Liquid desiccant dedicated vapor compression system and a method of operation thereof
A liquid desiccant dedicated vapor compression system is disclosed. The system comprises an evaporator fluidically connected to a condenser through a compressor, an absorber fluidically connected to the evaporator to facilitate flow of air through the evaporator and the absorber, and a desorber fluidically connected to the absorber to facilitate the flow of the desiccant solution therebetween and further fluidically connected to the condenser to facilitate the flow of air through the condenser and the desorber. An inlet of a first refrigerant tube associated with the absorber, and an inlet of evaporator coils associated with the evaporator are fluidically connected to an outlet of the condenser via two different expansion valves. Further, an inlet of a second refrigerant tube associated with a desorber and an inlet of condenser coils associated with the condenser are fluidically connected to an outlet of the compressor.
1 . A liquid desiccant dedicated vapor compression system comprising:
an evaporator fluidically connected to a condenser through a compressor; and
an absorber fluidically connected to the evaporator to facilitate flow of air through the evaporator and the absorber,
wherein an inlet of a first refrigerant tube associated with the absorber, and an inlet of evaporator coils associated with the evaporator are fluidically connected to an outlet of the condenser via a plurality of expansion valves, wherein the plurality of expansion valves comprise:
a first expansion valve fluidically connected between the condenser and the first refrigerant tube of the absorber, wherein the first expansion valve is configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser or a receiver, and correspondingly expand and supply the refrigerant of a first pressure and a first temperature to the absorber; and
a second expansion valve fluidically connected between the condenser and the evaporator, wherein the second expansion valve is configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser or the receiver, and correspondingly expand and supply the refrigerant of a second pressure and a second temperature to the evaporator.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of expansion valves is configured such that
the first pressure is less than the second pressure, and the first temperature is less than the second temperature.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator is configured to:
facilitate the exchange of heat between the air and the refrigerant received from the condenser to cool the air, and correspondingly supply the cooled air to the absorber and further supply a warm refrigerant to the compressor.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the absorber is configured to facilitate the flow of a concentrated desiccant solution therethrough to allow the concentrated desiccant solution to absorb moisture from the cool air received from the evaporator, and
wherein the first refrigerant tube of the absorber is configured to facilitate the flow of the refrigerant, received from the condenser, through the absorber to cool the received air while the desiccant solution is absorbing the moisture from the air.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises:
a desorber fluidically connected to the absorber by a liquid desiccant unit to facilitate the flow of the desiccant solution therebetween and further fluidically connected to the condenser to facilitate the flow of air through the condenser and the desorber,
wherein an inlet of a second refrigerant tube associated with the desorber and an inlet of condenser coils associated with the condenser is fluidically connected to an outlet of the compressor.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the compressor is configured to receive the warm refrigerant from the evaporator and the absorber and correspondingly supply a compressed refrigerant to one or more of the second refrigerant tube of the desorber and the condenser coil of the condenser.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the condenser is configured to:
facilitate the exchange of heat between the air and the compressed refrigerant received from the compressor to heat the air, and correspondingly supply the heated air to the desorber and further supply a cool refrigerant to one or more of the evaporator and the absorber.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the desorber is configured to facilitate the flow of a diluted desiccant solution therethrough to allow the heated air, received from the condenser, to desorb moisture from the diluted desiccant and regenerate a concentrated desiccant solution, and
wherein the second refrigerant tube is configured to facilitate the flow of the compressed refrigerant received from the compressor to heat the diluted desiccant and facilitate the regeneration of the concentrated desiccant solution.
9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the liquid desiccant unit is configured to facilitate the supply of:
the concentrated desiccant solution from the desorber to the absorber via a desiccant receiver; and
the diluted desiccant solution from the absorber to the desorber via a desiccant pump.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the absorber comprises a corrosion-resistant thermally conductive material, wherein the first refrigerant tube associated with the absorber is in thermal contact with and at least partially extending through a packing material.
11 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the desorber comprises a corrosion-resistant thermally conductive material, wherein the second refrigerant tube associated with the desorber is in thermal contact with and at least partially extending through a packing material.
12 . A liquid desiccant dedicated vapor compression system comprising:
an evaporator fluidically connected to a condenser through a compressor; and
an absorber fluidically connected to the evaporator to facilitate flow of air through the evaporator and the absorber,
wherein an inlet of a first refrigerant tube associated with the absorber, an inlet of evaporator coils associated with the evaporator are fluidically connected to an outlet of the condenser via one or more expansion valves, and wherein an outlet of the absorber is fluidically connected to a suction port of the compressor, and an outlet of the evaporator is fluidically connected to an injection port of the compressor.
13 . A method of conditioning air in a vapor compression system including the liquid desiccant dedicated vapor compression system according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
facilitating the flow of a diluted desiccant solution through the desorber to allow the heated air, received from the condenser, to desorb moisture form the diluted desiccant and regenerate a concentrated desiccant solution; and/or
facilitating the flow of the compressed refrigerant received from the compressor to heat the diluted desiccant and facilitate the regeneration of the concentrated desiccant solution.
14 . A method of conditioning air in a vapor compression system including the liquid desiccant dedicated vapor compression system according to claim 12 , the method comprising:
facilitating the flow of a diluted desiccant solution through the desorber to allow the heated air, received from the condenser, to desorb moisture form the diluted desiccant and regenerate a concentrated desiccant solution; and/or
facilitating the flow of the compressed refrigerant received from the compressor to heat the diluted desiccant and facilitate the regeneration of the concentrated desiccant solution.