Experimental study of evaporation and condensation of water in a bed of pall rings

The adoption of adsorbent materials is driving innovation in thermal energy storage and cooling technologies, thanks to their favorable environmental and economic properties. In adsorption-based systems, the efficiency of water vapor phase chang, specifically evaporation and condensation, plays a central role in determining overall system performance. Structured packing materials like Pall Rings, widely used in chemical engineering, have the potential to significantly enhance heat and mass transfer by increasing the contact area and promoting more efficient vapor-liquid interactions. However, their specific impact on evaporation and condensation processes under vacuum conditions relevant to adsorption systems remains underexplored. This thesis presents the design and construction of an experimental test rig capable of operating under vacuum, aimed at quantitatively assessing the influence of Pall Rings on heat and mass transfer rates during water evaporation and condensation. An extensive experimental campaign was conducted, and the results were compared with numerical models to identify key performance indicators. The findings provide new insights into the mechanisms governing phase change in the presence of structured packings and highlight the potential of Pall Rings to optimize next-generation adsorption cooling and thermal energy storage devices. The outcomes of this work contribute to the development of more efficient, sustainable, and economically viable energy systems