Energy and exergy analysis of a liquid desiccant heat and mass transfer loop with natural convection: The effect of heat sink and heat source temperature

Desiccant systems, as a promising air conditioning technology have opened new aspects as a replacement for vapor compression systems. The liquid desiccant energy exchanger system with natural convection flow is proposed here; the system is a loop with two hollow fiber membrane air-desiccant exchanger of shell-and-tube type that works as the humidifier and regenerator. The LiCl aqueous solution as desiccant directed over the fibers and the air is inside the fibers; the water stream flows outside the modules to provide the required heat exchange. The heat sink and source as merged subparts of the exchangers have a major influence on system performance. The system is examined from the energetic and exergetic viewpoints at different heat sink and heat source temperatures. Keeping the fixed air flow rate and using the standard air properties, the cold and hot water temperatures of 15–25 °C and 50–70 were employed and the effectiveness coefficients including the latent, sensible and total and 2nd law efficiency evaluated. It was shown that the values of NTU and Cr* depend on each other and attenuating effect of NTU reduction is higher than enhancing effect of Cr* increase on effectiveness values. The prominent factor on exergy performance which hinders the effect of the other parameters is the solution flow rate. Also, the highest and lowest values of 2 nd law efficiency are 81% and 5% which are for temperature pairs of (52, 20) and (65,25), respectively.