Adelaide Research and Scholarship : Schools and Disciplines : School of Mechanical Engineering

The School of Mechanical Engineering has for approximately twenty-five years maintained an active programme of research into the fundamental principles upon which a science of air conditioning can be established. The early work of the air conditioning research group focussed on a re-examination, using experimental techniques, of the assumptions upon which current air conditioning practice have been built. In recent years the focus of their activities has moved towards the encapsulation of the knowledge gained in a methodology for the design of energy-efficient air conditioning systems. The group operates a closed-circuit controlled climate wind tunnel for rating of dehumidifying coils, and for research into the fundamental processes involved in an air conditioning system. They have also developed ZEBRA, a unique computer code for air conditioning system simulation and design. A number of international patents have been granted for inventions arising from the group's work. Some of these form the basis for products marketed by DadanCo Pty. Ltd., a company established for the express purpose of facilitating the dissemination of the group's expertise into the marketplace. The group also maintains active links with a number of consulting practices and manufacturers, both in Australia and overseas, and with the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Adelaide, and are involved in collaborative research with the Bureau of Meteorology into the use of climate data in air conditioning design.