Desiccant cooling
The Illustrated Guide to Renewable Technologies BG 1/2008, By Kevin Pennycook, published by BSRIA in March 2008, states: ‘The use of sorption air-dehumidification using solid or liquid desiccants offers an alternative to conventional vapour compression equipment. Most desiccant systems use a solid desiccant material such as silica gel located in a desiccant wheel. The gel transfers heat and water vapour between the exhaust air and the supply air in an air-handling unit. Sorption air conditioning can be used on its own or combined with a conventional vapour compression system. When combined they lead to higher efficiency by increasing the evaporator temperature of the compression cycle.’
--BSRIA
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