Practical thermal performance correlations for molecular sieve and silica gel loaded enthalpy wheels

The central thrust of this research was to develop practical enthalpy wheel effectiveness correlations useful for enthalpy wheel integrated systems design and analysis. In this research, enthalpy wheel performance data generated using established fundamental enthalpy wheel models were statistically analyzed. And then, first order linear regression equations were derived to estimate the enthalpy wheel sensible and latent effectiveness at normal operating rotational speeds (i.e. over 20 rpm). The two most common desiccant materials, silica gel and molecular sieve on aluminum substrate, were analyzed. Each correlation relates the enthalpy wheel sensible and latent effectiveness as a function of six parameters; incoming outdoor air and exhaust air temperature and relative humidity, face velocity, and air flow ratio. The enthalpy wheel leaving air conditions can then be simply estimated by employing the practical effectiveness correlations. Predicted effectiveness values corresponded well with published manufacturer’s data and existing fundamental enthalpy wheel models.