Air conditioning system using air cycle machine (ACM) a qualitative validation

Abstract

The work is aimed to replace conventional refrigerants used in air cooling system with Air Cycle Machine (ACM). Commercial Air-conditioners uses the refrigerants (Freon-Gas cycle) to remove the indoor air from the room. Freon leakage causes health problems such as respiratory ailments, heart attack and circulatory collapse. Air conditioning systems made based on desiccants. Refrigerant poisoning results in Throat swelling, loss of vision, blood vomiting, blood in the stool, severe abdominal pain and even death is possible. This can be overcome by using air cycle cooling process instead of Freon as a phase changing material. Air Cycle Machine is the system used in aircraft cabin pressurization and cooling system which does not uses refrigerants in the cooling process. The analytical work carried out in this paper is to study the air conditioning system using Air Cycle Machine and investigate the air flow inside the room by giving the various inlet temperatures and the inlet velocity of the Air-conditioner. ANSYS-FLUENT 16.0 is used for the analytical study. A cabin enclosure was modeled and analyzed for different inlet temperatures and velocities and out coming cool air spread nature for the given conditions have been observed. The qualitative results of this study clearly evident the usage of Air Cycle Machine (ACM) is prominently reduces the room temperature than the refrigerant system and spreads the cool air throughout the enclosed room makes a comfortable environment and this would not leads to any health hazards. Thus this study is certain to use Air Cycle Machine (ACM) for the cabin cooling system rather than refrigerants.