Performance analysis of a novel heat pump type air conditioner coupled with a liquid dehumidification/humidification cycle

Abstract

In recent years, liquid desiccant air-conditioning system (LDAC) has shown a great potential alternative to the conventional vapor compression systems. LDAC not only greatly improves the indoor air quality by controlling the humidity and temperature independently, but also deceases the electrical energy consumption of the conventional air conditioner. In this work, the liquid desiccant and humidification cycle is driven by the exhaust heat of the compressor. Cycle performance of a small-scale heat pump type air conditioner coupled with a liquid desiccant/humidification cycle has been theoretically and experimentally evaluated by the present study. Parametric analysis on cycle performance of the present cycle is carried out through both theoretical and experimental methods, and lithium chloride aqueous solution is used as the working fluid of the solution cycle. The thermodynamic analysis results show that while the evaporating temperature of the present cycle increases to 15°C, the energy consumption decreases by about 22.64% when compared with conventional air conditioner. Theoretical results also indicate that the coefficient of performance (COP) of the novel system has a potential improvement of about 35.3%. Based on the theoretical results, experimental analyses of this novel cycle under summer and winter working conditions are carried out. In addition, comparison of the humidification and dehumidification ability as well as COP of the present novel system and the traditional one are carried out. Researching results of the present study provide important reference for investigator of this field.