© 2018 Copyright held by the author(s). Published by AIJR Publisher in Proceedings of First Conference for Engineering
Sciences and Technology (CEST-2018), September 25-27, 2018, vol. 2.
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original work is properly cited. ISBN: 978-81-936820-6-7
Theoretical Investigation of an Indirect Evaporative Air
Cooling System
Mohamed I. Alowa, Gassem A. Azzain
Department of Renewable Energies, Faculty of Energy and Mining Engineering,
Sebha University, Libya
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21467/proceedings.4.17
* Corresponding author email: moh.alowa@sebhau.edu.ly
ABSTRACT
In this paper an indirect evaporative cooler theoretically investigated. Because of its low
cost and low environment pollution, the indirect evaporative coolers have great potential
as an alternative to conventional air conditioning in an arid hot climates such as southern
of Libya where the temperature and relative humidity reach 45
º
C and 20 % respectively.
The present investigated system consists of cooling tower, cross unmixed heat
exchanger, air blower, circulating pump, air filter, humidifier , and air duct. The main
factors that affect on the temperature output of the system are presented. The affect of
air conditions input to the cooling tower and air duct were clarified by solving the control
equations using Matlab program. The results show that the air dry bulb temperature
directly proportion to the outlet dry bulb temperature, and air input relative humidity
notable proportion to the outlet dry bulb temperature. The water flow rate in the cooling
tower affect on the outlet air temperature, were as it increases the outlet air temperature
decreases. Also the air flow rate through the cooling tower contributes in the outlet air
temperature, while the increasing in the air flow rate leads to decreasing in the outlet air
temperature. Furthermore as the flow rate of the air inside the air duct increases, the
outlet temperature decreases. Moreover investigation proves that the indirect
evaporative cooling successfully can be used in the southern of Libya.
KEYWORDS: Indirect evaporative cooling, Cooling tower, Arid hot climates
1 Introduction
An indirect evaporative air cooler (IEC) is one of the promising solution for air conditioning
specially in the arid hot climates, which encouraging the researchers to taken up different
studies concerning of this subject. The analysis for theoretical and experimental works takes
place over a wide world locations even in the cold weather State, such as European countries
where the experimental analysis of (IEC) system studied [1]. The components of the (IEC)
have factors effecting on the system performance, [2] investigated the conductivity of metal,
fibers, ceramics and how they impact on the (IEC) system. The (IEC) acts as an energy
recovery device in air conditioning systems which called a semi-indirect evaporative cooler [3].
The outdoor conditions have a most effect on the (IEC) availability applications that provide