Performance Characteristics of Solid-Desiccant Evaporative Cooling Systems

Ramadas Narayanan, Edward Halawa and Sanjeev Jain
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Ramadas Narayanan: Central Queensland University, University Drive, Bundaberg, QLD 4670, Australia
Edward Halawa: Central Queensland University, University Drive, Bundaberg, QLD 4670, Australia
Sanjeev Jain: Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016, India

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Air conditioning accounts for up to 50% of energy use in buildings. Increased air-conditioning-system installations not only increase total energy consumption but also raise peak load demand. Desiccant evaporative cooling systems use low-grade thermal energy, such as solar energy and waste heat, instead of electricity to provide thermal comfort. This system can potentially lead to significant energy saving, reduction in carbon emissions, and it has a low dew-point operation and large capacity range. Their light weight, simplicity of design, and close-to-atmospheric operation make them easy to maintain. This paper evaluates the applicability of this technology to the climatic conditions of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, specifically for the residential sector. Given the subtropical climate of Brisbane, where humidity levels are not excessively high during cooling periods, the numerical study shows that such a system can be a potential alternative to conventional compression-based air-conditioning systems. Nevertheless, the installation of such a system in Brisbane’s climate zone requires careful design, proper selection of components, and a cheap heat source for regeneration. The paper also discusses the economy-cycle options for this system in such a climate and compares its effectiveness to natural ventilation.

Keywords: air conditioning; desiccant wheel; evaporative cooling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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