An overview of solid desiccant dehumidification and air conditioning systems

To address the importance of desiccant air-conditioning (DAC) systems, this paper discusses the comparison between DAC and conventional vapor compression air-conditioning (VAC). Performance and economic feasibility (PEF) of the system is conferred with reference literature to correlate the types of DAC system from the perspective of energy saving and system payback period. The present study provides three examples of existing desiccant cooling systems namely (i) standalone DAC system, (ii) single-stage hybrid DAC system, and (iii) two-stage hybrid DAC system, which highlight their importance under different environmental conditions. This study provides scientific and experimental supports on how the standalone or hybrid desiccant cooling can be a supplement to the exiting VAC system. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.