IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v140y2017ip1p506-519.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a compact regenerative evaporative cooler: Towards low energy cooling for buildings

Author

Listed:
  • Duan, Zhiyin
  • Zhao, Xudong
  • Li, Junming

Abstract

The urges of reducing energy use and carbon footprint in buildings have prompted the developments of regenerative evaporative coolers (RECs). However, the physical dimensions of RECs have to be designed enormous in order to deliver a large amount of supply airflow rate and cooling capacity. To tackle the issue, this paper develops a large-scale counter-flow REC with compact heat exchanger through dedicated numerical modelling, optimal design, fabrication and experimentation. Using modified ε-NTU method, a finite element model is established in Engineering Equation Solver environment to optimise the cooler's geometric and operating parameters. Based on modelling predictions, the cooler's experimental prototype was optimally designed and constructed to evaluate operating performance. The experiment results show that the cooler's attained wet-bulb effectiveness ranges from 0.96 to 1.07, the cooling capacity and energy efficiency ratio from 3.9 to 8.5 kW and 10.6 to 19.7 respectively. It can provide sub-wet bulb cooling while operating at high intake channel air velocities of 3.04–3.60 m/s. The superior performance of proposed cooler is disclosed by comparing with different RECs under similar operating conditions. Both the cooler's cooling capacity per unit of volume and per unit of airflow rate are found to be 62–108% and 21.6% higher respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Duan, Zhiyin & Zhao, Xudong & Li, Junming, 2017. "Design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a compact regenerative evaporative cooler: Towards low energy cooling for buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(P1), pages 506-519.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:140:y:2017:i:p1:p:506-519
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.08.110
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036054421731486X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2017.08.110?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xu, Peng & Ma, Xiaoli & Diallo, Thierno M.O. & Zhao, Xudong & Fancey, Kevin & Li, Deying & Chen, Hongbing, 2016. "Numerical investigation of the energy performance of a guideless irregular heat and mass exchanger with corrugated heat transfer surface for dew point cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 803-817.
    2. Duan, Zhiyin & Zhan, Changhong & Zhang, Xingxing & Mustafa, Mahmud & Zhao, Xudong & Alimohammadisagvand, Behrang & Hasan, Ala, 2012. "Indirect evaporative cooling: Past, present and future potentials," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(9), pages 6823-6850.
    3. Zhan, Changhong & Duan, Zhiyin & Zhao, Xudong & Smith, Stefan & Jin, Hong & Riffat, Saffa, 2011. "Comparative study of the performance of the M-cycle counter-flow and cross-flow heat exchangers for indirect evaporative cooling – Paving the path toward sustainable cooling of buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 6790-6805.
    4. Hsu, Shyr Tzer & Lavan, Zalman & Worek, William M., 1989. "Optimization of wet-surface heat exchangers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 14(11), pages 757-770.
    5. Jradi, M. & Riffat, S., 2014. "Experimental and numerical investigation of a dew-point cooling system for thermal comfort in buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 524-535.
    6. 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.
    7. Anisimov, Sergey & Pandelidis, Demis & Jedlikowski, Andrzej & Polushkin, Vitaliy, 2014. "Performance investigation of a M (Maisotsenko)-cycle cross-flow heat exchanger used for indirect evaporative cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 593-606.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tariq, Rasikh & Sheikh, Nadeem Ahmed & Xamán, J. & Bassam, A., 2018. "An innovative air saturator for humidification-dehumidification desalination application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 789-807.
    2. Rasikh Tariq & Changhong Zhan & Nadeem Ahmed Sheikh & Xudong Zhao, 2018. "Thermal Performance Enhancement of a Cross-Flow-Type Maisotsenko Heat and Mass Exchanger Using Various Nanofluids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-19, October.
    3. Kashyap, Sarvesh & Sarkar, Jahar & Kumar, Amitesh, 2021. "Performance enhancement of regenerative evaporative cooler by surface alterations and using ternary hybrid nanofluids," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    4. Liu, Yuting & Yang, Xu & Li, Junming & Zhao, Xudong, 2018. "Energy savings of hybrid dew-point evaporative cooler and micro-channel separated heat pipe cooling systems for computer data centers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 629-640.
