Desiccant Enhanced Evaporative Air-Conditioning (DEVap): Evaluation of a New Concept in Ultra Efficient Air Conditioning

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1004010· OSTI ID:1004010

Kozubal, E.; Woods, J.; Burch, J.; Boranian, A.; Merrigan, T.

NREL has developed the novel concept of a desiccant enhanced evaporative air conditioner (DEVap) with the objective of combining the benefits of liquid desiccant and evaporative cooling technologies into an innovative 'cooling core.' Liquid desiccant technologies have extraordinary dehumidification potential, but require an efficient cooling sink. DEVap's thermodynamic potential overcomes manyshortcomings of standard refrigeration-based direct expansion cooling. DEVap decouples cooling and dehumidification performance, which results in independent temperature and humidity control. The energy input is largely switched away from electricity to low-grade thermal energy that can be sourced from fuels such as natural gas, waste heat, solar, or biofuels.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1004010
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-5500-49722
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
AIR CONDITIONERS
AIR CONDITIONING
BIOFUELS
dehumidification
desiccant enhanced evaporative (DEVAP) air conditioning
DESICCANTS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRICITY
EVALUATION
evaporative cooling
HUMIDITY CONTROL
liquid desiccants
NATURAL GAS
PERFORMANCE
THERMODYNAMICS
WASTE HEAT