ME 4465 Thermal System Design
Design Project #3 Fall 2018 Due Monday, 5 November 2018 by 5:00pm
Project Description
You have been tasked with the design of a Primary-Secondary Water Loop System that will be used for a commercial heating operation. A schematic diagram of the system is given below.
!
Q Q 1 1
Q Q! ! 2 2
HX-1
Secondary Zone 1
HX-2
Secondary Zone 2
Pump
V-1
Pump
V-2
Check V-1
Primary Loop
Pump
Check V-2
Q Q! ! 3 3 HX-3
Secondary Zone 3
Pump
V-3
Check V-3
Boiler
Primary Loop: The maximum allowable water temperature in this loop will be 275 °F at a pressure of 50 psig. The equivalent length of piping (includes elbow and T-effects) for the primary loop is equal to 200D (i.e. the equivalent length of piping is equal to 200 times the diameter). The maximum fluid velocity is 7 ft/s.
Secondary Zone 1: The mean water temperature of zone 1 is 180 °F. The hot water will be used to heat air passing through the heat exchanger. The water will transfer 200,000 Btu/hr of heat to the air with a temperature drop of 20 °F. The air will enter the HX at 50 °F and exit at 85 °F. The maximum water velocity in this loop is 10 ft/s.
Q!boiler
Secondary Zone 2: The mean water temperature of zone 2 is 150 °F. The hot water in this zone will be used to pre-heat a potable warm water system. Potable water at a flow rate of 5 gpm enters the HX at 50 °F and is heated to an exit temperature of 110 °F. The hot water will have a planned temperature drop of 30 °F. The maximum water velocity in this loop is 10 ft/s.
Secondary Zone 3: The mean water temperature of zone 3 is 120 °F. This hot water will flow through a tube/finned radiant heat exchanger to heat a room. The water will transfer 100,000 Btu/hr to the air with a temperature drop of 20 °F. The maximum water velocity in this loop is 10 ft/s.
Project Requirements
You are required to find the following information as part of your design:
- Volumetric flow rate of water in the primary loop.
- Pipe diameter of the primary loop.
- Total boiler heat input (assuming no heat loss in piping).
- Primary loop starting temperature (at discharge from boiler).
- Secondary zone volumetric flow rates (for all 3 zones).
- Common piping volumetric flow rates (between primary loop and all three secondary
zones).
- Secondary zone pipe diameters (for all 3 zones).
- Heat Exchanger 1 air flow rate, type of HX, and HX size (product of U*As).
- Heat removed from hot water in HX 2.
- Type and size (product of U*As) of Heat Exchanger 2.
- Size of Heat Exchanger 3.
Remember to provide proof of results by showing your calculations.
Deliverable
The deliverable for this project will be a bound memo report presenting the results of your design. Details and calculations will be included as an appendix.



