The continuing rise in energy costs has placed an increased emphasis on the design of energy-efficient air conditioning equipment. Generally, prediction of the annual energy consumption of an air conditioning system requires the hourly performance evaluation of each component used in the system. Model complexity and the exorbitant amount of computer time required usually do not permit the use of models based on a differential element for each component. In order to estimate the annual energy consumption of packed-type liquid sorbent dehumidifiers and regenerators, a two-stage approach was used to develop a mathematical model. The results obtained from the model were then used to develop a simplified algebraic model suitable for hourly performance evaluation of packed dehumidifiers and regenerators. For situations dealing with several absorbers and one regenerator combined into a system and/or when a transfer interchanger is used to heat the relatively cold solution going to the regenerator, the model - along with system configuration information, interchanger effectiveness, and overall energy balance equations - can be used to predict the overall heat and coolant requirements.

KEYWORDS: calculating, performance, air conditioning, adsorbents, dehumidifiers, heat exchangers, energy consumption, heat load, cooling load, energy conservation