UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

DESIGN OF CHILLED FLOOR SYSTEM FOR COOLING

IN MALAYSIA

This report submitted in accordance with requirement of the Universiti Teknikal

Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) for the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Technology

(Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Systems) (Hons.)

by

MUHAMMAD NAJIB BIN AZIZ

B071210417

901113146196

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

2016

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS LAPORAN PROJEK SARJANA MUDA

TAJUK: Design of Chilled Floor System for Cooling in Malaysia

SESI PENGAJIAN: 2015/16 Semester 1

Saya MUHAMMAD NAJIB BIN AZIZ

mengaku membenarkan Laporan PSM ini disimpan di Perpustakaan UniversitiTeknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:

1. Laporan PSM adalah hak milik Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dan penulis.2. Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dibenarkan membuat salinan

untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja dengan izin penulis.3. Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan laporan PSM ini sebagai bahan

pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi.4. **Sila tandakan ( )

SULIT

TERHAD

TIDAK TERHAD

(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatanatau kepentingan Malaysia sebagaimana yang termaktubdalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972)

(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukanoleh organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan)

Alamat Tetap:NO. 52 JALAN INDAH 3/4

TAMAN AMPANG INDAH

68000 AMPANG, SELANGOR

Tarikh: ________________________

Disahkan oleh:

Cop Rasmi:

Tarikh: _______________________

** Jika Laporan PSM ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/organisasiberkenaan dengan menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh laporan PSM ini perlu dikelaskan sebagaiSULIT atau TERHAD.

FAKULTI TEKNOLOGI KEJURUTERAANTel : +606 331 6019 | Faks : +606 331 6431/6411

Rujukan Kami (Our Ref) :Rujukan Tuan (Your Ref) :

25 JAN 2016PustakawanPerpustakaan UTeMUniversiti Teknikal Malaysia MelakaHang Tuah Jaya,76100 Durian Tunggal,Melaka.

Tuan/Puan,

PENGKELASAN LAPORAN PSM SEBAGAI SULIT/TERHAD LAPORAN PROJEKSARJANA MUDA TEKNOLOGI KEJURUTERAAN MEKANIKAL (SISTEMPENYAMANAN UDARA DAN PENYEJUKBEKUAN): MUHAMMAD NAJIB BIN AZIZ

Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa Laporan PSM yang tersebut di atas bertajuk“Design of Chilled Floor System for Cooling in Malaysia” mohon dikelaskansebagai *SULIT / TERHAD untuk tempoh LIMA (5) tahun dari tarikh surat ini.

2. Hal ini adalah kerana IANYA MERUPAKAN PROJEK YANG DITAJA OLEHSYARIKAT LUAR DAN HASIL KAJIANNYA ADALAH SULIT.

Sekian dimaklumkan. Terima kasih.

Yang benar,

________________Tandatangan dan Cop Penyelia

DECLARATION

I hereby, declared this report entitled “Design of Chilled Floor System for Cooling

in Malaysia” is the results of my own research except as cited in references.

Signature : ………………………………………….

Author’s Name : Muhammad Najib bin Aziz

Date : 25 January 2016

APPROVAL

This report is submitted to the Faculty of Engineering Technology of UTeM as a

partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Mechanical

Engineering Technology (Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Systems) (Hons.).

The member of the supervisory is as follow:

………………………………

(Project Supervisor)

i

ABSTRACT

This project is based on one of the Hydronic Radiant Cooling (HRC) type systems

that are Chilled Floor System. This project basically based on the limitation

occurring of using the conventional air conditioning such as high utility bills and

damage environment. Therefore, by applying Hydronic Radiant Cooling System, the

limitation that occurs from conventional air conditional can be dealt. Overall of this

project are focusing on measuring the room temperature and humidity inside the

environmental chamber. The varied number of copper tube is installed to extend the

height of cooling inside the environmental chamber. In additional, by closed the

entire ventilation hole on the environmental chamber has been done to keep the heat

inside, and small fan been installed at the floor of the chamber to extend the cooling

height. The copper tube for chilled floor panel is covered with aluminium sheet

during this experiment to increase cooling capacity and silica gel is placed at the air

supply entrance to absorb the air moisture from outside before entering the chamber.

