ABSTRACT
The current study focused on the adaptation of adsorption cooling systems to hot and arid climates. A new combination is proposed to improve the performance of the direct evaporative cooler (DEC). This combined system consists in coupling Ground-Water Heat Exchanger (GWHE) with a DEC of a hybrid cooling tower. A mathematical model has been developed and validated to depict the heat and mass transfer that occurs in the DEC between the air and water, as well as between the ground and water in the geothermal heat exchanger. The key variables taken into consideration are the outdoor air temperature and the mass flow rate and the temperature of water. The effect of the inlet hot air velocity and temperature, and water mass flow rate, on the evaporated water is investigated. The findings indicate that the mathematical model of a DEC coupled to GWHE predicts optimal characteristics, leading to a reduction in the air temperature from 48°C to 32°C at the heat exchanger inlet of the cooling tower.
Abbreviations
DCT | = | Dry Cooling Tower |
DEC | = | Direct Evaporative Cooler |
FTHE | = | Finned Tube Heat Exchanger |
GAHE | = | Ground-Air Heat Exchanger |
GWHE | = | Ground-Water Heat Exchanger |
LMTD | = | Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference |
WCT | = | Wet cooling tower |
Nomenclature
= | Total area of the heat exchange, m2 | |
Cf | = | Frictional factor |
= | Specific heat capacity, J/(kg⋅K) | |
= | Diameter, m | |
Cst | = | Constant |
= | Convective coefficient, W/(m2∙K) | |
= | Finned coil dimension, m | |
= | Lewis number | |
= | Length, m | |
Lv | = | Latent heat, kJ |
= | Mass flow rate, kg/s | |
= | Number of rows | |
= | Nusselt number | |
P | = | Pressure, Pa |
Pl | = | Longitudinal tube pitch, m |
Pt | = | Transversal tube pith, m |
= | Prandtl number | |
= | Thermal resistance, K/W | |
= | Radius, m | |
= | Reynolds number | |
= | Surface per meter of length, m2/m | |
Sfin | = | Fin spacing, m |
T | = | Temperature,°C |
= | Overall coefficient of heat transfer, W/m2∙K | |
= | Velocity, m/s | |
= | Humidity, kg/kg dry of air | |
x | = | Distance, m |
Greek symbols | = | |
ν | = | Kinematic viscosity, m2/s |
Φ | = | Heat flux, W/m2 |
λ | = | Thermal conductivity, W/m.K |
η | = | Efficiency - |
ρ | = | Density, kg/m3 |
µ | = | dynamic viscosity, kg/(m.s) |
Subscript | = | |
a | = | Air |
h | = | Hydraulic |
I | = | Internal |
i | = | Inlet |
o | = | Outlet |
e | = | External |
pf | = | Process fluid |
sat | = | Saturated |
s | = | Soil |
t | = | Tube |
w | = | Water |
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Mohamed-Abdelbassit Kheireddine
Mohamed-Abdelbassit Kheireddine is a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Biskra, Algeria. He works as temporary assistant professor in the University of Biskra. His research interests include motorcycle industry, thermal engineering, heat and mass transfer, geothermal energy and solar adsorption cooling systems.
Adel Benchabane
Dr. Adel Benchabane is Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Biskra, Algeria. He is the Founder and the Publication Director of the Alwaha Scientific Publishing Services (ASPS), an international academic publisher. He has published more than 80 papers in international/national journals, books and conference proceedings. His research interests include rheology, composite materials and renewable energies.
Amar Rouag
Dr. Amar Rouag is Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Renewable Energies at University of Kasdi Merbah Ouargla, Algeria. His major research interests are thermal engineering, heat and mass transfer, geothermal energy and solar adsorption cooling systems.
I.M. Mahbubul
Dr. I.M. Mahbubul (Dr. Mohammed Mahbubul Islam) is currently serving the Institute of Energy Engineering at Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology (DUET), Gazipur, Bangladesh. He is the Founder and the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Energy and Thermo fluids Engineering (ISSN 2716-8026) and Journal of Renewable Energy and Technology (ISSN 2716-8123). His research interests in thermal energy, solar energy, waste to energy, nanofluid, and sustainability. He has about 70 publications
Müslüm Arıcı
Dr. Müslüm Arıcı is Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Kocaeli University, Turkey. His main research field covers the application of energy-efficient buildings, nanofluids, renewable energy systems, thermal energy storage, and thermal management by phase change materials.
Hakan Demir
Dr. Hakan Demir is Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Yildiz Technical University. His research field covers the Mechanical Engineering, Computational fluid dynamics, Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer, Renewable Energy Systems, Energy storage technologies, Geothermal energy, Wind power, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning.
Mustafa Kemal Sevindir
Dr. Mustafa Kemal Sevindir is currently serving the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Yildiz Technical University. His major research interests are Mechanical Engineering, Thermodynamics, Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning, Engineering and Technology