On the Use of the Parabolic Concentration Profile Assumption for a Rotary Desiccant Dehumidifier

The current work describes a model for a desiccant dehumidifier which uses a parabolic concentration profile assumption to model the diffusion resistance inside the desiccant particle. The relative merits of the parabolic concentration profile model compared widely utilized rotary desiccant wheel models are discussed. The periodic steady-state parabolic concentration profile model developed is efficient and can accommodate a variety of materials. These features make it an excellent tool for design studies requiring repetitive desiccant wheel simulations. A quartic concentration profile assumption was also investigated which yielded a 2.8 percent average improvement in prediction error over the parabolic model.