Chilled water from mini chiller are pumped and circulated inside chilled floor panel

through copper tubes. The temperatures in the mini chiller are considered by mixing

of water, ice, sodium chloride (salt) and propylene glycol (C3H8O2) with different

ratio. The main purpose of this project is to consider of using Chilled Floor as

cooling alternative in Malaysia for thermal comfort and to preserve food product.

Lastly, by the end of this experiment, the minimum temperature achieved by water

chilled inside the mini chiller is -18°C, while 14°C for the temperature inside the

environmental chamber.

ii

ABSTRAK

Projek ini adalah salah satu daripada sistem Penyejukan Kitaran Hydro (HRC)’ iaitu

sistem lantai sejuk. Secara amnya Projek ini berdasarkan kekurangan yang berlaku

jika menggunakan penyaman udara konvensional antaranya ialan bil utiliti yang

tinggi dan merosakkan alam sekitar. Oleh itu, dengan mengaplikasi system

Penyejukan Kitaran Hydro, kekurangan yang berlaku daripada penyaman udara

konvensional dapat ditangani. Secara keseluruhan, projek ini memfokuskan

pengukuran suhu bilik dan kelembapan di dalam ruangan kerja. Bilangan tiub

kuprum yang di pasang di dalam ruangan kerja akan diubah ubah untuk

meningkatkan had ketingggian suhu. Sebagai tambahan, semua salur udara yang

terdapat pada ruangan kerja ditutup bagi menyimpan suhu sejuk, dan kipas dipasang

pada lantai ruangan kerja bagi menolak udara sejuk ke atas. Panel lantai sejuk di

liputi dengan aluminium semasa eksperimen bagi meningkatkan kemampuan

penyejukan dan gel silika ditempatkan di saluran masuk udara untuk memerangkap

kelembapan udara dari luar daripada masuk ke dalam ruangan. Air sejuk daripada

chiller mini akan dipam dan disebarkan ke panel lantai sejuk melalui tiub kuprum.

Suhu chiller mini adalah dengan campuran air, ais, sodium klorida (garam) dan

propelina glikol(C3H8O2) dengan nisbah yang berlainan. Tujuan utama projek ini

adalah untuk mempertimbangkan penggunaan sistem lantai sejuk sebagai penyejuk

alternatif di Malaysia untuk keselesaan dan penjagaan produk makanan. Di akhir

kajian ini, suhu minimum yang dapat dicapai oleh air sejuk di dalam chiller mini

adalah -18°C, manakala 14°C bagi suhu ruang kerja.

iii

DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to my beloved parents, Aziz bin Ariffin and Hafizah

binti Hussin and also to my siblings and my fiancé who always love me, support and

prayed for my success. I also dedicate all my hard work and effort for this project to

my supervisor Dr. Ahmed Salem Saeed Bin Ghooth for supporting me throughout

this project.

Lastly, I dedicate this project to my lecturers and friends who becomes my

references and always keep support me through this final year project. I will always

appreciate all helps comes from them during this project was done.

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Alhamdulillah thanks to Allah S.W.T for the blessings favors and gifts,

finally can prepared a full complete report for Final Year Project (FYP). In preparing

this report, too many trials and challenges had to overcome, but all that used as a

teaching and a very valuable experience for my hard work finally paid off when this

report was successfully completed properly.

The special thank goes to my helpful supervisor, Dr. Ahmed

Salem Saeed Bin Ghooth. The supervision and support that he gave truly help the

progression and smoothness of this project. The co-operation is much indeed

appreciated.

I would like to grab this chance to express my appreciation and thanks to my

friends who have shared some knowledge to me in the completion of this report.

