Energy and Comfort Evaluation of Fresh Air-Based Hybrid Cooling System in Hot and Humid Climates

Ramadas Narayanan (), Subbu Sethuvenkatraman and Roberto Pippia
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Ramadas Narayanan: Fuel & Energy Research Group, School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Bundaberg, QLD 4670, Australia
Subbu Sethuvenkatraman: CSIRO Energy Business Unit, Newcastle, NSW 2304, Australia
Roberto Pippia: Fuel & Energy Research Group, School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Bundaberg, QLD 4670, Australia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: Maintaining mechanical ventilation has been identified as a potential strategy for reducing the risk of virus infections. However, in hot and humid climatic conditions, delivering fresh air to a building comes at an energy cost and could impact occupant comfort due to the persistent need for simultaneous cooling and dehumidification. In this paper, the performance of a novel hybrid air conditioning system that handles fresh air is studied. In this system, dehumidification is accomplished by a solid desiccant dehumidifier coupled with a cooling coil integrated with the cooling tower of an existing chiller system. Using the data available from an operational desiccant cooling system, a system-level model has been developed and validated to study the potential application of the system in hot and humid climates. The study found that such a system is effective in delivering sensible cooling in all types of climates; thanks to the two-stage cooling in cooling coil and chilled water coils, respectively. However, the system is effective in delivering thermal comfort in regions where the climate has a relatively moderate ambient humidity. For the tropical cities of Darwin, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, the system can provide comfortable temperatures, but faces challenges in keeping the humidity within the comfort zone. The system electrical coefficient of performance (COP) is higher than that of refrigerative systems. This system also has the benefit over the refrigerative system of the supply air, which is entirely fresh ambient air and is expected to improve the indoor environmental quality largely.

Keywords: air conditioning; dehumidification; thermal comfort; desiccant; ventilation; solar 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: 2022
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