Problem 12.1: What is the maximum number of cycles allowed

From Chapter 12 Problem Set. Level 3: Optimization.

Question

What is the maximum number of cycles allowed by the calcium hardness limit?

Answer

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Air has a specific heat of approximately 0.24 BTU/lb·°F versus water’s 1.0, and is roughly 800 times less dense. To move the same BTU load, air-based systems require vastly greater volumetric flow through massive ductwork with high-powered fans. A chilled water system consolidates cooling into a central plant with compact piping – a six-inch chilled water pipe carries the same capacity as a four-foot air duct – with a fraction of the pumping energy and far simpler redundancy.