Their entire companion is truly appreciated as it was a great pleasure to know them

Great deals appreciated go to the contribution of my faculty of Engineering

Technology (FTK). Last but not least I would like to thank my family especially my

beloved parents for all support.

v

TABLE OF CONTENT

Abstract i

Abstrak ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Table of Content v

List of Figures ix

List of Tables xi

List Abbreviations, Symbols and Nomenclatures xiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project Background 1

1.2 Problem Statement 3

1.3 Project Objective 3

1.4 Project Scope 4

1.5 Thesis Outline 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction 5

2.2 Conventional air-conditioning system 6

2.3 Refrigerator and preserving process 8

vi

2.3.1 Preserving (Drying and Freezing) 8

2.3.2 Preserving Temperature 9

2.4 Hydronic Radiant Cooling System 11

2.4.1 Chilled Floor System 12

2.4.2 Copper tubes 13

2.4.3 Aluminum sheet 14

2.4.4 Cooling power 15

2.5 Thermal comfort 16

2.5.1 Dehumidification 17

2.5.2 Silica Gel 17

2.6 Ventilation 18

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 20

3.2 Flow chart 20

3.3 Design and preparation of prototype 22

3.3.1 Materials and Equipment. 22

3.3.2 Prototype preparation 24

3.3.3 Environmental chamber preparation 24

3.3.4 Chiller preparation 28

3.3.5 Chilled floor system preparation 29

3.4 Experimental work 31

3.4.1 Exp1: Checking water temperature (Mini Chiller) 31

vii

3.4.2 Exp2: Measure environmental chamber temperature 33

with different distance

3.4.3 Exp3: Checking with varied number of cooper tubes 34

for minimum temperature and maximum height

3.4.4 Exp4: Closed all air inlet and outlet of environmental 35

chamber

CHAPTER 4: RESULT & DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction 37

4.2 Experiment 1 - Mini chiller water 37

4.2.1 Chilled Water (H2O + Ice) 38

4.2.2 Salted Chilled Water (H2O + NaCl) 39

4.2.3 Propylene Glycol Salted Chilled Water 41

(C3H8O2 + Ws)

4.2.4 Propylene Glycol Chilled Water 43

(C3H8O2 + H2O)

4.3 Experiment 2 - Environmental chamber temperature 45

with different height

4.4 Experiment 3 - Environmental chamber temperature 48

with additional number of copper tubes

4.5 Experiment 4 - Closed all air inlet and outlet of 51

environmental chamber

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION & FUTURE WORK

5.1 Introduction 55

viii

5.2 Summary of research 55

5.3 Achievement Of Research Objectives 56

5.4 Significant Of Research 56

5.5 Problem Faced During Research 57

5.6 Suggestion For Future Work 57

APPENDICES 58

REFERENCE 60

ix

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Vapor Compression Refrigeration System Diagram 7

