Abstract
Evaporative cooling can be integrated into fresh-air-handling units, to reduce cooling demand. This study considers a hybrid fresh-air-handling unit which incorporates a vapor-compression cooling cycle and indirect evaporative cooling to condition an ambient primary airstream to a desired supply air state. The cooling effects of using various modes (vapor compression only; direct expansion with mist; direct expansion with water shower; and direct expansion with mist and water shower) are compared when the fresh-air-handling unit operates in harsh (hot and humid) climatic conditions experienced in Qatar. Experimental analysis is based on actual ambient conditions measured from August 2018 to July 2019. It is found that the best-performing wet mode of operation saves more than 60% of the energy required by a conventional direct expansion cooling system operating under the same ambient conditions. In hot, dry conditions, the coefficient of performance of the fresh-air-handling unit when using the indirect evaporative mode of operation is double the coefficient of performance when operating with direct expansion mode only.
Highlights
Middle East countries use vast quantities of energy to cool buildings all year round
This study experimentally investigated the behavior of a hybrid fresh-air-handling unit (FAHU) integrating a vapor compression cooling cycle (DX) with indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) instigated by mist injection, water shower, or a combination of mist and water shower
The study compared different modes of operation in ambient conditions with dry-bulb temperatures less than 40 ◦ C, as well as when ambient temperatures are higher than 40 ◦ C, as this has never been reported in the literature until now
Summary
Middle East countries use vast quantities of energy to cool buildings all year round. Evaporative cooling units, when combined with traditional cooling systems utilizing refrigerant-based vapor-compression cooling cycles can provide more efficient hybrid cooling systems Such hybrid systems enable evaporative cooling units to perform more effectively in humid climatic conditions, as cited in a study by Cui et al [13], with results showing the integrated unit has great potential to reduce electrical demand, as well as energy usage. The present study assesses the performance of a hybrid fresh-air-handling cooling system integrating IEC heat exchanger used in combination with a direct expansion cooling coil and operating in various modes against harsh climatic ambient conditions experienced in Qatar. The work in the present study is targeted toward addressing this gap in available information
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