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A Computational Analysis of Heat and Mass Transfer in an Indirect Evaporative Cooler Using the Spray Dryer Model

Author

Listed:
  • Torsten Berning

    (AAU Energy, Aalborg University, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark)

  • Henrik Sørensen

    (AAU Energy, Aalborg University, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark)

  • Mads Pagh Nielsen

    (AAU Energy, Aalborg University, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark)

Abstract

Indirect evaporative coolers (IECs) for air conditioning rely on liquid water being sprayed into the exhaust stream of used air to induce evaporation and cool down the incoming stream of fresh air in an indirect heat exchanger. This paper describes a computational fluid dynamics analysis that makes use of the particle transport model to simulate the evaporation of the water droplets at the exhaust side of an IEC using a pre-implemented spray dryer model. Critical parameters include the average size of the droplets and the amount of water sprayed into the system. In addition to droplet evaporation, the evaporation of water from the wet wall on the exhaust side is accounted for. The results show the calculated temperature field in both air streams, the pressure distribution, the relative humidity distribution at the exhaust side and the particle tracks. The predicted wet bulb efficiency of around 30–35% is moderate but in agreement with the literature to date, and it can be attributed to the small heat exchanger size. A parametric study investigated the effect of the droplet size and mass flow rate. At an average size of 50 microns and below, the effect of the mass flow rate is quite strong, while at a higher droplet size the mass flow effect is small. Overall, the model can be used to shed fundamental understanding in order to increase the performance of the IEC while maintaining its compactness.

Suggested Citation

  • Torsten Berning & Henrik Sørensen & Mads Pagh Nielsen, 2024. "A Computational Analysis of Heat and Mass Transfer in an Indirect Evaporative Cooler Using the Spray Dryer Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:11:p:2676-:d:1406250
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lin, Jie & Bui, Duc Thuan & Wang, Ruzhu & Chua, Kian Jon, 2018. "On the fundamental heat and mass transfer analysis of the counter-flow dew point evaporative cooler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 126-142.
    2. Cui, X. & Chua, K.J. & Yang, W.M., 2014. "Numerical simulation of a novel energy-efficient dew-point evaporative air cooler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 979-988.
    3. Xu, Peng & Ma, Xiaoli & Zhao, Xudong & Fancey, Kevin, 2017. "Experimental investigation of a super performance dew point air cooler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 761-777.
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