Measurement of Heat Transfer Enhancement and Pressure Drop Across Eddy Promoter Air Screens in a Liquid-to-Air-Membrane Energy Exchanger (LAMEE)

Abstract

In liquid-to-air membrane energy exchangers (LAMEEs), the heat and mass transfer resistances in the air channel are dominant. An eddy promoter air screen can effectively enhance the heat and mass transfers in the air channel. In this study, the heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop across three different eddy promoter air screens in an air channel are experimentally investigated. Eddy promoter air screens are comprised of plastic ribs in the stream-wise direction and aluminum cross-bars normal to the air flow direction. A low speed wind tunnel test facility, which simulates the air channel of a LAMEE is designed to measure the friction factor and enhanced convective heat transfer coefficient in the air channel with an eddy promoter air screen. Tests were conducted at Reynolds numbers of 920, 1550, and 2160. In this paper, the effects of the spacing of the cylindrical bars and plastic ribs on the heat transfer performance are studied experimentally. Also, the performance of eddy promoter air screens as a function of enhanced heat transfer coefficient and increased pressure drop is investigated. Results show that the eddy promoter air screens have the highest efficiencies at Reynolds of 1550 and double the convective heat transfer coefficient of the air with respect to a smooth channel.