A Mathematical Model of an Evaporative Cooling Pad Using Sintered Nigerian Clay
- 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka, Nigeria
- 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka, Nigeria
- 3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka, Nigeria
- 4 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka, Nigeria
Abstract
Overtime, reduction in the amount of heat generated in engineering systems in operations have been of great concern and have continuously been under study. It is in line with the above that this research work developed a mathematical model of an evaporative cooling pad using sintered Nigerian clay. A physical model of the evaporative cooling phenomenon was developed followed by the derivation of the governing equations describing the energy and mass transfer for the clay model from the laws of conservation of continuum mechanics. A set of reasonable and appropriate as-sumptions were imposed upon the physical model. Constitutive relationships were also developed for further analysis of the developed equations. The finite element model of numerical methods was used to analyse the energy transfer governing equations which resulted in the determination of the temperature of the exposed boundary surface at any given time, t2 after the commencement of the evaporative cooling processes. In this paper, it was found out that surface temperature differences could be as much as 6?C in the first cycle of evaporative cooling with the potential of further reduction. Further, an equation for the prediction of the effectiveness of an evaporative cooling system using clay modeled cooling pads was developed. The findings in this research work can be applied in the design, construction and maintenance of evaporative coolers used to dissipate waste heat when a large amount of natural water is not readily available or if for environmental and safety reasons the large water body can no longer absorb waste heat.
- F. Al-Sulaiman, “Evaluation of the Performance of Local Fibers in Evaporative Cooling, Energy Conversion & Management,” Elsevier Science Ltd., Amsterdam, 2002.
- C. Liao and K. Chiu, “Wind Tunnel Modeling and the System Performance of Alternative Evaporative Cooling Pads in Taiwan Region, Building and Environment,” Elsevier Science Ltd., Amsterdam, 2002.
- A. Hasan and K. Sirén, “Performance Investigation of Plain and Finned Tube Evaporatively Cooled Heat Exchangers, Applied Thermal Engineering,” Elsevier Science Ltd., Amsterdam, 2003.
- Y. J. Dai and K. Sumathy, “Theoretical Study on a Cross-Flow Direct Evaporative Cooler Using Honeycomb Paper as Packing Material, Applied Thermal Engineering,” Elsevier Science Ltd., Amsterdam, 2002.
- Y. A. Cengel and M. A. Boles, “Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach,” 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2002.
- W. Kenneth Jr. and D. E. Richards, “Thermodynamics,” 6th Edition, McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., New York, 1999.
- J. H. Lienhard, “A Heat Transfer Textbook,” 3rd Edition, Phlogiston Press, Cambridge, 2005.
- R. S. Khurmiand and J. K. Gupta, “Refrigeration and Airconditioning,” 3rd Edition, Eurasia publishers, New Delhi, 2004.
- E. E. Nnuka and C. Enejor, “Characterization of Nahuta Clay for Industrial and Commercial Applications,” Nigerian Journal of Engineering and Materials, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2001, pp. 9-12.
- F. P. Incropera and D. P. DeWitt, “Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer,” 5th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 2002.
- M. L. Averill, “Simulation Modeling and Analysis,” 4th Edition,” McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, 2007.
- O. C. Ziennkiewicz and Y. K. Cheung, “The Finite Element in Structures and Continuum Mechanics,” McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd., London, 1967.
- R. J. Astley, “Finite Element in Solids and Structures,” Chap- man and Hall Publishers, London, 1992.
- C. C. Ihueze and S. M. Ofochebe, “Finite Design for Hydro- dynamic Pressures on Immersed Moving Surfaces,” International Journal of Mechanics and Solids Research India Publications, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2001, pp. 115-128.
- M. K. Chain, S. R. K. Iyenger and R. K. Chain, “Numerical Method for Scientific and Engineering Computation,” 5th Edition, New Age International (P) Limited Publishers, New Delhi, 2009.