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Faculty Directory
W.M. Worek B.S., Mechanical Engineering (1976) M.S., Mechanical Engineering (1977) Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering (1980)
Selected Publications C.M. Shen and W.M. Worek, "The Second-law Analysis of a Recirculation Cycle Desiccant Cooling System: Cosorption of Water Vapor and Carbon Dioxide," Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 30, No. 9, pp. 1429-1435, 1996. W. Zheng and W.M. Worek, "Performance of Multi-Bed Sorption Heat Pump Systems," The International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 20, pp. 339-350, 1996. M. Freestone and W.M. Worek, "Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency in Radiant Heating Systems," ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 102, Part 1, pp. 667-676, 1996. C.M. Shen and W.M. Worek, "Simulation of Adsorption Filters for Air Quality Control," ASHRAE Journal of HVAC&R, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 231-246, 1996. W.M. Worek, D. Novosel and R.K. Collier, Jr., Advances in Heat-Activated Cooling Systems, Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 118, No. 2, pp. 54-55, 1996. C-K. Chau and W.M. Worek, "Method to Determine Cosorption Properties of Liquid Absorbents, 1996 International Ab-Sorption Conference, Montreal Canada, September 1996. M. Czachorshi, J. Wurm, W.M. Worek, J. Mierke and P. Brillhart, "Performance Evaluation of Commercially Available Desiccant Matrices," 1996 International Ab-Sorption Conference, Montreal Canada, September 1996. M. Czachorshi, J. Wurm, W.M. Worek, J. Mierke and P. Brillhart, "Dynamic Testing of Desiccant Matrices and Computerized Evaluation of Performance Maps," ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 103, Part 1, pp. 833-840, 1997. Research Interests Professor Worek's areas of interest include, heat transfer, combined heat and mass transfer processes, advanced energy systems, thermodynamics and solar energy engineering. His current research interests are in the areas of fundamental heat and mass transfer, sorption processes that occur in solid and liquid desiccants, and experimental techniques in combined heat and mass transfer processes. Examples include, the investigation new cooling systems that do not use chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs) and the fundamental heat and mass transfer processes that occur in these systems. Such processes are the sorption of water vapor, methanol, ammonia by silica gel, activated alumina, lithium chloride, calcium chloride, natural and synthetic zeolites. These new cooling systems, have the capability of being thermally activated and have superior moisture and indoor air quality control potential. Professor Worek is recognized as a leading expert in the area of sorption technologies and has received federal and corporate funding for his research work. He serves on Technical Committees of the American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) dealing with desiccant and sorption technologies and radiant heating and cooling. Also, he is the Chairman of ASHRAE's Sorption and Desiccant Technologies Committee and he is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Energy Resources Board, Energy Committee and the Publications Committee. Laboratory Heat
and Mass Transfer Laboratory In the Heat and Mass Transfer Laboratory, research is being conducted several areas. In the first area,the heat and mass transfer processes that occur when a solid desiccant material adsorbs moisture is being studied. The objective of this program is to develop a new class of desiccant materials capable of being regenerated directly with natural gas and to design a high-performance, gas-fired cooling system capable of better moisture control than conventional cooling systems. The scope of this work includes the numerical
modeling and experimental evaluation of new desiccant materials
and systems. The experimental test system is a computer controlled
dynamic test channel capable of reproducing conditions encountered
in the field and enables the measurement of the local heat and mass
transfer rates within the desiccant material. In another area of
research, the effect of frost formation on the surface of a heat
exchanger element is being evaluated. In this work, the transient,
position-dependent rate of frost growth on a heat exchanger surface
is being measured using a specially design laser depth gauge. Also,
the mechanisms of frost removal and methods to enhance frost removal
are being studied. In a third area, the experimental investigation
of the combined heat and mass transfer processes that occur when
water is absorbed by a flowing, liquid-desiccant film is being investigated.
This work aids in the understanding of the flow and transport processes
that occur in these systems, enables in the development and validation
of mathematical models to describe these processes and has the potential
to dramatically improve the performance of thermally activated liquid
desiccant dehumidification systems. |
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