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Unit of study_

MECH5255: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

This unit of study develops an advanced knowledge of air conditioning systems and refrigeration applications. At the completion of this unit students will be able to determine thermal loads on structures and design an air conditioning or refrigeration system with attention to comfort, control, air distribution and energy consumption. Course content will include: applied psychrometrics, air conditioning systems, design principles, comfort in the built environment, cooling load calculations, heating load calculations, introduction and use of computer-based load estimation packages software, air distribution, fans, ducts, air conditioning controls, advanced refrigeration cycles, evaporators, condensers, cooling towers, compressors, pumps, throttling devices, piping, refrigerants, control, refrigeration equipment, simulation of refrigeration systems, food refrigeration and industrial applications; Use of CFD packages as tools to simulate flows in building and to optimise air conditioning design, energy estimation methods and software, energy evaluation and management in the built environment. Use of experimental air conditioning systems to test for thermal balances and compare with simulations.

Code MECH5255
Academic unit Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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MECH3260 or MECH8260 or MECH9260 or equivalent study at another institution
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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MECH4255
Assumed knowledge:
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Students are expected to be familiar with the basic laws of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate an understanding of complex refrigeration systems
  • LO2. demonstrate an appreciation of thermal comfort in the built environment
  • LO3. demonstrate an understanding of thermal loads and energy consumption in buildings
  • LO4. analyse, size and select air conditioning systems including estimates of heat and air flows as well as cost and energy analysis
  • LO5. demonstrate familiarity with at least one software package used in the air conditioning industry and ability to compute total thermal loads
  • LO6. effectively relay knowledge on group project in the form of a professional report and seminar
  • LO7. interact with the manufacturing and consulting industry on real project related to the built environment
  • LO8. select appropriate mathematical tools for air conditioning and refrigeration analysis
  • LO9. complete a design project with open ended specifications.

Unit outlines

Unit outlines will be available 2 weeks before the first day of teaching for the relevant session.