Experimental and Simulative Analysis of a Desiccant-Based Air Handling Unit

High efficiency technologies, such as microcogenerators or desiccant-based airhandling units, as well as renewable-based technologies, such as solar collectors, have a high potential to reduce primary energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, with respect to conventional systems, for space heating and cooling purposes in tertiary and residential sectors.These technologies are individually achieving a growing commercial interest in the world: for example, microcogenerators are by now widely diffused in Germany (about 20'000 units sold) and in Japan (about 100'000 units sold), while innovative air conditioning systems will achieve a quick trend of market diffusion, driven by the strong interest in sustainable buildings (low and zero energy houses). The potential of energy and emissions reduction can be significantly improved if high efficiency and renewable-based technologies are combined, as in hybrid microgeneration systems. Moreover, the attention of several researchers is focusing on the transition from centralized to decentralized small size energy “production” systems (DistributedGeneration) to reduce transmission and distribution energy losses: aminiaturization process is in progress.The aim of this work is to present the experimental and simulative research workdone by the authors on a desiccant-based air handling unit, coupled to a naturalgas-fired reciprocating internal combustion engine cogenerator, an electric chillerand a natural gas-fired boiler, installed at “Università degli Studi del Sannio”, inBenevento (Southern Italy). Various aspects of desiccant cooling technology, with aparticular focus on thermal and dehumidification performances of desiccant wheel,as well as energy and environmental analysis of a desiccant system coupled with a microcogenerator and solar collectors, by means of experimental and simulativeapproaches, are addressed.