Economizer Control Using Mixed Air Enthalpy Jingjuan Feng Mingsheng Liu Xiufeng Pang Energy Systems Laboratory University of Nebraska, Lincoln 1110 So. 67th ST, Omaha, NE 68182
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[email protected] ABSTRACT general considerations apply to commercial Humidity sensors. Enthalpy economizer can theoretically save more energy than temperature based economizer. However, 1. Design to operate at ambient temperature the requirement of outdoor air humidity measurement around 68°F or 77°F, and poor accuracy in in the traditional enthalpy economizer control made it temperature other than nominal range. 2. Could not handle wet conditions(condensation, impossible. A novel control sequence using mixed air (10) enthalpy is developed in the paper. Both theoretical rain, fog or spraying) 3. Large drift happens due to wide humidity and and experimental investigation shows that humidity (11) measurement in mixed air duct is very reliable, and temperature cycles. the proposed method can achieve true enthalpy 4. Inadequate sample air flow can 1) allow economizer saving. A case implementation shows undisturbed wet gas to remain in sensor for 15.7% more energy saving than temperature based long periods. 2) Accentuate adsorption and economizer in Omaha, NE. desorption effect in the volume of gas passing through sensor (12). 5. Susceptible to contamination. 1. INTRODUCTION To overcome the problems stated above, mixed air humidity is measured instead of outside air humidity, Economizer is recommended by ASHRAE (1) as and based on this change a new algorithm is an energy conservation measure in air conditioning developed in the paper. system. Significant saving can be achieved if a system can properly switched over to an economizer The principles and features of current enthalpy cycle (2~4).