Title: Effect of outdoor air parameters on energy consumption with heat-pipe used in air-handling unit

Authors: J.W. Wan, Kunli Yang, J.L. Zhang

Addresses: College of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China. ' Faculty of Architecture, Southwest Jiaotong University, China. ' York Guangzhou Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, China

Abstract: A study was carried out to investigate the influence of outdoor air parameters on energy-saving capability in an air-conditioned building with heat-pipe used in air-conditioning processes. The study indicates that the sensible heat recovered by heat-pipe is related to the outdoor wet-bulb temperature and to the temperature difference of outdoor dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures. The lower the outdoor design wet-bulb temperature and the larger the temperature difference of outdoor dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures, the more the sensible heat recovered with heat-pipe. Compared with conventional air-handling method, the air-conditioning system with heat pipe incorporated with cooling coil in air-handling unit can significantly reduce both the cooling load and the total energy load of a central air-conditioning system.

Keywords: heat pipes; DBT; dry-bulb temperature; WBT; wet-bulb temperature; energy consumption; air conditioning; outdoor air parameters; energy saving; cooling load; total energy load.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2008.020734

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2008 Vol.6 No.5/6, pp.446 - 457

Published online: 13 Oct 2008 *

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