Open Access

ARTICLE

Enhancing Evaporative Cooler Efficiency through Magnetized Water and Heat Exchanger Optimization

Mohammed J. Alshukri^1,2, Amjed Al-Khateeb³, Ahmed Mohsin Alsayah², Adel A. Eidan⁴, Hameed B. Mahood^5,6,*

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kufa University, Najaf, 54002, Iraq
2 Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Technical Engineering Department, College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, 54002, Iraq
3 Najaf Technical Institute, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Najaf, 31100, Iraq
4 Najaf Technical College, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Najaf, 31100, Iraq
5 Centre for Sustainable Cooling, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
6 College of Engineering, University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa, Karbala, 56001, Iraq

* Corresponding Author: Hameed B. Mahood. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Solar and Thermal Energy Systems)

Energy Engineering 2025, 122(4), 1359-1372. https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2025.060613

Received 06 November 2024; Accepted 16 January 2025; Issue published 31 March 2025

Abstract

This research presents a new method to boost the efficiency of evaporative coolers by integrating magnetized water and a heat exchanger. Magnetized water, known for its high evaporation rate and reduced surface tension, offers a promising way to enhance air cooler performance. Additionally, the advanced heat exchanger both improves air cooling capacity and controls humidity levels. Aloni 100 L, a locally manufactured evaporative cooling system, and tap water were used in experiments. Tap water was magnetized using recycled magnets extracted from computer hard drives. Twenty-six magnets meticulously arranged within rectangular grooves, each with a minimum strength of 0.5 to 1 T, were used to magnetize tap water. Our experiments show a significant rise in cooling efficiency, with magnetized water increasing from 70.62% to 91.43%. In a similar vein, adding the heat exchanger leads to a significant improvement, raising the cooling efficiency from 69.44% to 93.96%. Furthermore, the combined use of magnetized water and a heat exchanger results in exceptional performance, increasing cooling efficiencies by 29.5% and 35.3% compared to using only magnetized water or only a heat exchanger, respectively. This study also explores the largely untapped potential of magnetized water, providing valuable insights into its effects on water properties and its broader applications in various fields. These findings represent a significant advancement in air cooling technology and pave the way for more energy-efficient and sustainable solutions.

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Keywords

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