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Desiccant Cooling Systems - A Review
Abstract
Desiccant cooling systems have been investigated extensively during the past decade as alternatives to electrically driven vapor compression
systems because regeneration temperatures of the
desiccant - about 160°F, can be achieved using
natural gas or by solar systems. Comfort is
achieved by reducing the moisture content of air
by a solid or liquid desiccant and then reducing
the temperature in an evaporative cooler (direct
or indirect). Another system is one where the
dehumidifier removes enough moisture to meet the
latent portion of the load while the sensible
portion is met by a vapor compression cooling system;
desiccant regeneration is achieved by using
the heat rejected from the condenser together with
other thermal sources. At present, residential
desiccant cooling systems are in actual operation
but are more costly than vapor compression systems,
resulting in relatively long payback periods.
Component efficiencies need to be improved, particularly the efficiency of the dehumidifier.
Citation
Kettleborough, C. F.; Ullah, M. R.; Waugaman, D. G. (1986). Desiccant Cooling Systems - A Review. Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu); Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu). Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /6878.