Development and Evaluation of the Combined Solar Thermal and Electric Desiccant Cooling System

摘要

The utilization of solar energy which is clean and abundant for building's application is a novel approach in minimizing,if not totally solving,the problems concerning building's conventional energy consumption.In the present study,solar energy is converted to thermal energy for the year-round operation of solar electric and thermal storage system for the operation of desiccant dehumidification and evaporative cooling system for summer operation,and hot water production for the winter season.The combined system is installed at the experimental building of the Laboratory of Building Environmental Engineering of Tohoku University.The whole set up consisted of the solar electric and thermal storage system,desiccant dehumidification and evaporative cooling system,and the controlled experimental facility.Initial measurements and evaluation were taken with some results needed for system analysis.Based on the initial results,the solar collector was performing to its expectation and the thermal energy storage thermal losses were minimal.Results of the desiccant dehumidification and cooling system showed that the system needed refinements to enhance the increase of its cooling load performance.