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Energy-efficient low-temperature activated desiccant wheels with nano-desiccant-coated fiber matrix

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Abstract

Air-conditioning system applies dehumidification by condensation technique, where the cooling coil handles both latent and sensible load. Energy consumption by the system increases by handling both loads. In order to reduce operating energy and load on cooling coil, latent load needs to be reduced or eliminated. Latent load can be handled separately using desiccant-type dehumidifiers irrespective of cooling coil temperature. This paper investigates the dehumidification performance of a desiccant wheels (DWs) made of fiber paper substrates such as Ceramic Fiber, Glass Fiber, Wood Pulp Fiber, Nomex Fiber, and Brown Wood Pulp Paper (BWPP) coated with synthesized mesoporous nano-titania desiccant for energy-efficient air-conditioning. Moisture adsorption ability test was conducted for different fiber papers at 30 °C and 75% RH, where BWPP has maximum moisture adsorption of 38 g m−2 and 0.42 g g−1 due to its hydrophilic nature, with the highest coating ratio of 3.5 g cm−3. The thermal conductivity, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, pore structure, and thermal stability of the fiber substrates were also analyzed before and after coating. The thermal conductivity of the fiber papers coated with nano-titania desiccant has enhanced compared to the raw fiber papers, and it reaches 0.116 W m−1 K−1 for BWPP. The dehumidification coefficient of performance of BWPP–DW at a 1:1 airflow area ratio, 60 °C regeneration temperature, and 10 rph is 0.82. The BWPP matrix DWs can be reactivated by low-grade energy sources with 0.82 kg kW−1 h−1 and saves energy up to 2.39 times.

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Abbreviations

t :

Time (s)

V :

Volume (cm3)

W :

Moisture adsorption quantity (g m−2 and g g-1)

T :

Temperature (K)

p :

Water vapor pressure (N m−2)

R :

Ideal gas constant for water vapor (J g−1 K−1)

k :

Rate coefficient (s−1)

K :

Thermal conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

RH:

Relative humidity (%)

A :

Surface area of raw substrates (m2)

\(\dot{m}\) :

Mass flow rate (kg s−1)

\(L\) :

Latent heat of vaporization of water (kJ kg−1)

\(h\) :

Specific enthalpy (kJ kg−1)

Q :

Thermal energy input (kW)

H :

Enthalpy (kJ kg−1)

m :

Mass (g)

E :

Energy (kW)

C :

Specific heat capacity (kJ kg−1 K−1)

Ψ:

Energy-saving potential

Δω :

Dehumidification capacity (kg kg−1)

Δm :

Moisture adsorbed (g)

γ :

Coating ratio (g cm−3)

1:

Inlet

2:

Outlet

P:

Process

R:

Regeneration

°:

Saturation

D:

Dry desiccant

A:

Surface area

t:

Adsorbed at any time

i:

Sample coated with desiccant after drying

j:

Desiccant-coated sample in the jth dip coat

o:

Raw substrate

pr:

Constant pressure

a:

Ambient

h:

Heater

*:

At the higher regeneration temperature

DCOP:

Dehumidification coefficient of performance

LDF:

Linear driving force

BJH:

Barrett–Joyner–Halenda

BET:

Brunauer–Emmett–Teller

DTG:

Derivative thermogravimetric

DTA:

Differential thermal analyzer

BWPP:

Brown wood pulp paper

NFP:

Nomex fiber paper

WPFP:

Wood pulp fiber paper

CFP:

Ceramic fiber paper

GFP:

Glass fiber paper

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

COD:

Coefficient of determination

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

TGA:

Thermogravimetric analyzer

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

rph:

Revolution per hour

MRE:

Moisture removal efficiency (kg  kW-1 h−1)

RMR:

Rate of moisture removal (kg s−1)

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi for their financial support to carry out this research work under the DST-TDT scheme (DST-TDT File No. DST/TDT/LCCT-03/2017). One of the authors, U. Harish Kumar likes to thank “Anna Centenary Research Fellowship—ACRF” (CFR/ACRF/21122291330/Ph.D./AR9) granted by the Centre for Research (CFR), Anna University, India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, CEG Campus, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, India

    U. Harish Kumar & S. Kalaiselvam

  2. Centre for Industrial Safety, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, India

    U. Harish Kumar & S. Kalaiselvam

  3. Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Centre for Micro Nano Design and Fabrication, Saveetha Engineering College, Thandalam, Chennai, 602 105, India

    S. Imran Hussain

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  1. U. Harish Kumar
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  3. S. Kalaiselvam
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Contributions

UHK did conceptualization, methodology, data curation, investigation, writing—original draft. SIH done review and editing. SK contributed to conceptualization, methodology, investigation, resources, writing—review and editing, and supervision.

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Correspondence to S. Kalaiselvam.

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Kumar, U.H., Hussain, S.I. & Kalaiselvam, S. Energy-efficient low-temperature activated desiccant wheels with nano-desiccant-coated fiber matrix. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 11511–11533 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12506-5

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