Assessment of solar dehumidification systems in a hot climate

Solar thermal-powered desiccant dehumidification systems are attracting attention for cooling load-dominated climates. However, their performance varies substantially from place to place depending on climatic conditions, which therefore warrants a tailored design and specification at each geographical location. The current article attempted to investigate the feasibility of extending an existing solar thermal system in a school building in Abu Dhabi to provide dehumidification for the existing air condition system through a desiccant system. The system performance was predicted through a Transient System (TRNSYS) Simulation model to determine the energy savings achieved by the solar-assisted dehumidification system. The current articles determined the effect of fluid flow rate, solar radiation concentration, and heat exchanger effectiveness at the dehumidification of the fresh air as well as energy saved by the proposed system. It was concluded that the system can remove 35% moisture from the air, simultaneously saving 10% of the building’s energy. The system cost and benefit analysis revealed a payback period of 7.5 years, considered slightly higher for an attractive investment in such systems.