A PARAMETRIC STUDY OF AN INDIRECT EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLER

The thermal performance of an indirect evaporative air cooler is analy zed numerically. The effects of a wide variety of parameters such as t he velocities of the primary and the secondary air stream, the channel width, the inlet relative humidity, and the wettability of the plate on its-thermal performance are investigated. It is shown that a smalle r channel width, a lower inlet relative humidity of the secondary air stream, a higher wettability of the plate, and a higher velocity ratio of the secondary air to the primary air stream yield a higher effecti veness of the indirect evaporative air cooler. The results are useful for the design of an indirect evaporative air cooler. (C) 1998 Elsevie r Science Ltd.