Investigation of angular aspects of a novel four-sector rotary dehumidifier configuration for HVAC applications

In buildings and industries, different humidity and temperature ranges may be required to fulfill the requirement. Desiccant-based air conditioning is more widely used to control the latent load using solar or waste heat efficiently. This work divides a rotary solid desiccant wheel into four sections: two process sections and two regeneration sections. Air from one process section (P1) is used in a cooling application with the aid of a cooling unit, while air from the other process section (P2) is used for warm and dry air applications. Furthermore, the input conditions and positioning of the regeneration sections (R1 and R2) are such that there is less carryover heat to the P1 section and more carryover heat to the P2 section, which is advantageous for both applications. The major objective of the present work is to investigate the optimal angular divisions of these four sections using a two-dimensional mathematical model. The developed mathematical model results are reported in good agreement with the experimental results of the literature. The optimal rotational speed of the wheel is computed as 15 revolutions per hour, and the optimal regeneration angles for R2 and R1 of the desiccant wheels are 100–110° and 115–125°, respectively.