Solar interfacial regeneration performance of different solutions for liquid desiccant cooling system

Abstract

A liquid desiccant cooling system (LDCS) is a promising energy-saving air-conditioning system with the advantages of being driven by low-grade heat and excellent humidity control ability. However, the problems of high energy consumption and low energy utilization efficiency of its regenerator limit its further development. To improve, a novel solar interfacial regeneration (SIR) method is proposed. The method can convert solar energy into heat and locate the heat at the evaporation interface so that the regenerator has high energy utilization efficiency. Experimental studies were carried out on different liquid desiccants. The results show that the thermal regeneration efficiency of this method is 2.6 to 2.9 times that of the conventional thermal regeneration method. LiBr solution has the best regeneration performance, but MgCl2 and CaCl2 are cheaper. Considering energy utilization efficiency and economic cost, the mixed desiccant may be a better choice. These advances could make SIR-based LDCS a potential contender for future air-conditioning systems.