Performance of a Plate-Type Cross-Flow Enthalpy Exchanger Made of Paper

The effects of paper properties such as density, air permeability, moisture transmission rate on the thermal performance of plate-type enthalpy exchanger were experimentally investigated. Three enthalpy exchanger samples having different properties were made, and were tested according to the standard test procedure (KS B 6879). Effective efficiencies were defined, which accounted for the air leakage between supply and exhaust streams. Results showed that paper density affected the sensible heat transfer of the samples. Sensible heat transfer increased with density of the paper. It was also shown that moisture transmission rate alone was not a proper indicator for the efficiency of latent heat transfer. Air permeability should also be considered for adequate evaluation of the latent heat transfer. Best performance was obtained for the sample having highest paper density and moderate moisture transmission ratio.