High-performance multi-stage internally-cooled liquid desiccant dehumidifier for high gas-liquid flow ratios
File(s)ECM2021-114869.pdf (2.39 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Liquid desiccant dehumidification provides a pathway to high-flow air pretreatment of air compressors for en-ergy savings. However, high air-to-solution flow ratios (i.e., over 4.0) may result in an unacceptable decrease in dehumidification effectiveness, and few studies have managed to overcome this challenge. This study aims to experimentally demonstrate that the multi-stage internally-cooled liquid desiccant dehumidifier (MILDD) is capable of improving the effectiveness at extremely high air-to-solution flow ratios over 10.0. A laboratory bench of the MILDD is designed and tested in various operational conditions. Based on the finite difference model, the experimental results of dehumidification effectiveness are analyzed in terms of the heat and mass transfer process such as irreversible loss and driving forces. The specific cooling capacity associated with the energy efficiency is further studied by considering different desiccant regeneration efficiency. In addition, the experimental latent effectiveness from present and previous work is compared and correlated. Results show that the measured latent effectiveness of the MILDD exceeds 0.42 and goes even up to 1.02 at high air-to-solution flow ratios, i.e., 8.6–20.1, while existing liquid desiccant dehumidifiers maintain a comparable effectiveness only at much lower flow ratios, i.e., below 4.0. The proposed model and correlation also have been validated with a considerable accuracy for predicting the performance of internally-cooled dehumidifiers. This work has experimentally demonstrated the ability of the multi-stage internally-cooled liquid desiccant dehumidifier to overcome the low effectiveness at high gas–liquid flow ratios, which advances the potential application of liquid desiccant dehu-midification in the air compression process.
Date Issued
2021-12-15
Date Acceptance
2021-10-10
ISSN
0196-8904
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1
End Page
14
Journal / Book Title
Energy Conversion and Management
Volume
250
Copyright Statement
© Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196890421010451?via%3Dihub
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000712659400005&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
EP/P004709/1
EP/R045518/1
UOB107926
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Thermodynamics
Energy & Fuels
Mechanics
Liquid desiccant dehumidification
Multi-stage
Internally-cooled
Air-to-solution flow ratio
Effectiveness correlation
MASS-TRANSFER
AIR
FILM
ENHANCEMENT
CONTACT
LITHIUM
MODEL
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Thermodynamics
Energy & Fuels
Mechanics
Liquid desiccant dehumidification
Multi-stage
Internally-cooled
Air-to-solution flow ratio
Effectiveness correlation
MASS-TRANSFER
AIR
FILM
ENHANCEMENT
CONTACT
LITHIUM
MODEL
Energy
0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
0913 Mechanical Engineering
Publication Status
Published online
Article Number
ARTN 114869
Date Publish Online
2021-10-23