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Title: Development of a High Latent Effectiveness Energy Recovery Ventilator with Integration into Rooftop Package Equipment

Abstract

This Final Report covers the Cooperative Program carried out to design and optimize an enhanced flat-plate energy recovery ventilator and integrate it into a packaged unitary (rooftop) air conditioning unit. The project objective was to optimize the design of a flat plate energy recovery ventilator (ERV) core that compares favorably to flat plate air-to-air heat exchanger cores on the market and to cost wise to small enthalpy wheel devices. The benefits of an integrated unit incorporating an enhanced ERV core and a downsized heating/cooling unit were characterized and the design of an integrated unit considering performance and cost was optimized. Phase I was to develop and optimize the design of a membrane based heat exchanger core. Phase II was the creation and observation of a system integrated demonstrator unit consisting of the Enhanced Energy Recovery Ventilator (EERV) developed in Phase I coupled to a standard Carrier 50HJ rooftop packaged unitary air conditioning unit. Phase III was the optimization of the system prior to commercialization based on the knowledge gained in Phase II. To assure that the designs chosen have the possibility of meeting cost objectives, a preliminary manufacturability and production cost study was performed by the Center for Automation Technologiesmore » at RPI. Phase I also included a preliminary design for the integrated unit to be further developed in Phase II. This was to assure that the physical design of the heat exchanger designed in Phase I would be acceptable for use in Phase II. An extensive modeling program was performed by the Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics of CMU. Using EnergyPlus as the software, a typical office building with multiple system configurations in multiple climatic zones in the US was simulated. The performance of energy recovery technologies in packaged rooftop HVAC equipment was evaluated. The experimental program carried out in Phases II and III consisted of fabricating and testing a demonstrator unit using Carrier Comfort Network (CCN) based controls. Augmenting the control signals, CCN was also used to monitor and record additional performance data that supported modeling and conceptual understanding. The result of the testing showed that the EERV core developed in Phase I recovered energy in the demonstrator unit at the expected levels based on projections. In fact, at near-ARI conditions the core recovered about one ton of cooling enthalpy when operating with a three-ton rooftop packaged unit.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
United Technologies Research Center
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
886847
DOE Contract Number:  
FC26-01NT41254
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; AIR CONDITIONING; AUTOMATION; COMMERCIALIZATION; ENERGY RECOVERY; ENTHALPY; HEAT EXCHANGERS; MARKET; MEMBRANES; MONITORS; OFFICE BUILDINGS; OPTIMIZATION; PERFORMANCE; PRODUCTION; TESTING

Citation Formats

Dobbs, Gregory M, Lemcoff, Norberto O, Cogswell, Frederick J, and Benolt, Jeffrey T. Development of a High Latent Effectiveness Energy Recovery Ventilator with Integration into Rooftop Package Equipment. United States: N. p., 2006. Web. doi:10.2172/886847.
Dobbs, Gregory M, Lemcoff, Norberto O, Cogswell, Frederick J, & Benolt, Jeffrey T. Development of a High Latent Effectiveness Energy Recovery Ventilator with Integration into Rooftop Package Equipment. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/886847
Dobbs, Gregory M, Lemcoff, Norberto O, Cogswell, Frederick J, and Benolt, Jeffrey T. 2006. "Development of a High Latent Effectiveness Energy Recovery Ventilator with Integration into Rooftop Package Equipment". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/886847. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/886847.
@article{osti_886847,
title = {Development of a High Latent Effectiveness Energy Recovery Ventilator with Integration into Rooftop Package Equipment},
author = {Dobbs, Gregory M and Lemcoff, Norberto O and Cogswell, Frederick J and Benolt, Jeffrey T},
abstractNote = {This Final Report covers the Cooperative Program carried out to design and optimize an enhanced flat-plate energy recovery ventilator and integrate it into a packaged unitary (rooftop) air conditioning unit. The project objective was to optimize the design of a flat plate energy recovery ventilator (ERV) core that compares favorably to flat plate air-to-air heat exchanger cores on the market and to cost wise to small enthalpy wheel devices. The benefits of an integrated unit incorporating an enhanced ERV core and a downsized heating/cooling unit were characterized and the design of an integrated unit considering performance and cost was optimized. Phase I was to develop and optimize the design of a membrane based heat exchanger core. Phase II was the creation and observation of a system integrated demonstrator unit consisting of the Enhanced Energy Recovery Ventilator (EERV) developed in Phase I coupled to a standard Carrier 50HJ rooftop packaged unitary air conditioning unit. Phase III was the optimization of the system prior to commercialization based on the knowledge gained in Phase II. To assure that the designs chosen have the possibility of meeting cost objectives, a preliminary manufacturability and production cost study was performed by the Center for Automation Technologies at RPI. Phase I also included a preliminary design for the integrated unit to be further developed in Phase II. This was to assure that the physical design of the heat exchanger designed in Phase I would be acceptable for use in Phase II. An extensive modeling program was performed by the Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics of CMU. Using EnergyPlus as the software, a typical office building with multiple system configurations in multiple climatic zones in the US was simulated. The performance of energy recovery technologies in packaged rooftop HVAC equipment was evaluated. The experimental program carried out in Phases II and III consisted of fabricating and testing a demonstrator unit using Carrier Comfort Network (CCN) based controls. Augmenting the control signals, CCN was also used to monitor and record additional performance data that supported modeling and conceptual understanding. The result of the testing showed that the EERV core developed in Phase I recovered energy in the demonstrator unit at the expected levels based on projections. In fact, at near-ARI conditions the core recovered about one ton of cooling enthalpy when operating with a three-ton rooftop packaged unit.},
doi = {10.2172/886847},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/886847}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2006},
month = {Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2006}
}