Numerical Studies of a Compact Desiccant-Coated Maisotsenko Cycle Cooler for Attaining Sub-Dew-Point Temperatures

Abstract Reducing the dry bulb temperature of air below its dew-point value is essential to achieve thermal comfort in tropical regions with high humidity. This article analyzes the possible ways to accomplish this reduction in a single heat exchanger through the desiccant-coated Maisotsenko cycle (M-cycle) cooler, which can utilize waste/solar heat as the primary source of energy. A numerical study has been conducted by solving a set of partial differential equations using a modified form of the Gauss–Siedel method and simulating the results in matlab. Two possible cooler configurations—crossflow and counterflow—are compared under various operating conditions. It is observed that the counterflow configuration is able to provide 5–10 °C lower outlet temperature as compared to the crossflow configuration. The dehumidification capacity of the counterflow configuration remains above 0.01 kg/kgda for much longer durations than the crossflow configuration. For the regeneration process, results show that increasing the regeneration temperatures, channel velocity, and channel spacing reduces the regeneration time from 2500 to 1500 s. System performance analyses show that sub-dew-point temperatures can be achieved in the counterflow configuration when the channel length and branching ratio are increased beyond 0.9 m and 0.55, respectively, as well as when the channel velocity and spacing are reduced below 0.9 m/s and 0.004 m, respectively. This novelty allows the proposed system to emanate as a sustainable nature-based cooling solution and a viable alternative to the existing vapor compression refrigeration system, especially for regions with high humidity.