Dynamic and microscopic simulation of the counter-current flow in a liquid desiccant dehumidifier

The optimal design and operation of a liquid desiccant dehumidifier needs the understanding of the flow mechanism. However, the study in this aspect is still limited. In the present work, a model has been established on the basis of computational fluent dynamics (CFD) software. With the model, the counter-current gas-liquid flow process is evaluated microscopically and dynamically. The impacts of various parameters on the velocity profiles, the minimum liquid flow rate for wetting the whole surface, interfacial area, and film thickness are analyzed. The critical advantage of the model lies in that it can predict the dynamic and local performance of the dehumidifier microscopically. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.