Development of a Ventilation and Air-conditioning System using Fixed Bed Desiccant Units

Part 2: Study on the Regeneration Method of the Desiccant Ventilation and Air-conditioning System with a Thermal Storage Device

Abstract

The study investigated fixed bed desiccant units for ventilation and air-conditioning. The role of the system is the dehumidification of the outdoor fresh air to be supplied to an air-conditioned room. Hence, the latent heat load of the air-conditioner in the room can be mitigated. The system consisted of two pairs of a desiccant unit and a heat storage unit. The microwave irradiation to the desiccant unit was examined as a candidate of the regeneration method of the system, and the performance of the microwave regeneration was compared with that of the hot air regeneration in terms of the supply air humidity ratio, outdoor air based COP, and the process air temperatures. The results revealed the effects of the switching time and the irradiation timing on the performance of the microwave irradiation.