    5. Miranda, Nicole D. & Renaldi, Renaldi & Khosla, Radhika & McCulloch, Malcolm D., 2021. "Bibliometric analysis and landscape of actors in passive cooling research," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    6. Zhu, Guangya & Wen, Tao & Wang, Qunwei & Xu, Xiaoyu, 2022. "A review of dew-point evaporative cooling: Recent advances and future development," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    7. Tariq, Rasikh & Sheikh, Nadeem Ahmed & Livas-García, A. & Xamán, J. & Bassam, A. & Maisotsenko, Valeriy, 2021. "Projecting global water footprints diminution of a dew-point cooling system: Sustainability approach assisted with energetic and economic assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    8. Cui, X. & Islam, M.R. & Chua, K.J., 2019. "Experimental study and energy saving potential analysis of a hybrid air treatment cooling system in tropical climates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1016-1026.
    9. Pandelidis, Demis & Cichoń, Aleksandra & Pacak, Anna & Anisimov, Sergey & Drąg, Paweł, 2018. "Counter-flow indirect evaporative cooler for heat recovery in the temperate climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PA), pages 877-894.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ham, Sang-Woo & Jeong, Jae-Weon, 2016. "DPHX (dew point evaporative heat exchanger): System design and performance analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 132-145.
    2. Pandelidis, Demis & Anisimov, Sergey & Rajski, Krzysztof & Brychcy, Ewa & Sidorczyk, Marek, 2017. "Performance comparison of the advanced indirect evaporative air coolers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 138-152.
    3. Cui, X. & Islam, M.R. & Mohan, B. & Chua, K.J., 2016. "Theoretical analysis of a liquid desiccant based indirect evaporative cooling system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 303-312.
    4. 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.
    5. Yang, Hongxing & Shi, Wenchao & Chen, Yi & Min, Yunran, 2021. "Research development of indirect evaporative cooling technology: An updated review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Mahmood, Muhammad H. & Sultan, Muhammad & Miyazaki, Takahiko & Koyama, Shigeru & Maisotsenko, Valeriy S., 2016. "Overview of the Maisotsenko cycle – A way towards dew point evaporative cooling," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 537-555.
    8. Akhlaghi, Yousef Golizadeh & Ma, Xiaoli & Zhao, Xudong & Shittu, Samson & Li, Junming, 2019. "A statistical model for dew point air cooler based on the multiple polynomial regression approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 868-881.
    9. Lin, J. & Thu, K. & Bui, T.D. & Wang, R.Z. & Ng, K.C. & Kumja, M. & Chua, K.J., 2016. "Unsteady-state analysis of a counter-flow dew point evaporative cooling system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 172-185.
    10. Zhu, Guangya & Wen, Tao & Wang, Qunwei & Xu, Xiaoyu, 2022. "A review of dew-point evaporative cooling: Recent advances and future development," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    11. Ma, Xiaoli & Zhao, Xudong & Zhang, Yufeng & Liu, Kaixin & Yang, Hui & Li, Jing & Akhlaghi, Yousef Golizadeh & Liu, Haowen & Han, Zhonghe & Liu, Zhijian, 2022. "Combined Rankine Cycle and dew point cooler for energy efficient power generation of the power plants - A review and perspective study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PA).
    12. Cui, Yuanlong & Zhu, Jie & Zoras, Stamatis & Liu, Lin, 2021. "Review of the recent advances in dew point evaporative cooling technology: 3E (energy, economic and environmental) assessments," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    13. Wang, Lei & Zhan, Changhong & Zhang, Jianli & Zhao, Xudong, 2019. "Optimization of the counter-flow heat and mass exchanger for M-Cycle indirect evaporative cooling assisted with entropy analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1206-1216.
    14. Elsarrag, Esam & Igobo, Opubo N. & Alhorr, Yousef & Davies, Philip A., 2016. "Solar pond powered liquid desiccant evaporative cooling," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 124-140.
    15. Zanchini, Enzo & Naldi, Claudia, 2019. "Energy saving obtainable by applying a commercially available M-cycle evaporative cooling system to the air conditioning of an office building in North Italy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 975-988.
    16. Chen, Yi & Yang, Hongxing & Luo, Yimo, 2017. "Parameter sensitivity analysis and configuration optimization of indirect evaporative cooler (IEC) considering condensation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 440-453.
    17. Xu, Peng & Ma, Xiaoli & Diallo, Thierno M.O. & Zhao, Xudong & Fancey, Kevin & Li, Deying & Chen, Hongbing, 2016. "Numerical investigation of the energy performance of a guideless irregular heat and mass exchanger with corrugated heat transfer surface for dew point cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 803-817.
    18. Yugang Wang & Xiang Huang & Li Li, 2018. "Comparative Study of the Cross-Flow Heat and Mass Exchangers for Indirect Evaporative Cooling Using Numerical Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, December.
    19. Lanbo Lai & Xiaolin Wang & Gholamreza Kefayati & Eric Hu, 2021. "Evaporative Cooling Integrated with Solid Desiccant Systems: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-23, September.
    20. Liu, Yuting & Li, Jun Ming & Yang, Xu & Zhao, Xudong, 2019. "Two-dimensional numerical study of a heat and mass exchanger for a dew-point evaporative cooler," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 975-988.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:140:y:2017:i:p1:p:506-519. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.