Development and implementation of solar assisted desiccant cooling technology in developing countries: A case of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the potential and feasibility of using solar thermal cooling systems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The performance of a desiccant cooling system has been determined based on climatic data of 32 cities spread all over the territory of the country. The investigation has been carried out keeping in view the high energy consumption for cooling applications in the country. The analysis has been done using the overall performance of the system, sensible energy ratio, and cooling and regeneration loads. The main objective of this study is to encourage the implementation of solar thermal cooling systems in the country for the development of sustainable buildings. The economic analysis shows that thermal cooling technology can reduce the cost of cooling units, remarkably. Furthermore, the utilization of the proposed system will decrease the dependence on primary energy resources. The saving factor of the proposed system with 1 ton capacity in comparison to the conventional vapor compression unit is found to be 34.6%. The present study also recommends that the government subsidies and incentives can further improve the development and utilization of solar air conditioning technology in developing countries.