Robert Poku^1,, Tokoni W. Oyinki¹, Ezenwa A. Ogbonnaya¹

The performance of thermal power plants, achievement of human comfort, preservation of groceries etc. are generally adversely affected by poor environmental conditions. In order to provide solutions to these challenges, an evaporative cooling system was developed and studied. The study was aimed at providing lower temperatures for the efficient performance of machineries and human comfort as well as lower temperature and higher relative humidity necessary for overcoming the above adverse condition. The performance of the cooler was evaluated in terms of temperature drop, cooler capacity, saturation efficiency and feasibility index. The results showed that evaporative cooling is achievable with feasibility index of F*≤ 10, when the difference between inlet dry bulb temperatures and wet bulb temperature are greater, T₁-T_w = 11.5°C and T₁-T₂= 25.22°C with F*=9; T₁-T_w= 12°C and T₁-T₂= 7.109°C with F*=10 respectively. The results also affirmed that cooler capacity and the saturation index are higher where the feasibility indexes are comparatively low.

evaporative cooler, feasibility index, saturation efficiency, cooler capacity