Enhancing the efficacy of humidifier-dehumidifier desalination in humid regions through the use of an absorption refrigeration cycle (an economic and experimental investigation)

Abstract

This experimental study investigates the performance of a novel humidifier-dehumidifier (HDH) desalination system integrated with a vapor absorption refrigerator (VAR) and photovoltaic (PV) panels for humid regions. The effects of air mass flow rate (m˙ a) and inlet air temperature on key performance indicators were evaluated. Increasing m˙ a from 0.0039 kg/s to 0.0071 kg/s led to a 73 % increase in freshwater output, a 35 % increase in Coefficient of Performance (COP), a 100 % increase in Gain of Output Ratio (GOR), and a 75 % increase in Recovery Ratio (RR), but a 20 % decrease in dehumidifier efficiency. The maximum freshwater production rate of 870 g/h and a GOR of 1.4 were obtained at m˙ a= 0.0071 kg/s and inlet air temperature of 50 ◦C, representing a 117 % increase compared to the lowest temperature and flow rate tested. The cost of freshwater for solar and electric operation modes was 0.075 and 0.094 USD/kg, respectively. The system’s novelty lies in the integration of HDH desalination with a VAR and PV system, enabling continuous freshwater production even under cloudy or nighttime conditions. The findings demonstrate the potential of the proposed system for sustainable freshwater production in humid areas.