Decoupling dehumidification and cooling for energy saving and desirable space air conditions in hot and humid Hong Kong

Wai Ling Lee, Hua Chen, Y. C. Leung, Y. Zhang

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The combined use of dedicated outdoor air ventilation (DV) and dry cooling (DC) air-conditioning system to decouple sensible and latent cooling for desirable space air conditions, better indoor air quality, and energy efficiency is proposed for hot and humid climates like Hong Kong. In this study, the performance and energy saving potential of DCDV system in comparison to conventional systems (constant air volume (CAV) system with and without reheat) for air conditioning of a typical office building in Hong Kong are evaluated. Through hour-by-hour simulations, using actual equipment performance data and realistic building and system characteristics, the cooling load profile, resultant indoor air conditions, condensation at the DC coil, and energy consumptions are calculated and analyzed. The results indicate that with the use of DCDV system, the desirable indoor conditions could be achieved and the annual energy use could be reduced by 54% over CAV system with reheat. The condensate-free characteristic at the DC coil to reduce risk of catching disease could also be realized.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)230-239
Number of pages10
JournalEnergy Conversion and Management
Volume53
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2012

Keywords

  • Dedicated ventilation
  • Dry cooling
  • Energy saving
  • EnergyPlus simulation
  • Indoor air quality
  • Thermal comfort

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Nuclear Energy and Engineering
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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