Exergy Analysis of the Air Handling Unit at Variable Reference Temperature: Methodology and Results

by Vytautas Martinaitis, Giedre Streckiene, Juozas Bielskus

Overview

This book explore how exergy analysis can be an important tool for assessing the sustainability of buildings.

Building's account or around 40 percent of total energy conditions depending on local climatic conditions. Due to its nature, exergy analysis should become a valuable tool for the assessment of building sustainability, first of all considering their scope and the dependence of their energy demands on the local environmental and climatic conditions.

Nonetheless, methodological bottlenecks do exist and a solution to some of them is proposed in this monograph. First and foremost, there is the still-missing thermodynamically viable method to apply the variable reference environment temperature in exergy analysis. The monograph demonstrates that a correct approach to the directions of heat exergy flows, when the reference temperature is considered variable, allows reflecting the specifics of energy transformation processes in heating, ventilation, and air conditioningsystems in a thermodynamically viable way. The outcome of the case analysis, which involved coordinated application of methodologies based on the Carnot factor and coenthalpies, was exergy analysis indicators – exergy efficiency and exergy destroyed – obtained for air handling units and their components. These methods can be used for the purposes of analysing and improving building technical systems that, as a rule, operate at a variable environment temperature.

Exergy analysis becomes more reliable in designing dynamic models of such systems and their exergy-based control algorithms. This would improve the possibility to deploy them in building information modelling (BIM) technologies and the application of life cycle analysis (LCA) principles in designing buildings, thus improving the quality of the decision-making process. Furthermore, this would benefit other systems where variable reference environment plays a key role.

This book is relevant to academics, students and researchers in the field of thermodynamic analysis considering HVAC equipment, building energy systems, energy efficiency, sustainable development of technical systems of energy, mechanics, and construction, as well as preservation of natural resources. Planners, designers, engineers of HVAC equipment, building energy systems, and developers of appropriate simulation tools (e.g., BIM) will also find it of use.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030978433
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	03/25/2022
Edition description:	1st ed. 2022
Pages:	178
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Vytautas Martinaitis, ORCID: 0000-0002-5875-111X, VILNIUS TECH, Dept. Building Energetics, VILNIUS, LITHUANIA. Dr. Habil. Vytautas Martinaitis is working as a Professor, Chief investigator at the Department of Building Energetics of VILNIUS TECH, Lithuania. In 1972, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas (Lithuania) received the EQF level 7 diploma as a Certified Civil Engineer (HVAC) and started his professional activities. He is since 1989 with VILNIUS TECH. Research filed: energy use and supply systems for indoor climate of sustainable housing, thermodynamics, exergy and life cycle analysis, energy efficiency including policy. V. Martinaitis is a supervisor of many prepared and defended PhD theses in energetics and power engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering research fields. He is an author of 4 inventions, 4 patents, monograph "Thermodynamic model of Building a life-cycle analysis" and ~200 scientific papers.

Giedrė Streckienė, ORCID: 0000-0003-0651-2720, VILNIUS TECH, Dept. Building Energetics, VILNIUS, LITHUANIA. She obtained the qualification of environmental engineer (2004), graduated with a MSc degree in Energetics (2006). In 2006, she started to work in energy efficiency consultancy company and study as doctoral student at VILNIUS TECH. Here she defended her PhD thesis on thermal storages in CHP plants (2011). Currently she teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students, works in projects related to energy efficiency and conducts research in the area of energy engineering. Main research areas are: thermodynamic analysis, exergy, renewable energy systems, energy efficiency, thermal energy storage. 15 years of scientific experience in fields of HVAC analysis and simulation; an author of 3 patents, ~50 scientific papers.

Juozas Bielskus, ORCID: 0000-0003-0087-1554, VILNIUS TECH, Dept. Building Energetics, VILNIUS, LITHUANIA. He has a master’s degree in energetics (2012) and defended a PhD thesis Thermodynamic and Functional Efficiency Analysis of Solar Energy Using Indoor Climate System (2017) in VILNIUS TECH. His research covers the application and development of knowledge of engineering thermodynamics, mechanics of fluids, heat transfer in solving problems of increasing the efficiency of energy consumption and utilisation of renewable energy sources in buildings. He is an author of 4 patents, has ~30 scientific papers.

Table of Contents

Introduction.- Theoretical bases of exergy analysis with variable reference temperature.- Heat recovery exchanger of air handling unit.- Air handling unit heat pump operation modes.- Comparative exergy analysis of air handling unit cases.- Seasonal exergy efficiency of an air handling unit.