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.
- Heat Transfer Division
Measurement of Heat Transfer Enhancement and Pressure Drop Across Eddy Promoter Air Screens in a Liquid-to-Air-Membrane Energy Exchanger (LAMEE) Available to Purchase
Oghabi, A, Ghadiri Moghaddam, D, Simonson, C, & Besant, RW. "Measurement of Heat Transfer Enhancement and Pressure Drop Across Eddy Promoter Air Screens in a Liquid-to-Air-Membrane Energy Exchanger (LAMEE)." Proceedings of the ASME 2013 Heat Transfer Summer Conference collocated with the ASME 2013 7th International Conference on Energy Sustainability and the ASME 2013 11th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology. Volume 2: Heat Transfer Enhancement for Practical Applications; Heat and Mass Transfer in Fire and Combustion; Heat Transfer in Multiphase Systems; Heat and Mass Transfer in Biotechnology. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. July 14–19, 2013. V002T04A001. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/HT2013-17252
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