NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF COMBINED HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER PROCESSES IN A ROTARY DEHUMIDIFIER

Abstract

A new finite-difference method is presented for simulating the combined heat and mass transfer processes that occur in a solid desiccant dehumidifier, which is the main component of a solid desiccant dehumidification and cooling system. The numerical method is of high-order accuracy, is numerically implicit, and is unconditionally stable. This method allows for more rapid simulation of the performance of desitcant-based dehumidification and cooling systems. Using the numerical method, the effect of the rotational speed on the performance of an adiabatic rotary dehumidifier was parametricaily studied, and the optimal rotational speed was determined by examining the outlet adsorption-side humidity profiles and the humidity wave fronts inside the desiccant dehumidifier.