Energy benefit of a dedicated outdoor air system over a desiccant-enhanced evaporative air conditioner

The DEVap enhances the energy performance of a variable air volume system by reducing cooling coil loads through preconditioning of the supply air before it reaches a coil. The preconditioning is accomplished by using a liquid desiccant system and dew-point indirect evaporative cooler. In this paper, the operating and annual primary energy consumptions of both the DOAS and DEVap systems are compared based on detailed energy simulations. The results indicated the energy saving potential of DOAS to be greater than that of the DEVap. Specifically, a DOAS with ceiling radiant cooling panels experienced 20% less primary energy consumption compared to a DEVap.