Adsorbent beds packed in triply periodic minimal surface-derived structures and their performance in adsorption desalination/cooling systems

Abstract

The present study aims at improving the performance of adsorption desalination/cooling systems (ADCs) by packing the adsorbent materials inside triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures. In that respect, solid and sheet types of metallic networks-based TPMS (e.g., Gyroid and Diamond) were addressed to improve the performance of ADCs. Using CFD simulations, the TPMS structures were compared to the finned tube-packed adsorbers based on specific daily water production (SDWP) and specific cooling power (SCP). The computational model was developed and hence verified using the most relevant literature. The influence of heat transfer area, effective thermal conductivity, effective diffusivity, and tortuosity on SDWP and SCP was investigated for the TPMS-derived and finned tube structures. Those structures were also examined using variant porosity levels. The results indicated that increasing TPMS porosity resulted in lower SDWP and SCP; however, TPMS still attained an improvement in SDWP and SCP compared to finned tube adsorbers. At a porosity of 0.8, SDWP of 10.4 m3/ton was attained by the sheet network of Diamond, which was 19.4% superior to that of the finned tube structure. At a porosity of 0.2, the sheet network of Diamond attained SDWP and SCP of 20.1 m3/ton and 627.4 W/kg, respectively.