681 W 658 W 650 W

Q w , 1110 W 774 W 1170 W

P el.+Q w , 1791W 1619 W 1820 W

Q air , out 1655 W 1553 W 1779 W

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 Energy Balance

Analysis and Discussion of Results

In Table 5 is the data that needs to be analysed, difference between the input and output
energy is as fallows 136W ,66.9W and 41 W each one of these differences amounts to a
percentage difference of 7.59% , 4.13% and 2.25 respectively. This brings the average percentage
difference to 4.65% and an average uncertainty of less then 2% as most readings were to a high
degree of precision .All of this must be because of loses of energy during the cycle

Loses of energy
Pump: Because work and enthalpy levels of the refrigerant never reach leaves derived from
theory because the process in real life isnt isentropic (this is for a control volume).

Loss of energy within pipes as pressure drops via flow effects that will increase entropy in
fluid flowing through pipes. Heat transfer will probably occur to the surrounds and back
especially as the experimenting was progressing the lab was getting hooter from all the heat
damped from the other benches. According to Cengel (Cengel., 2007) in practice for heat
generation calculation the thickness of the tube shouldnt be ignored , this would imply that
even for small thermal conductivity it has to be considered.

In all the calculations the system is assumed to be perfect so they did not include any loses,
these factors probably contributed to the discrepancy among the calculated data of the energy
input and output and measurements from the experiment.

During this procedure, a few measurement uncertainties could have affected the results. First,
the dimensions of the air inlet and outlet of the condenser were measured using a ruler with a,
also the access to the air exhaust was restricted across the center as the motor was there. The
1 mm
error for a measurement with a ruler is typically as this measurement was difficult to
250 mm 5 mm
read the value that was given to the dimension was . This choice has proven
right after the experiment when the data sheet of the condenser was verified and the
measurement of the fan funnel is 254 mm .

Conclusion

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 Energy Balance

Considering the average value for the difference between the theoretical values
4.66
calculated (the sum of the heat flow intake and power) is , this data gotten from the
experimentation is close to the expected amount and that the percentage error in the results is
around 1.466%, it can be determined that the results are reliable as is the experiment in
general. Yet, there was a number of error sources that have affected the results and their
accurateness if more trials were done perhaps they would have been seen. A grid of velocity
and temperature sensors could be used, making the trials more consistent and the results even
more reliable Probably improvements could be brought by the use of data logging which
would more effectively interpret the signals from the sensors and could be set to record the
relevant readings automatically.

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 Energy Balance

Bibliography
Danfoss, (2015). Condensing units Optyma. 1st ed. [eBook] Treveux: Danfoss, pp.55-63. Available
at: http://files.danfoss.com/technicalinfo/dila/17/FRCCPK021A402_Mar2015.pdf
[Accessed 6 Jan. 2017].

Moran, M., Shapiro, H., Nelson, R. and Moran, M. (2008). Interactive thermodynamics v 3.0, to
accompany Fundamentals of engineering thermodynamics. 1st ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons.

Potter, M. and Somerton, C. (2006). Schaum's outline of thermodynamics for engineers. 1st ed. New
York: McGraw-Hill, pp.60-67.

Warwick School of Engineering, and Prof. van Veen, A. (2016). Briefing on the ENERGY
BALANCE experiment. 1st ed. [ebook] Coventry: University of Warwick. Available at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/eso/modules/year1/es184/studentresource/en
ergybalancing/lab_briefing_session_2015-2016_v4.pdf [Accessed 11 Jan. 2017].

Warwick School of Engineering, and Prof. van Veen, A. (2017). Energy Balance lab sheet. 4th ed.
[ebook] Coventry: University of Warwick. Available at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/eso/modules/year1/es184/studentresource/en
ergybalancing/energy_balance_lab_sheet_v4.pdf [Accessed 11 Jan. 2017].

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 Energy Balance

Appendices

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 Energy Balance

Figure 1:Compressor (Danfoss, 2015)

Figure 2: Temperature display

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 Energy Balance

Figure 3 : anemometer with scale and calibration details

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 Energy Balance

Figure 1 : how the flow of water was controlled

(turning the handle CW to increase flow and vice versa to reduce it)

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Energy Balance

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