Performance analysis of an air-to-air energy recovery system for building applications in hot-humid environment

The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of a hydrophilic membrane-based energy recovery system in terms of efficiency and recovered energy for potential building applications in hot-humid environment. Experimental investigations are carried out under controlled conditions in Energy and IEQ Testing Unit located in School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Tests are performed under different airflow rates range from 1.0 to 3.0 m/s, intake air temperature of 28°C, 31°C, 35°C, 40°C) and intake relative humidity of 70%, 75% and 80%. The efficiency and recovered energy of the system are calculated and evaluated by adopting calculation method by ASHRAE Standard. From the study, the effect of operating parameters denotes that the effect of airflow rate on the system results in a decrease in efficiency as the airflow rate increase. The increase of airflow rate causes the increment in recovered energy. The system indicates that as the intake air temperature (Tin) increases, efficiency and recovered energy also increase. Effect of intake relative humidity (RHin) exhibits a decline in efficiency when the intake relative humidity (RHin) increases. Additionally, as the relative humidity increases, the recovered energy of the system remains constant.