Shibo Zhao - Refrigeration System Using Evaporative Cooler
Shibo Zhao - Refrigeration System Using Evaporative Cooler
Shibo Zhao - Refrigeration System Using Evaporative Cooler
1051/e3sconf/202019401027
ICAEER 2020
Abstract. The traditional refrigeration method of internet data center (IDC) is mostly air refrigeration,
which has undesired cooling effect and high power consumption. This study addresses this problem and
proposes an evaporative air cooler (EAC) suitable for IDC. Given the high specific heat capacity of water,
the evaporative condensing coil and spray device are added to the evaporative cooler to enhance the heat
transfer effect. Heat and mass transfer mathematical models are established to analyze the heat transfer
performance. The mathematical model is used to simulate the profile of the heat and mass transfer
coefficient of the EAC with the amount of spray water and air flow. The results show that when the air flow
changes from 10 to 20 kg/s, the air equivalent heat transfer coefficient increases by about 41%. When the air
flow rate is 20 kg/s and the spray water volume is 0.00124 kg/(mꞏs), the total heat transfer coefficient is
increased by about 308% compared with the case without spray water.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
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E3S Web of Conferences 194, 01027 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019401027
ICAEER 2020
coolers and 3-10 °C lower than that of the water-cooled represents the micro-element change along the height of
cooling system [8]. the EAC.
This research proposes that on the basis of the
existing IDC air-cooled chillers, an EAC will replace the
dry cooler as an application method for the natural
cooling module, as shown in Fig. 1. The natural cooling
module is composed of plate heat exchanger, water
pump, EAC, etc. In actual operation, the natural cooling
module is mostly operated in winter, and the mechanical
cooling module is operated in conjunction with the
spring and autumn transition seasons. Compared with
dry coolers, EACs have the advantages of lower cooling
temperature and more energy saving. The evaporative air
cooler mainly uses the vaporization latent heat of water
to dissipate the heat. The outlet temperature of the
working fluid in the tube can theoretically reach the wet
bulb temperature of the air, which is lower than the Fig. 2. Schematic heat and mass transfer of the EAC
theoretical outlet temperature of the dry cooler, i.e., the Assuming that the working fluid flow, air flow and
dry bulb temperature [9].Using the EAC as a natural spray water flow at the inlet and outlet are evenly
cooling module can extend the use time during the distributed, the entire heat and mass transfer process can
transition season and reduce the power consumption of be regarded as one-dimensional. The parameters only
the compressor. The dry cooler mainly blows in air change in the vertical direction of the heat exchanger,
continuously through the fan to take away the heat of the and the horizontal parameters can be regarded as
fluid in the heat exchange coil, and the fan has a large consistent [12]. The assumptions for the EAC are made
output power. Although the EAC also needs a fan, under as follows:
the same cooling capacity, its power is about 1/3 of that (1) The air and the working fluid in the pipe flow
of a dry cooler, saving more than 30% of electricity [10]. steadily.
The use of EACs instead of dry coolers in IDC (2) The heat and mass transfer interface is in
air-cooled chillers has important practical significance. equilibrium, and the heat and mass transfer process only
occurs in the cooler.
(3) In the temperature range of this study, the specific
heat at constant pressure (cp) of liquid water, water vapor,
and air is a stationary number.
In Fig. 2, taking the height of the element dx as the
research object, the heat and mass transfer analyses are
carried out, and the heat transfer equation between the
cooling water in the tube and the water film outside the
tube is:
dQ ko tf ts sdxα (1)
where ko is the total heat transfer coefficient from the
fluid in the tube to the water film outside the tube,
W/(m2ꞏK); tf is the temperature of the working fluid in
the tube, K; ts is the temperature of the spray water
Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the refrigeration system of outside the tube, K; s is the cross-sectional area of the
IDCs using an EAC tube, m2; α′ is the heat exchange area per unit volume of
the heat exchange tube, m2/m3.
The heat transfer equation between the water film
3 Mathematical model outside the tube and the air:
The working fluid flow in the tube, the water flow dQ hm ts t sdxα k m w w sdxα r (2)
outside the tube and the air flow outside the tube of the where hm is the convective heat transfer coefficient
EAC are counter-current flow as a whole [11]. The between the air and the water film outside the tube,
structures of EAC are various, and the water flow and air W/(m2ꞏK); t is the air temperature, K; km is the
flow outside the tube are in a variety of mutual flow convective mass transfer coefficient between the air and
modes, but the essence of the heat and mass transfer the water film outside the tube, kg/(m2ꞏs); w′′ is the
process is basically the same, as shown in Fig. 2. The moisture content of saturated air at the temperature of
qm,f, qm,w and qm,a shown in Fig. 2 are the flow rates of the water film outside the tube, kg/kg-dry air; w′ is the
the working fluid in the tube, the spray water outside the moisture content of the air, kg/kg-dry air; r is the latent
tube, and the air flow outside the tube, respectively; tf, ts heat of vaporization of water at the temperature, kJ/kg.
and ta represent the temperature of the fluid in the tube, For air-water systems, the Lewis relation [13] applies.
the spray water outside the tube, and the air, respectively; So hm/km = cp,a holds and Eq. (2) can be rewritten as:
Q represents the heat transfer in the entire process; dx
2
E3S Web of Conferences 194, 01027 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019401027
ICAEER 2020
3
E3S Web of Conferences 194, 01027 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019401027
ICAEER 2020
parameters influencing the fluid in the EAC, such as heat transfer coefficient between the water film outside
inlet and outlet temperature, remain basically unchanged, the tube and the outer wall of the tube, thus influencing
and their influences on the EAC can be temporarily the thermal performance of the EAC [11]. Eq. (13) is
ignored. The influence of spray water and air flow on its employed to calculate the change of the convective heat
thermal performance is considered. transfer coefficient between the water film outside the
The air mass flow contributes to the convective mass tube and the outer wall of the tube, and Eq. (11) is used
transfer and convective thermal efficiency between the to calculate the change of the total heat transfer
water film outside the tube and the air, and thus it can coefficient between the cooling water inside the tube and
influence the thermal performance of the EAC. Eq. (14) the water film outside the tube, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
is employed to calculate the change of mass transfer When the spray water quantity per unit width changes
coefficient from water film outside the tube to air when from 0.002 to 0.006 kg/(m∙s), the convective heat
the mass flow rate of the minimum heat transfer section transfer coefficient from the water film outside the tube
is G = 1.2-5 kg/(m2∙s) [17], as shown in Fig. 3. It can be to the outer wall of the tube increases from 1013 to 1454
seen that there is almost a linear relationship between air W/(m2∙K), and the total heat transfer coefficient ko from
flow and convective mass transfer coefficient, and the cooling water inside the tube to the water film
convective mass transfer coefficient increases with the outside the tube increases from 841 to 1109 W/(m2ꞏK).
increase in air flow. The larger the air flow rate, the Numerically, the local convective heat transfer
stronger the convective heat transfer and convective coefficient is greater than the total heat transfer
mass transfer between the water film outside the tube coefficient. For a certain range of spray water volume,
and the air. with the increase in spray water volume per unit width,
the turbulence of liquid film outside the tube is
intensified, and then, the heat transfer is enhanced.
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E3S Web of Conferences 194, 01027 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019401027
ICAEER 2020
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by Northeastern University,
China (201145) under the National Training Program of
Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates
(202010145047), and the Fundamental Research Funds
for the Central Universities (N182410001).