Experimental characterisation of the operation and comparative study of two semi-indirect evaporative systems

The study described in this paper aims to present the fundamentals in which the operation of two different evaporative cooling systems is based, as well as the experimental results developed to characterise their behaviour in different conditions of outside air. These results will permit to define, according to the ideas of the systems’ operation, appropriate parameters to characterise the heat and mass exchange processes that take place as well as to compare them, like cooling capacity, thermal or energetic effectiveness; and afterwards developing this comparative analysis. The first system consists of a bank of ceramic pipes arranged vertically and staggered acting as a heat exchanger (SIERCP). In the second case an evaporative cooler has been manufactured with hollow bricks filled with still water (SIECHB). Both systems are called “semi-indirect” because they are designed to act as either direct or indirect evaporative systems depending on the relative humidity of the outdoor and return air streams. Results show that parameters related to the air humidity should be considered; and that the second system behaves generally as a direct evaporative cooler and provides a better performance.