Figure 2.2: Vapor Absorption Refrigeration System Diagram 7

Figure 2.3: Refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 8

Figure 2.4: Hydronic Radiant System 12

Figure 2.5: Schematic represent serpentine pattern 14

Figure 2.6: Copper tube covered by aluminum 15

Figure 2.7: Flow in a typical office displacement ventilation system 19

Figure 3.1: Project flow chart 21

Figure 3.2: Schematic diagram of the prototype 24

Figure 3.3: Isometric diagram and dimension of environmental chamber 25

Figure 3.4: 6 passes Copper tube 29

Figure 3.5: 10 passes Copper tube 29

Figure 3.6: Environmental chamber with zero ventilation 36

Figure 4.1: Temperature chilled water 38

Figure 4.2: Salted chilled water 40

Figure 4.3: Propylene glycol salted chilled water 42

x

Figure 4.4: Propylene glycol chilled water 44

Figure 4.5: 6 passes copper tube temperature 47

Figure 4.6: 10 passes copper tube temperature 50

Figure 4.7: 10 passes copper tube with zero ventilation 53

xi

LIST OF TABLE

Table 2.1: Fruits and vegetables preservation temperature 10

Table 2.1: Heat exchange coefficient, minimum and maximum 13

recommended surface temperature and cooling and

heating capacity

Table 2.2: Thermal conductivity of tubing materials 14

Table 3.1: Environmental chamber preparation procedure 25

Table 3.2: Mini chiller main parts 28

Table 3.3: Chilled floor piping procedure 30

Table 3.4: Mixing substance and measuring water temperature procedure 31

Table 3.5: Measuring environmental chamber temperature procedure 33

Table 3.6: Install 10 passes copper tubes 35

Table 3.7: Zero ventilation environmental chamber procedure 36

Table 4.1: Temperature of chilled water data 38

Table 4.2: Salted chilled water data 39

Table 4.3: Propylene glycol salted chilled water data 41

Table 4.4: Propylene glycol chilled water data 43

Table 4.5: 6 passes copper tube chamber temperature and relative humidity 45

xii

Table 4.6: 6 passes copper tube temperature data 46

Table 4.7: 10 passes copper tube chamber temperature and relative humidity 48

Table 4.8: 10 passes copper tube temperature data 48

Table 4.9: 10 passes copper tube with zero ventilation chamber 51

temperatures and RH

Table 4.10: 10 passes copper tube and zero ventilation temperature data 52

Table A1: Fruit and vegetables Produce load compatibility 58

xiii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, SYMBOLS AND

NOMENCLATURE

- Heat transfer by convection (W/m 2)

- Convective coefficient (W/m 2 K)

- Room air temperature (°C)

- Surface temperature (°C)

- Heat transfer by radiation (W/m 2)

, - Stephan-Bolzmann constant (W/m 2 K 4)

- Mean radiant temperature of an unconditioned surface (K)

- Mean radiant temperature of a cooled surface (K)

- Configuration factor (-)

- Emissivity factor (-)

- Sum of convective and radiant heat coefficient (W/m 2 K).

1

In this chapter, introduction of the most important topics that involve

background, problems statement, objectives, scope of the project are provided and

the thesis organization of overall chapters is provided within the chapter as well.

1.1 Project Background

Air-conditioning is the process of treating the temperature, relative humidity,

cleanliness and distribution of air to the conditioned space. Many years ago, some

ancient architectural already practiced cooling techniques for controlling building

temperature to local climate condition such as high thermal wall, high room ceilings

and shading. The primary modern air-conditioning system was developed in 1902 by

a young electrical engineer named Willis Carrier.

Now a day’s use of conventional air conditioning becomes very important, it

has been used in many aspects of the life over the world such as for residential,

industrial and commercial. The main purpose of this system is to provide thermal

comfort and improving indoor air quality (IAQ) for occupants. Significantly, the

application of air-conditioning in daily live allows people to feel comfortable

especially in Malaysia that is known as a hot and humid zone due to achievement the

thermal comfort for human body, via lowering the occupied zoned temperature by

commonly vapour compression system.

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

2

Normally, people are spending 90% of their days indoors (inside the office or

house). That shows the acceptable and appropriate temperature is very important for

occupants to get better thermal comfort. Ventilation is also improves indoor air

quality. Although air conditioning is very convenient, some limitations are

associated, such as high utility bills cause of using a compressor, the refrigerant also

contains chemicals cause to damage the environment and ozone layer, the air

circulation can transmit infectious bacteria and allergic reactions cause by airborne

dust and fungi that only circulating inside the zone, too long spent time in

conditioned space will result skin drought cause by humidity decreases, and the

temperature provided is only for human comfort does not suitable for preserving

fresh food.

In point of fact, a practical system that creates a more comfortable thermal

environment than conventional all-air systems with low energy consumption would

be built in the line with current modern technology. An alternative system names a

Hydronic radiant cooling (HRC) system which is using water as the transport

medium becomes one of the significant solutions since it is able to reduce the amount

of air distribute through the buildings, as 100% ventilation is provided by outside air

system without recirculating air fraction. HRC is divided into 3 types, which are

chilled ceiling, chilled wall and chilled floor system. Unlike the conventional air

conditioning, Hydronic Radiant Cooling (HRC) system does not us a vapour

compression cycle that consume 70% of the total electrical consumption in the

world, as using water to replace refrigerant gas as a cooling medium that is unlimited

source, cheap and also environmental friendly. The natural cooling provided by HRC

is more acceptable range for thermal comfort.

In this project study, Chilled Floor System is designed, fabricated a prototype

and tested the application for cooling in Malaysia. Floor chilled panel with

Aluminum sheet, which are installed at the floor is cooled by using water circulation

system via mixing the water, ice and glycol as cooling medium to lower the zone

temperature. The main parameters that recorded in consideration are temperature of

the zone for human comfort and preserving large amount of food product, and also

relative humidity for controlling the humidity of the required zone. The air flow will

3

examine to be forced in order to raise an extended the height of cooling zone by

using either exhaust or supply fan. In order to control the humidity and dry air

temperature, Silica Gel material is placed at the entrance of the environmental

chamber where the air inlet is supplied. Therefore, the experimental work is carried

out to confirm the suitability of this application in Malaysia.

