Sorption refers to the binding of one substance to another. Sorbentsare materials that have an ability to attract and hold other gases or liquids.They can be used to attract gases or liquids other than water vapor, whichmakes them very useful in chemical separation processes. Desiccants are asubset of sorbents; they have a particular affinity for water. This chapterdiscusses the water sorption characteristics of desiccant materials andexplains some of the implications of those characteristics in ambient-pressureair-conditioning applications. Information on other applications for desiccantscan be found in Chapter 37 of this volume; Chapters 7, 8, 18, 39, and 44 of the2018 ASHRAE Handbook—Refrigeration;Chapters 1, 2, 6, 10, 18, 20, 23, 30, and 46 of the 2019 ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications; and Chapters 24 and 26 of the 2020ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Systems andEquipment.

Desiccant Applications
Desiccant Cycle
Types of Desiccants
Desiccant Isotherms
Desiccant Life
Cosorption of Water Vaporand Indoor Air Contaminants

No. of Pages: 6