Parametric Optimization of Earth-Air Heat Exchangers (EAHEs) for Central Air Conditioning
Abstract This paper presents a thorough parametric analysis of an earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) that reveals optimal parameters for minimizing the cost of central air conditioning in a hot and dry climate. A mathematical model with the aid of MATLAB is developed to optimize different parameters including length, diameter, and number of pipes. The performance of the selected cooling system is evaluated in terms of compressor power consumption, overall power savings, overall cost reduction, and payback period. As a case study for our analysis, a 25-TR air-conditioning system was chosen to cool an operation room in a hospital in Egypt. The maximum reduction in compressor power consumption is estimated to be 44 %. Moreover, the reduction in the annual costs is estimated to be 16.6 % with a payback period that increases as the number of pipes increases.