Available online 9 February 2013
Publication year: 2013
Source:Building and Environment
The simultaneous cooling in the dehumidification of an internally cooled process is quite different from an adiabatic process that uses liquid desiccant. In the present study, the operating performance of an internally cooled process was examined through both experimental tests and simulation analysis. An internally cooled dehumidifier made of stainless steel was designed, and experimental results in different working conditions were analyzed using a lithium bromide (LiBr) aqueous solution. The moisture removal rate, dehumidifying efficiency, and volume mass transfer coefficient were adopted as indices to evaluate the performance. The effects of the inlet parameters on these performance indices were investigated. The predicted results by the numerical model agreed well with the experimental results. The validated model was then utilized to predict the performance of the entire internally cooled/heated air handling system, in which low regeneration temperature could be realized. An internally cooled/heated system driven by the exhaust heat of heat pump was then proposed, and COP was in the range of 4.2-6.5.
► Experiments on an internally cooled dehumidifier are carried out using LiBr. ► Effects of t w,in , and on the dehumidifying performance are investigated. ► Theoretical model for an internal cooled/heated system is built and validated. ► An internally cooled/heated system driven by the heat pump is analyzed.
Publication year: 2013
Source:Building and Environment