Thermodynamic performance experiment and cooling number calculation of a counter-flow spray humidifier in the HAT cycle

Abstract

An experimental investigation of the thermodynamic performance of a counter-flow spray humidifier was conducted on the basis of theoretical analysis of the heat and mass transfer mechanism inside the humidifier. Critical parameters such as the temperature and relative humidity of air and the temperature of water at the inlet and outlet were measured. The influence of every measured parameter on the thermal performance of the humidifier was obtained under different experimental conditions. The cooling number, whose variation was also obtained, was calculated according to the measured data. The experimental results show that both the temperature and the temperature increment of outlet humid air and the temperature of outlet water increase with an increase of the water-gas ratio, whereas the cooling number decreases. Under all experimental conditions, the outlet humid air reaches or is close to the saturation level. The lower cooling number is favorable for the system, but it has an optimal value for a certain humidifier.

Keywords

HAT cycle, humidifier, thermal performance, cooling number