The synergy of hybrid desiccants and membrane-assisted techniques for enhancing dehumidifier efficiency

This research project delves into the application of membrane-based dehumidification, employing a hydrophobic PVDF membrane in conjunction with a liquid desiccant. The experimental setup consists of acrylic sheets arranged in a cross-flow configuration to encase the membrane material. In this setup, MgCl2 functions as the desiccant, while zeolites serve as the enhancing additive. The experiments involve varying the air velocity within the range of 2m/s to 8m/s, adjusting the desiccant concentration from 20% to 40%, and exploring different zeolite concentrations at mass ratios ranging from 1:3 to 1:2 relative to the desiccant. The results showed that zeolites significantly enhance desiccant efficiency, with effectiveness ranging from 9.7% to 82.7%. Systems with zeolites exhibited efficiency gains of up to 82.7% compared to those without, especially at higher concentrations and velocities. The maximum COP of 2.1 was observed for 40% MgCl2 with (1:2) concentration and 8m/s velocity. The addition of zeolite caused a slight increase in the exit air temperature compared to the temperature rise observed with only the MgCl2 solution. In a 40% MgCl2 desiccant solution with zeolites, the temperature rise was 12% higher with a 1:2 zeolite ratio compared to a 1:3 ratio.