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Cromer Cycle Air Conditioner: A Unique Air-Conditioner Desiccant Cycle to Enhance Dehumidification and Save Energy
Abstract
The Cromer cycle uses a desiccant to move
moisture from the saturated air leaving an air
conditioning (AC) cooling coil to the air returning to
the AC unit from the conditioned space. This has the
thermodynamic effect of reducing the overall energy
consumption of the AC unit and also has the side
benefit of dramatically increasing the moisture
removal capacity of the AC coil. Simulations,
engineering analysis and laboratory tests have
confirmed the technical feasibility of the
thermodynamics of the cycle. This work reports on a
test at ARI conditions (95 deg. F outside, 80 deg F,
51% RH inside). The test unit (10 year old, 5 ton
Bryant Air Conditioner) without the Cromer cycle,
averaged an EER of 7.93 at a latent ratio of 26.2 %
(SHR = 0.738). With the Cromer cycle added, the
same unit averaged a total cooling EER of 11.82
with a water removal latent ratio of 53.4% (SHR=
0.466). The measured 16.4% reduction in energy use
and 47.9 improvement in EER is significant for the
tests at the 95% confidence level. This technology
represents a major improvement in energy
performance for the control of humidity conditions.
Citation
Cromer, C. J. (2000). Cromer Cycle Air Conditioner: A Unique Air-Conditioner Desiccant Cycle to Enhance Dehumidification and Save Energy. Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu); Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu). Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /6772.