Economize air conditioning system by pre-cooling fresh intake air

Abstract

As the demand for electricity continues to increase, a significant amount of fossil fuels are being burned to meet our needs. One of the major contributors to high electricity consumption, accounting for almost 20% of total generated electricity, is the air conditioning system and cooling systems. Given its significant impact on the environment, it is essential to improve its efficiency and to reduce its energy consumption. The project is focused on enhancing the efficiency of air conditioning system while minimising its energy consumption. An air conditioning system typically utilizes recirculated air along with some amount of fresh air. While humans require a certain quantity of fresh air for proper functioning, the required amount varies based on the air conditioned space. In India, as the ambient conditions are usually warmer, mixing of outdoor air with recirculated air leads to additional cooling and higher energy consumption. To reduce excessive energy consumption, it will be beneficial to reduce the ambient air temperature prior to mixing process. Precooling intake air using a plate heat exchanger is considered in this project work. The overall reduction in energy consumption by pre-cooling fresh air is 13%.