57
A
High Efficiency Air Conditioner for Humidity Control in Residences--AIL
Research, Inc., P.O. Box 3662, 50 Washington Road, Princeton, NJ
08543-3662; 609-452-2950, www.ailr.com
Mr.
Marc Sibilia, Principal Investigator,
Dr.
Andrew Lowenstein, Business Official,
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-03ER83600
Amount:
$749,506
Air
conditioners now on the market are very poor at controlling indoor humidity.
In some buildings, high indoor humidity creates health problems and leads
to the growth of mold and mildew; in other buildings, energy is wasted as the
building owner overcools the indoor space to try to create comfortable
conditions. A high efficiency air
conditioner that also provided superior dehumidification would restore healthy
indoor conditions while significantly reducing energy use. This
project will incorporate advanced liquid-desiccant technology into an electric
vapor-compression air conditioner that: (1)
provides more than twice the dehumidification of a conventional system, (2)
reduces compressor power by 24% or more, and (3) is easy to install on a
residence. A 6,000 Btu/h breadboard
model of the liquid-desiccant vapor-compression air conditioner was built and
tested in Phase I. It was shown that
this air conditioner could deliver about two-thirds of its cooling as
dehumidification. The test results
also validated a computer model, which was used to design an advanced air
conditioner for a home that had an SEER of 14.9 and a Sensible Heat Ratio of
0.34. In Phase II, an early-entry
market for the liquid-desiccant vapor-compression air conditioner will be
identified, in conjunction with a manufacturer of HVAC equipment.
A prototype of this air conditioner will be built and tested in a home
to: (1) quantify annual energy savings, (2) demonstrate independent control of
temperature and humidity, and (3) identify possible control, operating, and
maintenance issues that would be addressed in a second prototype.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as
described by awardee: A highly
efficient electric air conditioner that provides independent control of
temperature and humidity within homes, even under the most humid summer
conditions, would address problems of poor indoor air quality, mold and mildew
growth, and the waste of energy from over-cooling.
The technology also should be applicable to the very large market for
commercial rooftop air conditioners.