1.2 Problem Statement

Based on the limitation of the conventional air conditioning stated above such

as high utility bills and damage environment, there are several alternative ways has

been proposed, and one of the ideas is replace the conventional air conditioning

system with HRC system. In this project, the major idea is to design of the floor

chilled system to provide certain cooling for preserving some fresh fruits and flowers

with extend distance for cooling from the floor is a challenge in case of using chilled

floor system with appropriate number of tubes and ventilation.

1.3 Project Objective

In order to say the project is successful done, the objectives have been

declared, and must be achieved in completing the project. The most important

objectives of the current project are to:-

1. Consider the possibility of accepting chilled floor system as an

alternative cooling system for Malaysia.

2. Preserve large amount of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

4

1.4 Project Scope

In this project, the area of consideration is environmental chamber.

Temperature and relative humidity will be measured inside the environmental

chamber. Temperature will be measured and recorded in several positions or height

to achieve human thermal comfort temperature based on the ASHRAE guideline

recommended which is 23°C to 26°C for room temperature (TR) and 30% to 60% for

relative humidity (RH) by varying the number of the cooper tubes, varying the

configuration of air inlet and air outlet to achieve appropriate extend distance. The

fabrication of the prototype made of plywood as the environmental chamber. The

silica gel is place at the air entrance inside of the environmental chamber. For the

chilled floor panel, the copper tube is covered with Aluminium sheet during this

experiment to increase cooling capacity. Water temperature in the mini chiller will be

considered by mixing the water with ice and glycol.

1.5 Thesis Outline

The development for a Chilled Floor System contains and elaborates specific

topics like introduction, literature reviews, methodology, result and analysis,

conclusion, and recommendation for future work. Chapter 1 contains introduction,

objectives, scope of project, project limitation and problem statement. Chapter 2

describes about the previous studies and research that relevant to the project. Chapter

3 presents the research methodology used in this project. Chapter 4 indicates all

results and discussion with analysis. Chapter 5 shows the most important conclusion

and recommendation for future work.

5

The review in this chapter focuses on a specific survey related to brief

introduction, conventional air-conditioning system, refrigerator and preserving

process, hydronic radiant cooling system, thermal comfort, and ventilation.

Additionally, the current study intends to investigate the possibility of using the HRC

system in Malaysia.

2.1 Introduction

Hydronic Radiant Cooling (HRC) system is a new system compared to the

conventional air conditioning due to HRC system does not rely on the vapor

compression cycle to generate cooling effect (Lawrence Berkeley, 2004). Nowadays

it can be said there are three major types of HRC system commonly used for cooling

purpose such as chilled radiant ceiling, chilled radiant floor and chilled radiant wall

systems. Malaysia is classified as a hot-humid zone due to the location, that is

encourages us to investigate an alternative cooling system (ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA

Standard 90.1-2007). The theories and findings associated with the previous studies

are reviewed and described to gain the highlight knowledge associated with the

proposed current study.

LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPTER 2

6

2.2 Conventional Air-Conditioning System

Recent studies reported that air-conditioning can be recognized by the

methods of how they conduct cooling process in the conditioned space (Beaty and

Fink, 2013). In Malaysia currently, most of air-conditioning used is conventional air-

conditioning while the applications of hydronic radiant cooling system is still not

very popular. Conventional air-conditioning typically relies on vapor compression.

Recirculate air is important in conventional air-conditioning system in order to

maintain the temperature difference between supply air and room air so that it is in

comfort range (Feutsel and Stetiu, 1995). Even though this air-conditioning is still

providing comfort toward people but the use of refrigerant for providing cooling

effect has its own side-defects. For examples, global warming and ozone depletion

are caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and other refrigerants type used in

conventional air conditioning system. Therefore, conventional air-conditioning

system is not practical to use nowadays even it is still able to fulfill comfort

requirements for human because this system are energy intensive and not

environmentally friendly. Conventional air-conditioning system divided into two

types of system that is Vapor Compression Refrigeration System, VCRS and Vapor

Absorption Refrigeration System, VARS (HVAC and Refrigeration System, Bureau

of Energy Efficiency).