Environment Environment Friendly, Low Energy, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System, using Water Medium as a Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Now that there is an ever-increasing demand of energy all over the world and the subsequent problem of global warming and climate change due to rise in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; there is an intense need for a cooling/heating system which would be energy efficient and environment friendly. The conventional air conditioning system consumes a lot of energy thereby, leading to energy crises. Moreover, it causes large emissions of CO2 and Chloro Fluoro Carbons (CFCs). CO2, particulate matter, and other air pollutants are also produced due to burning of fuel wood and fossil fuel for heating in the winter season. This state-of-the-art study, carried out in the University of Peshawar, Pakistan, an economical, environment friendly and energy efficient cooling/heating system was devised and tested which used water as a heat exchanger. It does not utilize CFCs as a refrigerant, so, no emission of CFCs to the atmosphere takes place. Through a simple experimental method, it was found that atmospheric air assumed the temperature of water, as it passed through it in a plastic or copper pipe. The suitable length for copper pipe and plastic pipe was experimentally determined. In case of fresh groundwater as a medium the suitable length for copper pipe was less than 2.44 feet, while for plastic pipe the suitable length was 20 feet. For hot or cold-water medium the suitable length of both copper and plastic pipe was 20 feet. In Peshawar the groundwater temperature is 23.38oC and in majority of the cities of Pakistan the groundwater temperature is less than or equal to 25oC, so, the current study cooling/heating system would work efficiently in most of the cities of Pakistan.