Abstract

The design and construction of buildings in hot-humid climates requires high energy consumption typically for air conditioning due to higher thermal loads. In hot-humid climates, there is a rising concern on the current rate of energy consumption due to air conditioning. Considering the wider impacts of carbon emissions on our climate, and the need to reduce these emissions, effective energy efficiency solutions are necessary to achieve the overall goal of reducing carbon emissions. Conventional energy resources continue depleting and the energy demands of a growing global population continue to increase. Ventilation rates to buildings must be increased to ensure occupants healthy indoors environment. This more outdoors air gave the designers a much bigger load to be removed especially in humid climates. Outdoor cooling remains a challenge but will have lots of social and economic benefits.

This paper presents the design and performance of a fully integrated liquid desiccant air conditioning system that could be used for indoor and outdoor cooling. The superefficient packed liquid desiccant evaporative air conditioning system can provide 22000 m3/h treated fresh air at supply temperature of 16°C with 50% reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional systems.

Keywords: Outdoor cooling; Desiccant dehumidification; CO2 emissions; Seawater bittern; Energy efficiency