Modeling and simulation of solar collector/regenerator for liquid desiccant cooling systems

Solar liquid collector/regenerator combines solar photothermic transformation and liquid regeneration together for solar energy-driven liquid desiccant cooling systems. A group of dimensionless heat and mass transfer equations describing the heat and mass transfer process in the solar C/R(Collector/Regenerator) were obtained by introducing total temperature difference (ΔT0) and dimensionless heat loss coefficient (h¯z). The increment of solution concentration ΔC was increased 2.9–3.5%/°C and 5.3%/°C for increasing unit inlet temperature of air stream and solution respectively and increased about 6.2%/(g/kg) and 0.9%/(g/kg) for decreasing unit inlet humidity ratio of air and solution concentration. Besides, the increasing number of heat transfer units (NTU), air-to-salt mass flow rate ratio (ASMR) and total temperature difference (ΔT0) can increase the performance of solution regeneration significantly. Compared to parallel flow regeneration, the performance of counterflow regeneration was increased about 10%.

► In this paper, two new variables—total temperature difference (ΔT0) and dimensionless heat loss coefficient (h¯z) were introduced originally.
► The equations of heat and mass transfer in solar C/R were all transformed into the dimensionless form.
► The ΔC increased 3.7 g/kg per NTU, 90–120% per ASMR, or 10.7%/°C respectively along with increasing unit NTU, ASMR or ΔT0.
► Compared to parallel flow regeneration, the performance of counterflow regeneration was increased about 10%.