Experimental study of the performance of a laminar flow silica gel desiccant packing suitable for solar air conditioning application
An experimental study of the performance of a low pressure drop silica gel desiccant packing has been carried out. The packing is in the form of narrow passages lined with a single layer of small silica gel particles. A near optimum particle size of 0.25 mm, and a range of passage widths of 1.46 to 3.75 mm were chosen based on the predictions of a computer simulation model. A test chamber was constructed with sufficient thermal insulation to allow close to adiabatic conditions for the 12 cm x 12 cm cross section of packing. Step change adsorption and desorption tests were performed for various plate spacings, air flow rates, air inlet conditions, and gel initial water contents. Air outlet moisture content and temperature, as well as pressure drop were measured. The experimental results were compared with predictions of the computer simulation model: This model is based on gas side controlled heat and mass transfer, with the small solid side mass transfer resistance incorporated in a crude manner, and heat transfer into the packing handled as a lumped thermal capacitance. Reasonable agreement was obtained between theoretical prediction and experiment. The match was found to improve with increased passage width. The discrepancies are chiefly attributed to an excessive air bypass, and to inaccurate accounting for heat transfer from the sides of the unit. Use of the computer code for prototype scale design purposes is recommended.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Los Angeles (USA). School of Engineering and Applied Science
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-80CS84056
- OSTI ID:
- 6838535
- Report Number(s):
- UCLA-ENG-8311; ON: DE84011394
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140901* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
ADSORBENTS
ADSORPTION
AIR CONDITIONERS
AIR FLOW
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DATA
DESICCANTS
DESORPTION
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
INFORMATION
LAMINAR FLOW
MASS TRANSFER
MOISTURE
NUMERICAL DATA
PACKED BED
PARTICLES
PRESSURE DROP
SILICA GEL
SIMULATION
SOLAR AIR CONDITIONERS
SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SORPTION