Avaliação técnica da situação do funcionamento dos equipamentos condicionadores de ar utilizados no Laboratório de Ciências Térmicas e Fluidos da Universidade Federal do Ceará

Abstract

Refrigeration is used for various purposes that satisfy human needs, such as preserving food, machines, equipment, microorganisms and also for thermal comfort. There are several different refrigeration cycles, each with their own specificities, however the most common is the mechanical vapor compression refrigeration cycle. It uses a heat exchanger connected to a hot chamber, a heat exchanger connected to a cold chamber, a compressor and an expansion device. Some operating parameters can be used to assess refrigeration performance, such as overheating, subcooling and the temperature difference between the supply and return air. Thus, this study aims to measure and determine two of these indicators, namely overheating and this temperature difference, in the equipment used in the Thermal and Fluid Sciences Laboratory of the Federal University of Ceará – Russas campus. Six tests were carried out, with different operating arrangements between three pieces of equipment that are in operation in the room analyzed, with the purpose of simulating different situations that may occur and, therefore, assessing how the room’s cooling process would be impaired. Each piece of equipment received a name, with E1, E2 and E3 chosen to represent equipment one, two and three, respectively. In addition, characterizations were also made of the conditions to which the equipment is subjected, and how this could influence its operation. The overheating values found were compared with values determined by the manufacturer, which consist of a range of 7 to 11 ºC. Likewise, the values found for the difference between the supply and return temperatures were compared with values established by the manufacturer, in which case the range is 10 to 15 ºC. With the results obtained, it was possible to observe that the equipment called E1 was the one that presented the best operation, in relation to the others, through the values of the parameters in the tests performed.