Analytical/experimental sensitivity study of key design and operational parameters of perforated Maisotsenko cooler based on novel wet-surface theory

Only one analytical model was previously proposed for multi-stage M-cycle cooler which is based on Sprayed-Water Theory in which the temperature of the wet plate was assumed constant, equal to water inlet temperature, (as the water flow rate was assumed so high). Said preliminary model was only able to predict outlet characteristics of the cooler (not parameters distribution along the cooler). This paper presents a new model for multi-stage M-cycle cooler based on the novel Wet-Surface theory in which the temperature of the wet-plate varies along the cooler (real working condition) and the model is able to generate the temperature/humidity distribution in addition to the outlet characteristics. The concept of the novel Wet-Surface theory and its potentials are discussed in the paper. Maximum theoretic cooling capacity of a given M-cycle cooler is obtained when it works based on Wet-Surface Theory. The model is experimentally validated with a unique test-rig and then the impacts of key operation and design parameters of multi-stage M-cycle cooler (i.e. inlet temperature, humidity ratio, mass flow rate, mass flow ratio, channel gap, channel length, channel height and the location of perforation) on its cooling characteristics (including outlet temperatures, outlet humidity ratio, wet-bulb effectiveness and dew-point effectiveness) are studied by the validated model.