Title: Operating parameter analysis to improve the performance of solar desiccant wheel using a mathematical model: Part 1

Authors: Avadhesh Yadav; V.K. Bajpai

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Kurukshetra 136119, Haryana, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Kurukshetra 136119, Haryana, India

Abstract: A mathematical model for analysis of various operating parameters to improve the performance of desiccant wheel has been used and heat and mass transfer for both moist air and the desiccant material have been considered. An experimental setup is fabricated using the evacuated tube solar air collector with desiccant wheel. The hot air needed for regeneration is produced by evacuated tube solar air collector, which has collector surface area of 4.44 m². The regeneration can be started from 40°C. The temperature of outlet air is obtained in the range of 40-65°C by this evacuated tube solar air collector. The experimental results are used to validate the mathematical model with good agreement. The effects of velocity of the regeneration air and the process air have been studied and it was found that moisture removal of desiccant wheel increases with increase in regeneration air velocity and decrease with increase in process air velocity. On the basis of obtained results, the following recommendations have been made: velocity of the process air is between 1 m/s and 2.5 m/s and the regeneration air is between 3 m/s and 5 m/s. These results are useful to study and analyse of solid desiccant dehumidification systems.

Keywords: desiccant wheels; adsorption; regeneration; performance improvement; operating parameters; mathematical modelling; experimental work; mass transfer; heat transfer; solar collectors; moisture removal; solid desiccant dehumidification; dry air; solar energy; solar power.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRET.2013.054756

International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology, 2013 Vol.4 No.3, pp.213 - 241

Received: 17 May 2012
Accepted: 16 Oct 2012

Published online: 30 Jan 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article