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Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a PCM-Supported ...

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Evaporator<br />

Condenser<br />

Figure 5.8: Average inlet <strong>and</strong> outlet liquid <strong>and</strong> gas temperatures for<br />

experiment case (1), Left: Evaporator, Right: Condenser<br />

5.5.2 Comparison between conductive <strong>and</strong> non conductive packing<br />

Overall comparative distillate output for the two packing types under similar<br />

boundary conditions for an operation period <strong>of</strong> two hours after reaching steady<br />

state are shown in figure (5.10). For the higher level <strong>of</strong> packing height as shown<br />

in figure (5.10a), the positive impact <strong>of</strong> conductive packing (<strong>PCM</strong> beads) on the<br />

productivity can be seen more clearly in the first <strong>and</strong> fourth cases <strong>of</strong> boundary<br />

conditions (i.e. first <strong>and</strong> fourth case from the left h<strong>and</strong> side on figure 5.10 or as<br />

listed in table 5.2). Both <strong>of</strong> them have a higher inlet water temperature (83 ºC).<br />

The first set has higher inlet mass flow rate <strong>of</strong> water (500 l/h) to the evaporator,<br />

<strong>and</strong> higher air velocity (0.55 m/s) while the fourth set has the lower levels <strong>of</strong> both<br />

inlet water mass flow (250 l/h) <strong>and</strong> air velocity (0.23 m/s) in the system as pointed<br />

out earlier. In the first case, there are both good direct contact diffusion <strong>and</strong><br />

MEHH in the <strong>PCM</strong> system, which results in 14.5% higher distillate rate than the<br />

empty packing system.<br />

The fourth case <strong>of</strong> boundary conditions (case <strong>of</strong> low water mass flow rate, low air<br />

velocity, <strong>and</strong> high inlet water temperature) is more interesting. We can not see<br />

117<br />

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