Modelling the Steady-State Performance of Coiled Falling-Film Drain Water Heat Recovery Systems Using Rated Data

Ramin Manouchehri and Michael R. Collins
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Ramin Manouchehri: Solar Thermal Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Michael R. Collins: Solar Thermal Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada

Resources, 2020, vol. 9, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: Falling-film drain water heat recovery (DWHR) systems are heat exchangers used to recover energy from warm water travelling down vertical drainpipes. DWHR systems are rated at constant inlet temperatures at multiple flow rates while maintaining an equal flow rate through both sides of the heat exchanger. The outcome of the rating system is an effectiveness value that is the main metric used to sell DWHR systems to the public. Unfortunately, the rated conditions may not be representative of what occurs during operation in a typical house. The present work aims to bridge this gap by presenting several semi-empirical correlations that are combined into a model capable of predicting the steady-state performance of a DWHR system at variable temperatures and flow rates, based on data generated during the rating process. This model is then validated experimentally for eight different DWHR systems for a total of 135 validation cases. The results show that the model is very effective at estimating the performance of DWHR systems for validation cases, and the mean absolute percentage error for the model predictions versus the experimental results is less than 3%.

Keywords: falling-film drain water heat recovery; steady-state modelling; heat exchanger; flow rate correction; temperature correction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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