Advancement of the Desiccant Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning (DHVAC) Systems

Abstract

The building sector is one of the largest end-users of primary energy sources. One of the main usages of its energy is for the maintenance of indoor environmental conditions—thermal comfort and air quality. In this regard, the selection, design and installation of the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems in buildings and houses are very important when considering the reduction of energy consumption and, at the same time, with the provision of the required comfortable indoor thermal environment and healthy indoor air. The desiccant heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system is one of the alternative heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems for providing the required indoor thermal environment and air quality. The system can provide the required thermal comfort and air quality by means of controlling the air temperature, humidity, as well as indoor chemical and biological contents. This type of system can utilize diverse sources of energy, which is very important for the optimization of on-site and off-site available alternative energy sources. As the advancement of the desiccant heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system (DHVAC) becomes globally established by the progress in different research deliverables, designs, installations and evaluation methods, it is expected that the system will become one of the most important alternative systems for the maintenance of indoor thermal environment comfort and air quality when considering the reduced reliance on conventional energy usage.