Computerized Simulation of Automotive Air-Conditioning System: A Parametric Study
This paper presents results of a parametric study performed on an automotive air-conditioning (AAC) system of a passenger car. The goals are to assess the effects of varying the volumetric flow rate of supply air, number of occupants, vehicle speed, and the fractional ventilation air intake (XOA), on the dry-bulb temperature and specific humidity of the air inside the passengers cabin, and on the evaporator coil cooling load of the AAC system. Results of the parametric study show that increasing the supply air flow rate reduces the dry-bulb temperature of the cabin air, increases both the specific humidity of the air and the evaporator coil load. Increasing the number of occupants in the passenger cabin causes the cabin air temperature, specific humidity and the evaporator coil load to increase. Increasing the vehicle speed causes the specific humidity of the cabin air and the evaporator coil cooling load to increase but the dry-bulb temperature of the air is not significantly affected. Increasing the fractional fresh air intake (XOA) also increases the cabin air specific humidity and the evaporator coil cooling load.
Keywords: Automotive air conditioning (AAC), passenger car cabin, parametric study
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Haslinda Mohamed Kamar
Haslinda Mohamed Kamar, is a member of ASHRAE. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Glasgow, Scotland in 1993, Master and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from University Teknologi Malaysia in 1997 and 2009, respectively. She is now a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Her areas of interest are automotive air-conditioning system, thermal comfort & energy efficiency in hot climates, indoor air quality (IAQ), natural ventilation as passive cooling strategy in buildings and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and simulation.
Nazri Kamsah
Nazri Kamsah is a member of ASHRAE. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Sunderland, United Kingdom in 1983, Masters of Engineering (Mechanical) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1988, and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from University of New Hampshire, Durham, USA in 2001. He is currently a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. His areas of interest include computational solid mechanics, finite element modeling and simulation, thermal management in microelectronics, thermal comfort and energy efficiency in buildings, natural ventilation as passive cooling strategy for buildings, indoor air quality (IAQ) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and simulation.
Mohd Yusoff Senawi
Mohd Yusoff Senawi, graduated with Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from The University of New South Wales in 1987. Received Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science, Master and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in 1989, 1993 and 2000, respectively. Currently a Senior Lecturer at UTM. Research interests include cooling loads calculation and energy analysis of air conditioning systems.
Haslinda Mohamed Kamar
Haslinda Mohamed Kamar, is a member of ASHRAE. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Glasgow, Scotland in 1993, Master and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from University Teknologi Malaysia in 1997 and 2009, respectively. She is now a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Her areas of interest are automotive air-conditioning system, thermal comfort & energy efficiency in hot climates, indoor air quality (IAQ), natural ventilation as passive cooling strategy in buildings and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and simulation.
Nazri Kamsah
Nazri Kamsah is a member of ASHRAE. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Sunderland, United Kingdom in 1983, Masters of Engineering (Mechanical) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1988, and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from University of New Hampshire, Durham, USA in 2001. He is currently a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. His areas of interest include computational solid mechanics, finite element modeling and simulation, thermal management in microelectronics, thermal comfort and energy efficiency in buildings, natural ventilation as passive cooling strategy for buildings, indoor air quality (IAQ) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and simulation.
Mohd Yusoff Senawi
Mohd Yusoff Senawi, graduated with Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from The University of New South Wales in 1987. Received Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science, Master and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in 1989, 1993 and 2000, respectively. Currently a Senior Lecturer at UTM. Research interests include cooling loads calculation and energy analysis of air conditioning systems.
