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Performance analysis of coupling vapor compression cycle to freeze and humidification-dehumidification based high-performance desalination

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  • Kwan, Trevor Hocksun
  • Zhang, Ding
  • Chen, Ziyang
  • Liao, Zhixin
  • Zhang, Zhuohang
  • Huang, Jiale

Abstract

Although freeze desalination has a lower latent heat of ice formation (334 kJ/kg), its energy performance is still insufficient because of energy loss associated with not using the waste heat of the active cooling system. To address this challenge, this research introduces an innovative hybrid desalination system that synergistically combines freeze, humidification-dehumidification (HDH), and vapor compression cycle (VCC) technologies. The novelty of our approach lies in simultaneously leveraging the VCC's cooling and thermal energy for freeze and dehumidification processes, respectively, which greatly increases the desalination energy performance over only achieving freeze desalination. A thermodynamic model is developed to analyze the proposed system, and a series of parametric analyses are carried out to determine the system configuration that obtains the highest performance. Ultimately, a higher ice recovery rate of 20 % offers the best total desalination performance of only 63 Wh/kg. Furthermore, the HDH desalination unit can make up the for loss of freeze desalination performance at higher feed seawater temperatures, ensuring robust performance even under high-temperature conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Kwan, Trevor Hocksun & Zhang, Ding & Chen, Ziyang & Liao, Zhixin & Zhang, Zhuohang & Huang, Jiale, 2024. "Performance analysis of coupling vapor compression cycle to freeze and humidification-dehumidification based high-performance desalination," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:313:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224034753
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.133697
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chunyang He & Zhifeng Liu & Jianguo Wu & Xinhao Pan & Zihang Fang & Jingwei Li & Brett A. Bryan, 2021. "Future global urban water scarcity and potential solutions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
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    3. El-Agouz, S.A., 2010. "A new process of desalination by air passing through seawater based on humidification–dehumidification process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 5108-5114.
    4. Lai, Xiaotian & Long, Rui & Liu, Zhichun & Liu, Wei, 2018. "A hybrid system using direct contact membrane distillation for water production to harvest waste heat from the proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 578-586.
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    1. Zhang, Bo & Yang, Siyan & Hu, Zhifeng & Zhou, Xiaoteng & Feng, Yanhui & Chu, Fuqiang, 2025. "Morphology-dependent sublimation dynamics of ice droplets under light irradiation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).

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