The fluid flow channels of modern heat exchangers are often equipped with different flow disturbance elements which enhance the convective heat transfer coefficient in each channel. These structural or surface roughness elements induce enhanced flow mixing and convective heat transfer at low Reynolds numbers (500 < Re < 2200) by fluid mixing near the channel walls and increasing the surface area. These elements, however, are accompanied by higher pressure drops in comparison to hollow smooth channels (without inserts).
The Run-Around Membrane Energy Exchanger (RAMEE) system is an air-to-air energy recovery system comprised of two remote liquid-to-air membrane energy exchangers (LAMEEs) coupled by a pumped liquid desiccant loop. LAMEEs use semi-permeable membranes that are permeable to water vapor, but impermeable to liquid water. The membranes separate the liquid desiccant from the air flow channels, while still allowing both heat and water vapor transfer. The air channels are equipped with turbulence enhancing inserts which serve dual purposes: (a) to support the adjacent flexible membranes, and (b) to enhance the convective heat and mass transfer.
This research experimentally investigates the increase in the air pressure drop and average convective heat transfer coefficient after an air-side insert is installed in a Small-scale wind tunnel for exchanger insert testing (WEIT) facility that is designed to simulate the air channels of a LAMEE and to measure all the properties required to determine the flow friction factor and Nusselt number. Experiments are conducted in the test section under steady state conditions at Reynolds numbers between 900 and 2200 for a channel with and without inserts. The 500-mm-long test section has a rectangular cross section (5 mm wide and 152.4 mm high) and is designed to maintain a specified constant heat flux on each side wall. The flow is laminar and hydrodynamically fully developed at the entrance of the test section and, within the test section, thermal development occurs.
Nine different insert panels are tested. Each insert is comprised of several plastic rib spacers, each aligned parallel to the stream-wise direction, and several cross-bars aligned normal to the flow direction. The plastic rib spacers are placed either 30 mm, 20 mm or 10 mm apart, and the distance between the cylindrical bars is either 30 mm, 45 mm, 60 mm or 90 mm. The measured convective heat transfer coefficient and the friction factor have uncertainties that are less than ±7% and ±11%, respectively.
It is found that the Nusselt number and friction factor are dependent on the insert geometry and the Reynolds number. An empirical correlation is developed for the inserts to predict Nusselt number and friction factor within an air channel of a LAMEE. The correlations are able to determine the Nusselt number and the friction factor within ±9% and ±20% of the experimental data. Results show the flow insert bar spacing is the most important factor in determining the convective heat transfer improvement.
As an application of the experimental data in this thesis, the experimental and the numerical results from a LAMEE which has an insert in each airflow channel are presented. The results show that the insert within the air channel of the LAMEE is able to improve the total effectiveness of the LAMEE by 4% to 15% depending on the insert geometry and air flow Reynolds number and operating inlet conditions for the exchanger.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USASK/oai:ecommons.usask.ca:10388/ETD-2014-04-1452 |
| Date | 2014 April 1900 |
| Contributors | Simonson, Carey J., Besant, Robert W. |
| Source Sets | University of Saskatchewan Library |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, thesis |
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