
1.0 PRINCIPLES
THE HEAT PUMP DEHUMIDIFIER FOR PROCESS DRYING.
1.1 METHOD OF OPERATION
The dehumidifier is an AIR to AIR heat pump which functions in a similar
manner to e domestic refrigerator. It comprises a vapour recompression
refrigeration circuit wi a refrigerant fluid, operating on e reversed Rankine
cycle. Its major components erefore are a cold heat exchanger (evaporator),
comressor, hot heat exchanger (condenser), expansion devise and a fan to
provide air movement. In common wi all heat pumps, e heat is absorbed at
e evaporator and rejected at e condenser, wi e compressor increasing
e pressure of e refrigerant fluid, and erefore e temperature at which e
heat is rejected.
1.2 EFFICIENCY
The quantity of heat delivered at e condenser, ‘Qh’ will comprise e heat
absorbed at e evaporator plus e ermal equivalent of e energy input ‘W’
which is required to bring about e compression, less any small losses at
may occur. The eciency of e heat pump, its coecient of performance, can
en be expressed and written: C.O.P = Qh/W
1.3 In a heat pump dehumidifier, e source for e heat absorbed at e
evaporator is e humid air drawn into e dehumidifier from e product
being dried. As is air passes rough e evaporator it is rapidly chilled to a
temperature below its dew point, so resulting in condensate (water) being
drained from e process. The heat recovered, approximately 2300Kj for every
kg (litre) of water condensed, is rejected at e condensor at a much higher
temperature an e air incident on e ‘hot’ coil. Air is erefore returned
to e drying process at a higher temperature an when it entered e
dehumidifier. However in e process of collecting more moisture from e air
surrounding e product e temperature is lowered back to its level prior to
being chilled out. This process is continuous roughout e drying process.
Should additional heating be required at any stage of drying an auxillary heater
bank is usually fitted wiin e dehumidifier but can be fitted at any point in
e ‘circuit’.
1.4 In e dehumidification process, water is removed from e chamber
wiout e need for ventilation, e system is totally recirculatory leading to
a ermal eciency approaching 100%. By removing water in its liquid raer
an vapour state, only a small amount of sensible heat is discharged, and no
latent heat is lost.
1.5 It is usual to determine e eciency of a heat pump from its C.O.P.
as described in is section, however wi a Process Dehumidifier, a more
useful measure is e quantity of water discharged per unit of electricity
consumed, and expressed as kg/kWhr. When desiging a drying system using
dehumidifiers, water extraction per time at any given air condition is necessary
to enable e dehumidifier requirement to be matched to e system moisture
removal rate. The Process Dryer DH334BH has been designed specifically
to remove optimum quantities of water at air conditions of between 25ºC
and 55ºC in temperature, togeer wi Humidities of between 10% and
60%. It will of course work extremely well at higher humidities but its design
parameters make it most effective in e ‘band’ shown. Oer dehumidifiers
can be designed for optimum performance in diferent ‘bands’. Bearing in mind
at e latent heat of vapourisation of water 2300kJ/kg is 1.56kg/kWhr (100%
ecent) en e DH334BH dehumidifier has e ability to remove water from
a process at specific moisture extracton rates well above at necessary for
100% eciency of operation.
1.6 SYSTEM EFFICIENCIES
The figure of most importance to an energy manager when considering drying
eciencies is e TOTAL energy input per unit water output. The total system
eciency is lower an at of e dehumidifier alone in at oer components
wiin e drying system also require energy. During e drying process, in
addition to electrical energy to drive e compressor, it is also needed to:
a) Pre-heat e product and chamber structure .
b) Produce e primary airflow
c) Replace conduction and air leakage losses .
However residual heat from e ancillary equipment is absorbed wiin e
drying chamber instead of simply being lost to atomsphere, so adding to e
general eciency of e dehumidifier system of drying.
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