Next generation air conditioner for sustainable cooling solutions

Abstract

Generally in summer, air conditioning systems are essential for improving the human comfort and productivity. The mechanical vapor compression system (VCS) is probably the most used system. However, the refrigerant used in VCS is harmful to the environment and the initial cost is high. So, the aim of this study is to introduce a sustainable, energy-efficient and climate-friendly air conditioning system in which there is no refrigerant. The proposed system is the integration of two modules i.e., Direct evaporative cooling (DEC) module and vacuum-assisted isothermal membrane-based air dehumidification (VIMAD) module, where the DEC module will cool and humidify the entering air stream and then this cool and humidified air will enter into the VIMAD module and the air will get dehumidified. Finally, the output will be cool and dehumidified air at the exit of the system. In this paper, the proposed system is explained. Moreover, the basic principle of the DEC, the background of DEC and the basic principle of the VIMAD system, background on the types of membrane materials that can be used in VIMAD are explained. Also, the effects of various parameters on the performance of the DEC and VIMAD are presented.