Experimental Study on the Operational Performance of a Household Split-Type Air Conditioner Based on Evaporative Cooling Technology

With the escalating energy consumption of air conditioning systems worldwide, reducing such energy use has become a critical research priority. Evaporative cooling technology plays a significant role in reducing the energy consumption of existing air conditioning systems, especially by enhancing the heat exchange efficiency of condensers. This paper presents the design of an evaporative cooling household split-type air conditioner (SAC) that employs a submerged water method. By utilizing motor-driven rotation, the water distributor ensures full and even water distribution across a double-layer wet pad. Additionally, condensate water is recycled, and direct evaporative cooling (DEC) technology is applied to lower the condenser temperature, thereby achieving energy savings. Experiments were conducted under various meteorological conditions, comparing the performance of the split air conditioning system with the water distributor to that of the system without it. The comparative experiments revealed that the average air temperature differences at the inlet and outlet of the water distributor were 8.7 °C and 4.8 °C, respectively, with maximum air temperature differences reaching 12.3 °C and 8.2 °C, respectively. Compared to the system without the water distributor, the average condensing temperature at the condenser outlet of the system with the water distributor was reduced by 2.6 °C and 2.1 °C. Moreover, within an 11 h operation period, the average system coefficient of performance (COP) increased by 22.6% and 18.2%, respectively, and the energy savings reached 17.9% and 12.7%, respectively.