3192 -- An Improved Model for the Design of Plain Tube Air Cooling and Dehumidifying Coils PDF

A model for the design of plain tube air coolers under wet, partially dry, or totally dry conditions is presented. Departing from Goodman’s classic approach, the new model employs new correlations for the heat and mass transfer coefficients within the heat exchanger to predict the variation of air states along its length, i.e., from one row to the next. The model is verified using a large number of test cases covering a wide range of flow rates and inlet conditions. It is then utilized to study the influence of the coil design parameters as well as air and water inlet conditions on its performance, characterized by the cooling load, air temperature drop, and the coil sensible heat factor. The comparison with experinmntal results proved the superiority of the model over procedures employing the Lewis relation.

Units: SI