09. Heat and Mass Transfer

In tropical countries like Indonesia, maintaining comfortable and healthy indoor environments is a significant challenge due to high temperatures and humidity levels. This issue is particularly critical for the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, where specific room ambient conditions are necessary to ensure product safety and quality, especially during processes like beverage filling. This research delves into integrating heat pipes into HVAC systems to improve energy efficiency in regards to ensuring clean room conditions during beverage filling processes. With hopes to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research employed two-row U-shaped heat pipes with a wick structure made of sintered copper, filled with water at a 50% ratio. The U-shaped HPHE facilitates both precooling and reheating processes. The evaporator section absorbs heat from incoming air, reducing the compressor's workload. After passing through the cooling coil, the air temperature rises again due to heat release at the condenser side of the HPHE, reducing the energy needed for reheating during dehumidification. Initial characterization of the heat pipe was conducted with an inlet air temperature of 45°C and an air velocity of 1.4 m/s. Our experiments revealed a peak temperature increase of 6.4°C on the condenser side, resulting in a 20.7% reduction in relative humidity. The temperature drop on the evaporator side was 0.7°C. Maximum energy savings of 304.44 W were achieved at this inlet temperature with an air velocity of 2.2 m/s. To understand the performance under lower temperature conditions, further tests were conducted at inlet temperatures of 30°C, 35°C, and 40°C. These variations demonstrated the versatility of the U-shaped HPHE in improving dehumidification efficiency across a range of operating conditions. The highest effectiveness observed was 21.04%, showcasing the potential of U-shaped HPHEs in enhancing energy efficiency in HVAC systems.