Study of heat and mass transfer in evaporative coolers

Evaporative coolers are generally considered efficient and economical devices for rejecting waste heat. In these coolers, a hot fluid circulates inside tubes, rejecting heat to a mixture of air and water. Water is sprayed on the tubes and flows downward while air circulates upward; thus, latent and sensible heat is transferred from the water to the air. Commercially available coolers are of the horizonal tube type; a vertical tube evaporative cooler is studied because it is possible to enhance condensing heat transfer coefficients by using vertical fluted tubes. A mathematical model describing the performance of a single tube is formulated which can predict performance for varied inlet conditions, thereby eliminating the need for extensive testing. The validity of the model rests on the accuracy of the controlling heat and mass transfer coefficients used, so these coefficients are measured experimentally in a single tube cooler and found to agree with existing empirical correlations.