Solar Desiccant Cooling System as an Alternative Solution for Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) in the Tropical Regions

Abstract

The development of energy-efficient cooling systems is a major challenge for Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) in tropical climates. This study proposes a solar-assisted two-stage hybrid desiccant cooling system as an energy-efficient air conditioning (AC) system for use in tropical NZEBs. TRNSYS software was used to simulate the proposed model for application in a classroom with a high latent load (51%). The simulation results were analysed in terms of air properties, energy allocation, and potential energy savings. It was discovered that using two-stage dehumidification instead of one-stage dehumidification reduced regeneration temperature from 72 °C to 63 °C, which leads to considerable reduction in backup heater energy consumption. This study shows that by means of the proposed model instead of a fan coil unit, thermal comfort and energy savings of 37% can be achieved.