Term 252

Adaptive Heat Recovery Unit in HVAC systems

Project Type: Self-Initiated

Project Description

Energy inefficiency caused by unrecovered waste heat remains a major challenge in industrial and HVAC systems. In many facilities, approximately 20–40% of supplied thermal energy is rejected as low-grade waste heat. Conventional plate heat exchangers are typically designed for a fixed nominal operating point (e.g., 5 L/min flow rate and 120°C hot stream temperature). However, when inlet temperatures fluctuate by ±20–30°C, efficiency degradation of 10–25% can occur under off-design conditions. This project addresses this limitation through the design and development of a Smart Heat Recovery System that integrates a compact plate heat exchanger with real-time sensing, adaptive flow control, and optimization logic to maintain high thermal efficiency under variable operating conditions.