Application of an Air-Air Energy Exchanger in a Building HVAC System in Xiamen

Abstract

An air-air energy exchanger (AAEE) has been introduced in the literature as a novel energy recovery system that transfers heat and moisture between the ventilation and exhaust air. In this paper, the application of an AAEE in a HVAC system is investigated. The paper discusses the dependency of AAEE performance on ventilation air and indoor and outdoor air conditions, it describes how to control the AAEE in different operating conditions (summer and winter). The suited meteorological conditions of the AAEE in buildings are given. Based on the humidity and temperature data of the typical meteorological year in Xiamen, the temperature distribution statistics throughout the year is studied and the air enthalpy difference is calculated. Combining with the demand of the indoor air conditioning parameters, the applicable hours of different types of AAEE, such as total heat and sensible heat, in Xiamen are analyzed. It is shown that the lower we intend to get the temperature and relative humidity, the more space there will be for the AAEE to work in summer. In winter, for the sensible heat AAEE, the higher indoor temperature we design, the more hours it works, the greater space we will have for heat recovery. But for the total heat AAEE, it will be used longer as the indoor temperature and relative humidity are designed higher. The study results show that the AAEE can be energy-saving and reduce indoor air pollution of modern buildings, improve indoor work and living environment. The result can provide basic principle and referenced data for product improvement and air-conditioning system design.