Abstract
Heat pump-driven liquid desiccant air conditioning systems are energy-efficient for hot and humid climates. The synthetic refrigerants (high GWP) currently used in heat pumps must be phased down/out sooner or later to mitigate the rising environmental problems. Being a natural and eco-friendly refrigerant, R744 (carbon dioxide) is a promising alternative for heat pumps. R744 heat pump-driven liquid desiccant air conditioning system (hybrid system) is not only a clean system but also yields better performance in hot and humid climates. However, its potential for air conditioning systems has yet to be thoroughly investigated. The present study compares the performance and emissions of an R744 hybrid system (HS) with a conventional R134a system (CS) for two cases: 100 % fresh air (HS-1 vs CS-1) and 30 % fresh air recirculation (HS-2 vs CS-2) in hot and humid conditions like those in Chennai. For the 100 % fresh air case, the hybrid system (HS-1) reduces energy consumption at peak ambient conditions by 36% and annual operating costs by 22% compared to the conventional system (CS-1), making it highly competitive in extreme climates. For the recirculation case while energy use is 16 % lower for HS-2 compared to CS-2 during peak summer, there is no annual cost difference. However, HS-2 remains cleaner and more eco-friendly due to negligible direct emissions.
Published Version
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