Design and Analysis of an Energy Efficient

Dehumidification System for Drying Applications

Wen-Chung Wang

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the

University of Hertfordshire for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

The programme of research was carried out in the School of Engineering &
Technology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK.

December 2015

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract .........................................................................................................................ii
Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................iii
Nomenclature .............................................................................................................. iv
Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Problem Statement ......................................................................................... 1
1.2 Aim and Objectives ........................................................................................ 3
1.3 Outline of the Thesis ...................................................................................... 4
1.3.1 Methodology Flow Chart ................................................................... 4
1.3.2 Thesis Layout....................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2 Theoretical Background ............................................................................ 7
2.1 Fundamental Aspects of Drying ................................................................... 7
2.2 Classification and Selection of Dryers .......................................................... 9
2.2.1 Classification ....................................................................................... 9
2.2.2 Selection of dryers ............................................................................... 9
2.2.3 Effect of Energy and Environmental Factors on Dryer Selection 10
2.2.4 Energy Aspects in Drying ................................................................. 11
2.2.5 Drying Efficiency .............................................................................. 12
2.2.6 Principles for Energy Efficient Design ............................................ 15
2.3 Psychrometrics ............................................................................................. 19
2.4 Moisture Load Sources ................................................................................ 24
2.5 Summary ....................................................................................................... 27
Chapter 3 Advances on Drying Systems .................................................................. 28
3.1 Review of Hybrid Assisted Heat Pump Dryer ........................................... 28
3.1.1 Exergy Analysis of an Isothermal Heat Pump Dryer .................... 29
3.1.2 Solar Source Assisted Heat Pump Dryer ........................................ 32
3.1.3 Ground Source Assisted Heat Pump Dryer .................................... 33
3.1.4 Chemical Assisted Heat Pump Dryer .............................................. 34
3.1.5 Two Stage Heat Pump System for Drying....................................... 35
3.1.6 Modelling of Heat Pump Dryer ....................................................... 39
3.2 Desiccant Dehumidifier ............................................................................... 45
3.2.1 Regeneration methods of desiccant in drying applications ........... 46
3.2.2 Thermal Transfer Coefficients of Desiccant Wheel ....................... 51
3.2.3 Effect of Desiccant Isotherm ............................................................ 60
3.2.4 Desiccant Applications ...................................................................... 67
3.3 Vortex Tube ................................................................................................... 69

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 3.3.1 Summary of Experimental Studies on Vortex Tube ....................... 73
3.3.2 Vortex Tube for Drying in Further Research ................................. 75
3.4 Summary ....................................................................................................... 77
Chapter 4 Methodology ............................................................................................. 79
4.1 Justification of Objectives ........................................................................... 79
4.2 Theoretical Design ........................................................................................ 80
4.3 Summary ....................................................................................................... 85
Chapter 5 Analysis of Hybrid Systems ..................................................................... 86
5.1 Assumptions .................................................................................................. 86
5.1.1 Heat Pump ......................................................................................... 86
5.1.2 Desiccant Wheel ................................................................................ 89
5.2 Analysis of Different Hybrid Dryers .......................................................... 92
5.3. Summary .................................................................................................... 101
Chapter 6 Design & Construction of a Hybrid Dryer .......................................... 102
6.1 Description of the System .......................................................................... 102
6.2 Experiment Setup....................................................................................... 105
6.3 Summary ..................................................................................................... 108
Chapter 7 Results and Discussion........................................................................... 109
7.1 Realisation of the Operation Cycle of Hybrid System ............................ 109
7.2 Effect of Inlet Air Temperature ................................................................ 111
7.3 Effect of Airflow Rate ................................................................................ 127
7.4 Influence of Varying Operation Parameters in Desiccant Wheel .......... 138
7.5 Influence of Varying Operation Parameters in Heat Pump ................... 140
7.6 Summary ..................................................................................................... 142
Chapter 8 Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Work ....................... 143
8.1 Conclusions ................................................................................................. 143
8.1.1 Overall Performance of the Hybrid Drying System .................... 143
8.1.2 Theoretical & Experimental Analysis of Various Parameters .... 144
8.1.3 Other Practical Implications .......................................................... 145
8.2 Recommendations for Future Work ......................................................... 145
References ................................................................................................................. 147
List of Publications .................................................................................................. 155
Appendix-A Journal Paper ..................................................................................... 156
Appendix-B ASHRAE Psychrometric Chart ........................................................ 163
Appendix-C Auxiliary Calculations ....................................................................... 169

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