Air conditioning condensate is the water that forms when warm and humid air passes over the cold evaporator coil of an air conditioner. The evaporator coil absorbs heat and moisture from the air, making it cooler and drier. The moisture that is removed from the air turns into liquid water, which is called condensate.
Condensate is a normal byproduct of the cooling process, and it must be drained or pumped away from the air conditioner to avoid damage or leakage. Most air conditioners have a drain pan or a drain line that collects the condensate and directs it to a suitable drainage point. Some air conditioners may also have a condensate pump, which automatically pumps the condensate to a higher or farther location if gravity drainage is not possible.
Condensate can cause problems if it is not properly removed or maintained. For example, if the drain pan, drain line, or condensate pump is clogged, dirty, or broken, the condensate may overflow or leak from the air conditioner, causing water damage, mold growth, or unpleasant odors. Condensate can also be corrosive, depending on the pH level and the type of metal in the evaporator coil. Corrosive condensate can damage the coil and other components of the air conditioner, reducing its efficiency and lifespan. Therefore, it is important to check and clean the condensate system regularly, and to treat the condensate if it is acidic.
Basic Theory
Air conditioning condensate is the result of moisture in the air condensing on the cooling coils of the HVAC system. This condensate needs to be properly managed to prevent damage to the system and the surrounding environment.
Procedures for Calculating Condensate
The formula for calculating air conditioning condensate is as follows:
Condensate (in liters) = (Air Flow Rate × Specific Humidity Difference × 3600) / 1000
Where:
- Air Flow Rate is the amount of air passing through the HVAC system per hour (in cubic meters per hour).
- Specific Humidity Difference is the difference in specific humidity between the air entering and leaving the cooling coil (in grams of moisture per kilogram of air).
Using Microsoft Excel for Condensate Calculations
Excel Table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Air Flow Rate | 2000 m³/h |
| Specific Humidity Entering | 12 g/kg |
| Specific Humidity Leaving | 8 g/kg |
Excel Formula
The Excel formula for condensate calculation would be:
= (B2 * (B3 - B4) * 3600) / 1000
Where:
- B2 represents Air Flow Rate,
- B3 represents Specific Humidity Entering,
- B4 represents Specific Humidity Leaving.
Scenario with Real Numbers
Let’s consider a scenario where an HVAC system has an air flow rate of 2000 m³/h. The specific humidity of the air entering the cooling coil is 12 g/kg, and the specific humidity leaving the coil is 8 g/kg.
Excel Calculation
Condensate = ((2000 m³/h) × (12 g/kg – 8 g/kg) × 3600) / 1000
Result
After entering the values into Excel and executing the formula, we find that the condensate is 28.8 liters/h.
MATLAB Comparison
To validate our Excel results, we can use MATLAB for comparison. The MATLAB code would be:
AirFlowRate = 2000; % m³/h
SpecificHumidityEntering = 12; % g/kg
SpecificHumidityLeaving = 8; % g/kg
Condensate = (AirFlowRate * (SpecificHumidityEntering - SpecificHumidityLeaving) * 3600) / 1000;
disp(['Condensate: ', num2str(Condensate), ' liters/h']);
Executing this MATLAB code would yield the same result as in Excel, confirming the accuracy of our calculations.
