Desiccant wheel is an important and crucial component that can be used in building HVAC systems in order to reach relevant energy savings and to use renewable sources. The optimization of air handling units based on desiccant wheels instead of conventional components is complex and it requires adequate simulation tools. In the present paper desiccant wheels performance and optimization are investigated. The analysis is carried out through a one-dimensional gas side resistance model which considers develooping temperature and velocity profiles along the channels. Simulation results show a good agreement with experimental data available in literature in a wide range of operating conditions. The model is used to analyze the influence of working conditions on desiccant wheel performance and on the optimal revolution speed. Several performance criteria are introduced and each one of them is used to investigate and to find out the optimal desiccant wheel configuration. For each criterion the best process air angular sector and revolution speed are identified, and the obtained results are compared. Through a practical example it is finally shown how each criterion leads to different optimal configurations.

Simulation, performance analysis and optimization of desiccant wheels

DE ANTONELLIS, STEFANO;JOPPOLO, CESARE MARIA;MOLINAROLI, LUCA
2010-01-01

Abstract

Desiccant wheel is an important and crucial component that can be used in building HVAC systems in order to reach relevant energy savings and to use renewable sources. The optimization of air handling units based on desiccant wheels instead of conventional components is complex and it requires adequate simulation tools. In the present paper desiccant wheels performance and optimization are investigated. The analysis is carried out through a one-dimensional gas side resistance model which considers develooping temperature and velocity profiles along the channels. Simulation results show a good agreement with experimental data available in literature in a wide range of operating conditions. The model is used to analyze the influence of working conditions on desiccant wheel performance and on the optimal revolution speed. Several performance criteria are introduced and each one of them is used to investigate and to find out the optimal desiccant wheel configuration. For each criterion the best process air angular sector and revolution speed are identified, and the obtained results are compared. Through a practical example it is finally shown how each criterion leads to different optimal configurations.
2010
Adsorption; Desiccant wheel; Optimization; Performance; Pressure drop
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Simulation, performance analysis and optimization of desiccant wheels.pdf

Accesso riservato

: Post-Print (DRAFT o Author’s Accepted Manuscript-AAM)
Dimensione 1 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/566738
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 123
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 92
social impact