An Investigation of the Scope for Improvement of the Performance of Multi-Stage Downdraught Evaporative Coolers Using CFD

Abstract:

Downdraft evaporative cooling systems can be used for the thermal management of inside spaces in hot dry environments. There may be scope for improvement of such systems. The work described here is a study aimed at validating the Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD) method using experimental data available from a prototype multi-stage system which existed at Ben-Gurion University. A detailed model of the prototype device has been developed. Initial CFD work has focused on establishing the relationship between ambient wind speed and the downdraft flow rate and comparing the result with the existing experimental data. Initial results are consistent and encouraging. Detailed flow features not evident from the experiments are revealed. Further CFD work to model the prototype performance with water spray evaporation is described briefly.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 315)
• Pages: 835-840
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.315.835
• Online since: April 2013
• Authors: Sarjito Sarjito
• Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Downdraft Evaporative Cooling

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