Economizer Control Analysis:

The schematic of an air handling system is given below. The supply air flow as well as the conditions of
the return air and supply air are marked on the schematic. The minimum fresh air requirement is 20% of
the supply air by mass.
Determine the cooling coil loads for outdoor conditions of 50ºFDB and 50%RH, if
(a) the system has no economizer control
(b) the system has integrated enthalpy economizer control.
M/A C H S/A = 10,000 cfm @ 55ºFDB, 90%RH
F/A C C

Circulated Zone q cooling

R/A

m
R/A @ 77ºFDB, 60%RH

er as
E/A

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eH w
Assumptions: 1) Steady-state conditions, 2) Sea-level pressure, 3) Neglect the effects of fan, 4) No

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losses at ductwork.
rs e
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Solution:
 m F A 
Given that    0.20
 m 
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 S A  min
aC s
vi y re

Using the psychrometric Chart 1a or the program Psych:

Btu ft 3 lbmv
S/A: 55ºFDB, 90%RH  i S A  22.2 , v S A  13.14 , WS A  0.0083
lbma lbma lbma
3
ed d

Btu ft lbmv
R/A: 77ºFDB, 60%RH  iR A  31.5 , vR A  13.78 , WR A  0.0119
ar stu

lbma lbma lbma

3
Btu ft lbmv
F/A: 50ºFDB, 50%RH  iF A  16.1 , vF A  12.9 , WF A  0.0038
lbma lbma lbma
sh is

(a) Without the economizer control, the fresh air requirement will always be at the minimum
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ventilation requirement (i.e., at the normal condition or normal position of dampers).

m F m F  m F A 
   0.20
A A
Hence, 
m M m S  m 
A A  S A  min

m F
The enthalpy of M/A is: i M A
m M A
 iR A 
A
i F A  i R A   31.5  0.216.1  31.5  28.4
Btu
lbma
which is higher than the S/A enthalpy. Therefore, the cooling coil is turned on to cool down the
M/A to the required S/A conditions, as indicated on the schematic.

The mass flow rate of the S/A is

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 3
Q S 10,000 ft
m S 
A
 min 60 min  45660 lbma
A 3
vS A 13.14 ft hr hr
lbma
The cooling coil load is
q cc  m S A i M A  iS A    45660 lbma 28.4  22.2 Btu  283,000
Btu
 hr  lbma hr

Note: The cooling loads of the zone can be estimated using the approximate equations as:
Sensible: q sc , zone  1.1Q S / A t R A  t S A   1.110,000 cfm 77  55 F  242,000
Btu
hr
q lc , zone  4840QS / A WR A  WS A 

Latent: lbmv Btu

m
 484010,000 cfm 0.0119  0.0083  174,500

er as
lbma hr

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Total: q c , zone  4.5Q S A i R A  i S A   4.510,000 cfm 31.5  22.2
Btu Btu
 418,500

eH w
lbma hr

o.
(b)
rs e
With integrated enthalpy economizer control, the economizer is activated in free cooling mode
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 and t F A  50 F   t S A  55 F  (i.e., operating
 Btu   Btu 
because  iR A  31.5    iF A  16.1
 lbma   lbma 
mode C, shown in Figure 4.1 in the handout on “Outdoor Air Economizer Control”). Therefore,
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the economizer control may mix the R/A with the F/A to achieve free cooling by meeting tM/A =
aC s

tS/A , WM/A = WS/A or iM/A = iS/A.

vi y re

In order to decide which option to meet, let’s check the sensible heat factor (SHF) of the zone:
q s m a c p t R / A  t S / A  c p t R / A  t S / A 
SHFzone   
m a i R / A  i S / A  iR / A  iS / A 
ed d

q
ar stu

The cp of the moist air should be evaluated based on average humidity ratio:
 0.0119  0.0083  Btu
c p  0.24  0.45Wave  0.24  0.45   0.2445
sh is

 2  lbma   F
 Btu 
77  55 F
Th

 0.2445
 lbma   F 
 SHFzone   0.578
Btu
31.5  22.2
lbma
Since SHFzone > 0.5 , the sensible cooling load is more than the latent cooling load; therefore, it is
more important to satisfy the sensible cooling load by having the right S/A temperature (i.e., tM/A
= tS/A).
m F A
For tM/A = tS/A = 55F: For adiabatic mixing, we have t M / A  t R A 
m M A
t F A  t R A .
m F A tM A  tR A 55  77
    0.815  0.2 (It is OK to use the M/A for free cooling.)
m M A tF A  tR A 50  77

