SPC HEAT PIPES

The Benefits of Heat Pipes in

Warm & Humid Climates
SUDEEP SETHI
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
SPC HEAT PIPES FZC
 Contents

What is a Heat Pipe?

Problems of warm & humid climates

Heat Pipes and dehumidification

Heat Pipes and heat recovery

Applications
 What is a Heat Pipe ?

A heat pipe is an extremely efficient

conductor of heat.

Heatpipe takes advantage of the latent

heat of the working fluid to transfer heat at
a high rate against a constant pipe
temperature.
 Basic principle of operation
A simple heat pipe
comprises an
evacuated tube
Heat Heat
partly filled with a
out out
working fluid

Using the latent

capacity of the fluid,
we can transfer large
amounts of heat very
rapidly from a hot
point to a cold point Heat Heat
on the tube wall. in in
 Summary of Characteristics

Heat is transferred by latent means giving
a heat transfer rate of around 1000 times
that of a solid copper rod

Vaporisation and condensation take place
at the same temperature allowing high
heat transfer at low temperature
differences

Heat pipes without wicks
(Thermosyphons) rely on gravity to return
the condensed liquid.
 Problems of Warm &
Humid Climates

Main influences on comfort:

 Dry bulb temperature
 Air speed
 Air humidity
 Radiation

Ideal Comfort Conditions:
 RH 40 - 60 %
 Temperature 20 - 23
23°
°C (68 - 75
75°
°F)
 Proper humidity levels
ASHRAE Recommended

Safety margin

Health Problems Mildew Growth

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% Relative Humidity
Bin Data for Riyadh
Bin Data for Jeddah
 Typical Ambient conditions
35°C @ 80% RH
45°C @ 30% RH 35°C @ 80% RH

35°C @ 20% RH
20°C @ 90% RH
45°C @ 30% RH

20°C @ 90% RH

35°C @ 20% RH
 Comfort conditions

35°C @ 80% RH

Comfort condition,
20 to 24°C,
40 to 70% RH
45°C @ 30% RH

20°C @ 90% RH

35°C @ 20% RH
 Introducing Outside air

Air is cooled to supply conditions

Warm humid Saturated

air, 33°C air, 18°C

Condensation
 Cooling in Humid Climates
Taking this point
33°C @ 60% RH,
and then cooling to 18°C
the air becomes saturated
and unsuitable for
supply.
 Problems with introducing
untreated outside air

High Humidity Levels

Musty Smells

Mold and Mildew Stains

Inability To Keep Room Comfortable

Guest Complaints and Loss of Business

Expensive Replacement of Linens, Wall
Paper, Mattresses, Carpets, Curtains, etc

Reconstruction and Downtime

Lost Profits
The Garden in your Ducts
 The Garden in your Ducts

Aspergillus Fungus

Dust Mite

Bacillus Anthracis Bacteria

Goldenrod Pollen
 Conventional Technologies
for Dehumidification

Overcooling and Reheat

Desiccant systems
 Dehumidifying with coils or
Electric heater batteries

The air is overcooled & reheated

Warm humid Comfortable air,

air, 33°C 18- 22°C

12°C
Condensation Reheat Coil/Heater Battery
 Increase in running costs
Overcooling the air and
then re-heating gives rise
to additional cooling &
heating loads.
A

C D
 The downside of reheat

The cost of reheating the air

is high.

Italso means we have to

include a whole package of
extra equipment and
controls.
 Electric Reheat Used
To Control Humidity
Adding Electric Reheat After The Coil...

Artificially increases sensible cooling

load

Requires upsizing the chiller

Increases electrical consumption of both
the fan coil and the chiller

Increases equipment installed cost
 Heat Pipe applications

1.) Heat Pipes for enhanced

dehumidification..
dehumidification
 Adding a Heat Pipe

The heat pipe improves the efficiency of
the system.

18°C

33°C 27°C 12°C

 Heat Pipe in practice

Plan view of cooling coil.

Heat Pipe Heat Pipe

pre-cool re-heat
Cooling
Airflow Coil Airflow

33/28°C 18/14°C
27°C 12°C
2-Row ‘Horseshoe’.

‘Horseshoe’ Heat
Pipes are used either
for original supply or
for retrofit
applications.

The unit will be

installed around an
existing cooling coil.
 Heat Pipe Effect

1-2 Heat Pipe pre-cool

2-3 Cooling coil
3-4 Heat Pipe re-heat 2 1

Resultant energy
saving of up
to 30%. 3 4
 Summary

Requires no energy to run, being “driven” by
the cooling coil.

Nett energy savings of around 30%
compared to standard cooling and reheat.

Lower cooling load = smaller chiller/
compressor.

Design for most common conditions to
maximise energy savings.

Easy installation.

Controlled by the cooling coil.
MADINAT JUMEIRAH, DUBAI

www.spcoils.co.u
k
Royal Mirage Hotel
Interior View
Exhibition Halls
Dubai Convention Centre
Mercato Mall
 Heat Pipe applications

2.) Air to Air energy recovery.

recovery.
 Energy recovery
Used to transfer heat between supply
and exhaust air streams where :-

Thereis a large difference between
supply and exhaust temperatures.

There are high air volumes involved.

Efficiencies of up to 65% can be achieved
giving significant energy savings.
 Basic design features

The Heat Pipe unit straddles the supply
and exhaust ducts

A centre tube plate prevents cross
contamination between airflows

No pump requirement to transfer the heat
as with a run around coil system

Airstreams should be in counterflow
 Orientation

Available in both
vertical & horizontal Exhaust Air
arrangements.

The warmer
airstream must be
at the bottom in the Supply Air
vertical mode.
Horizontal Heat Recovery
Heat Pipe
 Side-by-Side Air Streams -
Heat Pipe in Horizontal
Side-by-Side Air Streams - Plane
Heat Pipe in Vertical Plane

Over-and-Under Air Streams -

Heat Pipe in Vertical Plane
 Benefits

Requires no energy to run.

No maintenance.

No cross contamination.

Can be sized to suit the ductwork or AHU.

Easy condensation removal.
 Alternative methods

Run around coils

Make possible recovery from separate
airstreams

No cross contamination

Pump necessary with associated
maintenance and power requirement

High Maintenance

Low effectiveness, 45 - 55 %.
 Alternative methods

Crossflow plate type

Up to 5% cross contamination as per
ASHRAE

No moving parts, no maintenance

Difficult to clean inner plates, if rusting occurs
can cause Sick Building Syndrome

Moisture collection is difficult

Bulky and only available in fixed sizes

Increases the size of AHU & Cost

Typical effectiveness, 50 - 65 %.
 Alternative methods

Thermal wheels

Up to 10% Cross contamination of
airstreams

Special maintenance requirement for
motors, belts, bearings and sealing brushes

Very High Maintenance cost

Restrictive to aspect of AHU

High replacement cost as life of desiccant is
typically 3-
3-5 years maximum

Typical effectiveness, 70 - 80 %.
 Applications

1. Outside Air AHU

2.DERV – Dehumidifying energy recovery

ventilator
Independent Testing
Independent Testing
Dehumidification selection
Heat Recovery Selection
 Conclusion

Heat Pipes are extremely efficient heat
transfer devices

By installing across supply and exhaust
ducts we can recover waste energy.

Typical efficiencies – Up to 65 %

By wrapping the Heat Pipe around a
cooling coil we bypass a certain amount of
heat, saving on the cooling load and giving
free reheat.

Nett energy savings - around 30 %
 Thank you

www.spcoils.co.uk
 Any Questions ?

For further information or to download latest

copies of our selection software, visit our
website:

www.spcoils.co.uk