STUDY OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN A SINGLE STORAGE SOLAR ASSISTED LIQUID DESICCANT AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Abstract

The increasing demand for air conditioning, particularly in hot and humid climates has caused a significant increase in energy demand. Depleting the conventional energy sources, i.e., fossil fuels, natural gas (NG) and coal, and causes emission of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The conventional air conditioning system is better for all the required indoor conditions. However, dehumidification necessitates cooling air below the dew point temperature, which uses more electricity and is harmful to the environment due to the usage of harmful refrigerants. The desiccant system is a worthy replacement for an air-conditioning system to tackle latent load as it requires no mechanical compressors, is not harmful to the environment and can reduce the requirement of electricity by utilizing low-grade energy like; industrial waste, solar energy, and geothermal energy. The liquid desiccant system mainly consists of two components; a dehumidifier and a regenerator. Dehumidifier is used to remove moisture from the air, while a regenerator is used to turn diluted solutions back into concentrated ones so that the cycle can continue without interruption. The present study's goal is to assess the performance of a single-storage solar-assisted liquid desiccant air conditioning system using CaCl2 as a liquid desiccant solution. CaCl2 is chosen as a liquid desiccant because of its cheapness and ease of availability. The experimental and mathematical study is performed in a single storage solar-assisted liquid desiccant air conditioning system. The present experimental work is done in a compact liquid desiccant cooling system, which consists of a dehumidifier, regenerator, and evaporative cooler in a single unit. The aim of our work is to provide cooled and dehumidified air while using less power and being eco-friendly. The liquid desiccant has the property to attract water vapor from the air. After taking moisture from the air, the liquid desiccant becomes diluted, and for a continuous cycle, it is necessary to regenerate the solution. By using solar energy, the regeneration of diluted solution is possible. This is the benefit of using a liquid desiccant cooling system. The marquise-shaped flat plate solar collector is used in the present system for providing hot water for the regeneration of diluted solution.