Experimental methods to determine the performance of desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs)

Easwaran N. Krishnan; Hadi Ramin; A. Gurubalan; Carey J. Simonson

doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2021.121909

Experimental methods to determine the performance of desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs)

Easwaran N. Krishnan
, Hadi Ramin
, A. Gurubalan
, Carey J. Simonson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs) transfer heat and moisture between two airstreams having different temperature and humidity. The experiments on FBRs are challenging because of their transient nature of operation. Unlike other energy exchangers, FBRs do not attain a steady-state condition; instead, they reach a quasi-steady state where the humidity and temperature of the outlet air continuously vary with time. This paper shows that measuring the temperature and humidity of a time-varying airstream with temperature and humidity sensors may lead to errors in the effectiveness in the order of 15–20%. Meanwhile, the method proposed in this paper reduces errors to ±5–8%, which is comparable to the accepted uncertainties in steady-state test standards. The major contributions of this paper are: (i) development and verification of new experimental methods to determine the effectiveness of desiccant coated FBRs and (ii) verification of the bag sampling method (BSM) for humidity measurements proposed by test standards. The results are verified using a validated numerical model and a correlation from the literature.

Original language	English
Article number	121909
Journal	International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
Volume	182
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2021.121909
State	Published - Jan 2022
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Financial support from the College of Engineering and Postdoctoral Studies of the University of Saskatchewan, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada, Tempeff Inc. Winnipeg, Canada (Project No: 533225-18) are gratefully acknowledged. The support provided by Dr. Mohsen Shakouri (Canadian Light Source Inc.), Dr. Melanie Fauchoux, Mr. Hayden Reitenbach, Mr. Shawn Reinink (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan) and Dr. Wahab O. Alabi (Nortek Air Solutions) is also greatly appreciated. Financial support from the College of Engineering and Postdoctoral Studies of the University of Saskatchewan, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada, Tempeff Inc., Winnipeg, Canada (Project No: 533225-18) are gratefully acknowledged. The support provided by Dr. Mohsen Shakouri (Canadian Light Source Inc.), Dr. Melanie Fauchoux, Mr. Hayden Reitenbach, Mr. Shawn Reinink (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan) and Dr. Wahab O. Alabi (Nortek Air Solutions) is also greatly appreciated.

Keywords

Bag sampling method
Fixed-bed regenerators
Heat and moisture transfer
Sensor time constants
Test standards
Transient testing

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10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2021.121909

Cite this

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title = "Experimental methods to determine the performance of desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs)",

abstract = "Desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs) transfer heat and moisture between two airstreams having different temperature and humidity. The experiments on FBRs are challenging because of their transient nature of operation. Unlike other energy exchangers, FBRs do not attain a steady-state condition; instead, they reach a quasi-steady state where the humidity and temperature of the outlet air continuously vary with time. This paper shows that measuring the temperature and humidity of a time-varying airstream with temperature and humidity sensors may lead to errors in the effectiveness in the order of 15–20\%. Meanwhile, the method proposed in this paper reduces errors to ±5–8\%, which is comparable to the accepted uncertainties in steady-state test standards. The major contributions of this paper are: (i) development and verification of new experimental methods to determine the effectiveness of desiccant coated FBRs and (ii) verification of the bag sampling method (BSM) for humidity measurements proposed by test standards. The results are verified using a validated numerical model and a correlation from the literature.",

keywords = "Bag sampling method, Fixed-bed regenerators, Heat and moisture transfer, Sensor time constants, Test standards, Transient testing",

author = "Krishnan, \{Easwaran N.\} and Hadi Ramin and A. Gurubalan and Simonson, \{Carey J.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2022",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2021.121909",

language = "English",

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AU - Krishnan, Easwaran N.

AU - Ramin, Hadi

AU - Gurubalan, A.

AU - Simonson, Carey J.

PY - 2022/1

Y1 - 2022/1

N2 - Desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs) transfer heat and moisture between two airstreams having different temperature and humidity. The experiments on FBRs are challenging because of their transient nature of operation. Unlike other energy exchangers, FBRs do not attain a steady-state condition; instead, they reach a quasi-steady state where the humidity and temperature of the outlet air continuously vary with time. This paper shows that measuring the temperature and humidity of a time-varying airstream with temperature and humidity sensors may lead to errors in the effectiveness in the order of 15–20%. Meanwhile, the method proposed in this paper reduces errors to ±5–8%, which is comparable to the accepted uncertainties in steady-state test standards. The major contributions of this paper are: (i) development and verification of new experimental methods to determine the effectiveness of desiccant coated FBRs and (ii) verification of the bag sampling method (BSM) for humidity measurements proposed by test standards. The results are verified using a validated numerical model and a correlation from the literature.

AB - Desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs) transfer heat and moisture between two airstreams having different temperature and humidity. The experiments on FBRs are challenging because of their transient nature of operation. Unlike other energy exchangers, FBRs do not attain a steady-state condition; instead, they reach a quasi-steady state where the humidity and temperature of the outlet air continuously vary with time. This paper shows that measuring the temperature and humidity of a time-varying airstream with temperature and humidity sensors may lead to errors in the effectiveness in the order of 15–20%. Meanwhile, the method proposed in this paper reduces errors to ±5–8%, which is comparable to the accepted uncertainties in steady-state test standards. The major contributions of this paper are: (i) development and verification of new experimental methods to determine the effectiveness of desiccant coated FBRs and (ii) verification of the bag sampling method (BSM) for humidity measurements proposed by test standards. The results are verified using a validated numerical model and a correlation from the literature.

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KW - Fixed-bed regenerators

KW - Heat and moisture transfer

KW - Sensor time constants

KW - Test standards

KW - Transient testing

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JF - International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

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ER -

Experimental methods to determine the performance of desiccant coated fixed-bed regenerators (FBRs)

Abstract

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Keywords

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