Internally cooled membrane-based absorber for dehumidification and water heating: Validated model and simulation study

Zhiming Gao, Navin Kumar, Zhiyao Yang, Kyle Gluesenkamp, Ahmad Abuheiba, Saeed Moghaddam, Van D. Baxter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive model for advanced membrane-based absorber components accounting for three separate fluid streams, one of them providing internal cooling, with complex flow patterns. The model was implemented with various liquid desiccants and their properties (including LiCl, CaCl2, and [emim][OMS] ionic liquid [IL]). The model has been validated using data from two laboratory prototype absorbers, one with CaCl2 as the working fluid and one with an IL as the working fluid. Entropy analysis was further carried out to verify the model and understand effect of internal cooling on the entropy variation of three fluid streams. The developed model and codes are expected to enable detailed configuration optimization and provide in-depth understanding of three-fluid heat and mass exchanger (HMX) performance. The paper also describes parametric studies of the HMX components in utilizing the latent heat removed in space cooling to heat water and numerically explores the unique benefit of its application in a semi-open absorption heat pump water heater. The results show that a single three-fluid HMX has the potential to achieve simultaneous dehumidification and water heating efficiently at cost effectiveness, particularly in hot and humid climates.

Original languageEnglish
Article number113787
JournalEnergy Conversion and Management
Volume230
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 15 2021

Funding

This work was sponsored by the U.S. DOE Building Technologies Office, with Antonio Bouza as a program manager. We also thank ORNL colleagues and journal reviewers, who provided great help and insightful suggestions. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan ). This work was sponsored by the U.S. DOE Building Technologies Office, with Antonio Bouza as a program manager. We also thank ORNL colleagues and journal reviewers, who provided great help and insightful suggestions.

FundersFunder number
DOE Public Access Plan
U.S. DOE Building Technologies Office
US Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
Oak Ridge National LaboratoryDE-AC05-00OR22725

    Keywords

    • Internal cooling
    • Membrane
    • Modeling
    • Semi-open absorption
    • Three-fluid HMX

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