Analysis and characterization of heat and mass transfer in rotary exchangers

Integration of the energy recovery system with a traditional HVAC system has gained recent attention because of the potential for energy savings. A popular choice for the energy recovery system include a rotary air-to-air energy wheel with a porous matrix as the heat and moisture transfer medium. The primary goal of this research is to develop a mathematical and numerical model to predict the effectiveness of such energy wheel. Two different models were developed for rotary exchangers: a sensible model and a enthalpy model. Experimental data of effectiveness obtained from commercial unit are found to be consistent with the numerical results