A review of dew-point evaporative cooling: Recent advances and future development

Dew-point evaporative cooling (DPEC) is a high-efficiency heat and mass transfer technique and has been widely used in various industries. The suitable and efficient application of this technology is helpful for energy conservation and can bring great benefits for the fulfillment of carbon–neutral development. In this paper, a comprehensive review of DPEC techniques was conducted through the introduction of its current applications and limitations. First, the theories behind DPEC together with the existing modelling methods and experimental tests were presented after a brief introduction of its research significance. Then, recent advances of DPEC techniques from both demand-side and supply-side applications were described in detail, such as Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning system, gas turbine and other special designs. The research gap between actual carbon–neutral applications and current techniques and potential future research directions were also discussed and finally, some conclusive remarks were outlined. This review concludes the current main characteristics of DPEC techniques and indicates the possible further investigation directions. The inadequate investigation in high temperature region or un-even distribution water film together with future renewable energy combination are highlighted, which is expected to guide the future development of dew-point evaporative coolers and serve the carbon–neutral strategies.