Energy benefit of a dedicated outdoor air system over a desiccant-enhanced evaporative air conditioner

The purpose of this study is to comparatively evaluate the energy performances of a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) and desiccant-enhanced evaporative air conditioner (DEVap) in building applications. The DOAS effectively accommodates latent cooling loads and some of the sensible cooling loads of the space by introducing cooled and dehumidified ventilation air into a building while integrating a parallel system aimed at reducing the remaining sensible load. The DEVap enhances the energy performance of a variable air volume system by reducing cooling coil loads through preconditioning of the supply air before it reaches a coil. The preconditioning is accomplished by using a liquid desiccant system and dew-point indirect evaporative cooler. In this paper, the operating and annual primary energy consumptions of both the DOAS and DEVap systems are compared based on detailed energy simulations. The results indicated the energy saving potential of DOAS to be greater than that of the DEVap. Specifically, a DOAS with ceiling radiant cooling panels experienced 20% less primary energy consumption compared to a DEVap.