Abstract
Liquid desiccant air conditioning systems (LDAC) have attracted increasing interest for the high efficiency of temperature and humidity control. Improving the regeneration performance with low-grade energy could make LDAC systems more competitive. In this work, by combining Chinese ink and lignocellulose sponge, we developed an inexpensive, efficient and large-scale evaporator that allows regeneration of desiccant via solar energy. Results show that the evaporator exhibits remarkable salt-resistance capacity, rendering it suitable for effective seawater desalination and regeneration of high-concentration desiccant. Even for the 40 wt% desiccant at about 22 °C, the regeneration rate can reach 0.63 kgm−2 h−1 under 1-sun irradiation. The outdoor experiments further confirmed the high regeneration rate of the evaporator. Additionally, concentrated desiccant presents an alternative means of solar energy storage. Considering the high efficiency, easy preparation, and remarkable salt resistance, the lignocellulose sponge-based evaporators could advance the practical application of solar heat localization for seawater desalination and desiccant regeneration.
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