The application of heat pipe heat exchangers to improve the air quality and reduce the energy consumption of the air conditioning system in a hospital ward-A full year model simulation

摘要

Research was conducted to study the effect of heat pipe heat exchangers on the existing air condition ing system of a hospital ward located in Malaysia, a tropical region. The present research employs the transient system simulation software (TRNSYS) to study the hour-by-hour performance of the system in terms of supply duct air and indoor air conditions in the ward space. Fieldwork study showed that the existing air conditioning system operating in the Orthopaedic Ward, University of Malaya. Malaysia is not capable of providing the desired supply duct air and indoor air to the space. Therefore, the possi bility of improving the air conditioning system by adding heat pipe heat exchangers was investigated. The impact on energy consumption, power savings, supply duct air and indoor air with heat pipe heat exchangers incorporated in the air conditioning system were simulated and the results were compared with the existing system. Based on the present research, the system with the added eight-row heat pipe heat exchangers is recommended to provide convenient and healthy air into the ward space according to the ASHRAE rec ommendations. Moreover, it was found that by applying the new design, a considerable amount of energy and power could be saved.