Energetic-exergetic analysis of an air handling unit to reduce energy consumption by a novel creative idea

Purpose This study aims to simulate the flow and heat transfer through an air handling unit to reduce its energy consumption by a novel creative idea of using an air-to-air heat exchanger. Design/methodology/approach To do this, both first and second laws of thermodynamics energy and exergy balance equations were solved numerically by an appropriate developed computer code. Findings Using the air-to-air heat exchanger in dry conditions decreases the cooling coil load by 0.9 per cent, whereas the reduction for humid conditions is 27 per cent. Similarly, using air-to-air heat exchanger leads to an increase in the first law of efficiency in dry and humid conditions by 0.9 per cent and 36.8 per cent, respectively. Originality/value The second law of efficiency increases by 1.55 per cent and 2.77 per cent in dry and humid conditions, respectively. In other words, the effect of using an air-to-air heat exchanger in humid conditions is more than that in dry conditions.