Second-law analysis of a wet crossflow heat exchanger

A second-law analysis of a wet crossflow heat exchanger is performed for various weather conditions. The heat exchanger can be used as an energy-saving device for ventilation in air-conditioning. The heat and mass transfer is solved by using the model developed by Holmberg. The effectiveness, exergy recovery factor and second-law efficiency of the wet heat exchanger are individually defined. The effects of lateral solid heat conduction on the effectiveness, exergy recovery factor and second-law efficiency are numerically investigated for various operating conditions. Two optimum design criteria, one for the maximum second law efficiency and the other for the maximum exergy recovery factor, are obtained. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.