A solar-assisted winter air-conditioning system for hot and dry climates using summer air-coolers

Abstract

Paper presented at the 7th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Turkey, 19-21 July, 2010.

The paper presents an energy-efficient winter air­-conditioning system which is suitable for regions with mildly cold but dry winters. The system modifies the evaporative air­-cooler that is commonly used for summer air-conditioning in such regions by adding a heating process after the humidification process. The paper presents a theoretical model that estimates the system's water consumption and energy needed for the heating process. Based on the results obtained, the paper shows that a 150-LPD solar heater is adequate for air­-conditioning a 500 ft'/min air flow rate for four hours of operation. The maximum air-flow rate that can be heated by a single solar water-heater for four hours of operation is about 900-cfm, unless a solar water heater large than a 250-LPD heater is used.