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 and the corresponding M/A humidity ratio, assuming that the R/A conditions remain the same,
is:
m F A
WM A  WR A 
m M A
WF A  WR A 
lbmv  lbmv 
 0.0119  0.8150.0038  0.0119   0.0053  WS / A  0.0083 
lbma  lbma 

Although the temperature of tR/A = 77ºF is met, i.e. the sensible cooling load provided by the M/A
is right, the latent cooling load provided by the M/A is in excess; therefore, if the M/A is directly
supplied to the zone, the zone will be maintained at 77F, but the zone humidity will drop over
time because the M/A humidity ratio is lower than the required S/A humidity ratio;
correspondingly the zone relative humidity (RH) will be lowered over time than 60%. The
integrated enthalpy economizer control has resulted in saving of 283,000 Btu/hr of cooling coil

m
load because the cooling coil is off.

er as
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Comment:

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1) The M/A conditions are not the same as the given S/A conditions. Therefore, we need the M/A

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properties to re-calculate the mass flow rate because the fan only maintains constant volume flow
rs e t M / A  55 FDB 
 i M / A  19 Btu / lbma
ou urc
rate, not constant mass flow rate: lbmv 
WM / A  0.0053  v M / A  13.08 ft 3 / lbma
lbma 
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The mass flow rate of the M/A is

aC s
vi y re

ft 3
Q M / A 10,000 min 60 min  45870 lbma
m M / A   3
v M / A 13.08 ft hr hr
lbma
ed d

Therefore, the cooling loads provided by the M/A can be estimated using the approximate equations
ar stu

as:
Sensible: q sc , M / A  1.1Q M / A t R A  t S A   1.110,000 cfm 77  55 F  242,000
Btu
hr
sh is

Latent: q lc , M / A  4840Q M / A WR A  WM A   484010,000 cfm 0.0119  0.0053

lbmv Btu
 319,400
Th

lbma hr
Total: q c , M / A  4.5Q M A i R A  i M A   4.510,000 cfm 31.5  19.0 
Btu Btu
 562,500
lbma hr

2) Let’s take a look if WM/A = WS/A = 0.0083 lbmv/lbma is to be achieved by the M/A:

m F A WM A  WR A 0.0083  0.0119
   0.444 (this ratio will meet the latent cooling of the zone)
m M A W F A  WR A 0.0038  0.0119

and the corresponding M/A temperature, assuming that the R/A conditions remain the same, is:

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 m F A
tM A  tR A 
m M A
t F A  t R A 
(so the zone will be > 77ºF)
 77  0.444 50  77   65 F  t S / A  55 F 

Although the humidity ratio of WR/A = 0.0119 lbmv/lbma is met, i.e. the latent cooling load provided
by the M/A is right, the sensible cooling load is insufficient; therefore, if this M/A is directly
supplied to the zone, the zone will be maintained at 0.0119 lbmv/lbma, but the zone temperature
will increase over time because the M/A temperature is higher than the required S/A temperature.

3) Let’s take a look if iM/A = iS/A = 22.2 Btu/lbma is to be achieved by the M/A:

m F A iM A  iR A 22.2  31.5
   0.604
m M iF A  iR A 16.1  31.5

m
A

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and the corresponding M/A humidity ratio and temperature, assuming that the R/A conditions

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remain the same, are:

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m F A
rs e WM A  WR A  WF A  WR A 
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m M A
lbmv  lbmv 
 0.0119  0.604 0.0038  0.0119   0.0070  WS / A  0.0083 
lbma  lbma 
o

m F A
t F A  t R A 
aC s

tM  tR A 
vi y re

A
m M A
 77  0.604 50  77   60.7 F  t S / A  55 F 
ed d

Neither the temperature nor humidity ratio of R/A will be met. The latent cooling load provided by
the M/A is in excess, while the sensible cooling load is insufficient.
ar stu

m F A
4) Due to the fact that most buildings have more sensible load than latent load, the mixing ratio
m M A
sh is

based on tM/A = tS/A may be chosen by the economizer control for free cooling.
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