A new approach to analyze thermal energy processes based on water adsorption from humid air: A modified Mollier diagram

Yuri I. Aristov

Energy, 2025, vol. 341, issue C

Abstract: The phenomenon of water adsorption from humid air finds wide application in a variety of thermal processes in open systems, including the conversion of renewable and waste heat, air conditioning and dehumidification, energy processes in buildings, etc. While a common Mollier diagram is widely used to analyze these processes and provides a convenient representation of the thermodynamic state of humid air, it gives no information about the state of the adsorbent used. To address this, we propose supplementing the Mollier diagram with lines of constant adsorption potential ΔF(t, x) at temperature t and moisture content x. They will ensure the missing data on the adsorbent state, provided that the adsorbent interaction with water vapour obeys the potential theory of adsorption. This modified chart enables the simultaneous visualization of the air state and the adsorbent state in equilibrium with this air state. Adsorption data for fourteen promising desiccants are tabulated to be used with the novel diagram. Finally, we present several case studies that demonstrate the advantages of the universal chart for analysing thermal energy processes based on water adsorption from humid air. These include water harvesting from the atmosphere, desiccant cooling and dehumidification, maintaining relative humidity, cooling PV and other electronic devices, and dry condensation. We believe that the proposed psychrometric/adsorption diagram will become a useful tool for analyzing thermal, chemical, and building engineering processes.

Keywords: Mollier diagram; Potential theory of adsorption; Desiccant cooling and dehumidification; Water harvesting from atmosphere; Maintaining relative humidity; Cooling electronic devices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:341:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225050704

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.139428

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