Heat and Moisture Transfer in Desiccant Coated Rotary Energy Exchangers: Part I. Numerical Model

A numerical model for coupled heat and moisture transfer in rotary energy exchangers is developed. The numerical model is one dimensional, transient, and is formulated using the finite volume method with an implicit time discretization. The model is developed from physical principles with a limited number of simplifying assumptions. This enables the study of several assumptions and their effect on the predicted performance of regenerative energy exchangers. In particular, the diffusion of the energy of phase change is treated in a unique manner which has a significant effect on the performance of rotary energy exchangers with thin desiccant coatings, as shown in Part II of this paper.

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