This paper describes how direct evaporative coolers can be used to improve the energy efficiency of air-cooled chillers in various operating conditions and with different strategies for staging condenser fans. These coolers are installed in front of air-cooled condensers to precool outdoor air before entering the condensers. A simulation analysis on an air-cooled chiller equipped with a direct evaporative cooler showed that when head pressure control is used, the cooler enables the condensing temperature to drop by 2.1–6.2°C, resulting in a 1.4-14.4% decrease in chiller power and a 1.3–4.6% increase in the refrigeration effect. When the chiller with the cooler operates under condensing temperature control, where condenser effectiveness is enhanced by staging all condenser fans, there is a savings in chiller power of 1.3-4.3% in some operating conditions in which the drop in compressor power exceeds the additional condenser fan power due to the pressure drop across the cooler.
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e-mail: befwyu@polyu.edu.hk
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August 2005
Technical Briefs
Application of Direct Evaporative Coolers for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Air-Cooled Chillers
F. W. Yu,
e-mail: befwyu@polyu.edu.hk
F. W. Yu
Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
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K. T. Chan
K. T. Chan
Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
Search for other works by this author on:
F. W. Yu
Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
e-mail: befwyu@polyu.edu.hk
K. T. Chan
Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS. Manuscript received by the ASME Solar Energy Division March 24, 2004; final revision July 14, 2004. Associate Editor: V. C. Mei.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Aug 2005, 127(3): 430-433 (4 pages)
Published Online: July 20, 2005
Article history
Received:
March 24, 2004
Revised:
July 14, 2004
Online:
July 20, 2005
Citation
Yu , F. W., and Chan , K. T. (July 20, 2005). "Application of Direct Evaporative Coolers for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Air-Cooled Chillers ." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. August 2005; 127(3): 430–433. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1866144
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