The Growing Cooling Challenge in ASEAN

Engineering Pathways to Energy Efficiency

Rising Cooling Demand and Energy Efficiency Challenges in Southeast Asia's Tropical Climate

Condensation is a prevalent issue in the Southeast Asia region due to rising ambient temperatures and high relative humidity levels. This introduces safety risks such as water dripping and slip hazards, as well as health concerns related to mold and microbial growth. In order to prevent condensation, the outer surface temperature of a chilled water pipe must remain above the surrounding air’s dew point temperature. Moreover, air velocity plays a critical role in determining surface temperature. Therefore, both environmental and design parameters must be considered simultaneously.

From air cooling to scalable direct-to-chip liquid cooling

Princples of Heat Transfer
Understanding the Phenomenon of Condensation

Principles of Heat Transfer

Heat transfer occurs when there is a temperature gradient, moving thermal energy from higher-temperature regions to lower-temperature regions. Three primary mechanisms govern this process: conduction, convection, and radiation.

Conduction

Heat transfers through direct contact. Heat moves from warmer to cooler molecules of substances until thermal equilibrium is reached. Metals are good conductors due to having free electrons, while plastics are good insulators due to poor conducting of heat.

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Convection

Heat transfer occurs through the movement of fluids such as air or water. It may occur naturally due to temperature-driven density differences or be enhanced by mechanical devices. Air velocity and airflow patterns over surface influence surface temperature.

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Radiation

Radiative heat transfer occurs via electromagnetic waves without a medium. It depends on surface emissivity: high-emissivity surfaces absorb and emit heat efficiently, while low-emissivity metallic surfaces reflect more and radiate less.

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Proposal and detail engineering for technology cooling systems

Analyzing Condensation Risk for Chilled Water Piping

Learn how fittings and complex geometries introduce additional challenges due to irregular airflows

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Understanding the Phenomenon of Condensation

When air comes into contact with a cold surface, its temperature decreases. As the air cools, its ability to retain moisture is reduced. Once the air can no longer hold the moisture, the water vapor changes from the gaseous state to the liquid state; known as condensation. The temperature at which water vapor begins to condense into liquid is called the dew point temperature. This relationship can be obtained using a psychrometric chart or calculated mathematically.

Polymer piping systems are gaining traction for cooling applications in data center environments

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Formulae and Equations

Determine Dew Point Temperature
Determine Surface Temperature

Comparative Analysis of different Scenarios

Comparison between different type of jackets
Comparison between different type of pipe
Comparison between different Air Velocities
Impact of Air Velocity and Geometry of Equal Tee

Results and Discussions

Jacket material has a major impact
Carrier pipe material has minimal impact
Air velocity strongly influences condensation risk
Pipe fittings (e.g., Tees) are more vulnerable

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