Type: Article

Comprehensive study on vacuum humidification-dehumidification (VHDH) desalination

Journal: Applied Thermal Engineering (13594311)Year: 25 March 2020Volume: 169Issue:

Rahimi-Ahar Z.Hatamipour M.^a Ghalavand Y. Palizvan A.

a :University of Isfahan - IRAN(IR) - Isfahan

DOI:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.114944Language: English

Abstract

In this work, a solar-assisted pilot-scale vacuum humidification-dehumidification (VHDH) desalination plant is investigated experimentally as well as thermodynamically. In this process, the humidification performs at sub-atmospheric pressure, while the dehumidification occurs at over-atmospheric pressure. The annual experimental results show that the maximum desalination rate is obtained as 1200 mL h−1 m−2 during summer days at the best value of water to air mass flow rate ratio (w/a) and minimum humidifier pressure. It is resulted that despite achieving a high desalination rate at low pressure, the exergy efficiency decreases. This result reveals that the obtained value of humidifier pressure from energy-exergy analyses differs from the experimental one that is obtained regarding the desalination rate. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd