This paper proposes a desiccant hybrid heat pump for enabling frost-free operation of heat pumps in humid regions in winter. Experimental measurements using mesoporous silica, which can operate at low temperatures, validated that removal of water vapor from the incoming air of the evaporator was effective in preventing the formation of frost. The results also confirmed that this system provides higher efficiency if the absorbed water can be used for humidification. Based on the experimental results, a theoretical model was constructed and results of a simulation using this model showed that the proposed system could meet the humidity requirement in a relatively wide range (0.5-1) of the sensible heat factor.
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