Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling
The current concept for cooling the indoors is far from ideal with respect to the total energy consumed and waste discharged. A novel concept for improving the energy efficiency is proposed via hybridizing the heat pump with a membrane distillation (MD) unit for simultaneous space cooling and water...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/143800 |
| _version_ | 1824453689042010112 |
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| author | Tan, Yong Zen Han, Le Chew, Nick Guan Pin Chow, Wai Hoong Wang, Rong Chew, Jia Wei |
| author2 | School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering |
| author_facet | School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Tan, Yong Zen Han, Le Chew, Nick Guan Pin Chow, Wai Hoong Wang, Rong Chew, Jia Wei |
| author_sort | Tan, Yong Zen |
| collection | NTU |
| description | The current concept for cooling the indoors is far from ideal with respect to the total energy consumed and waste discharged. A novel concept for improving the energy efficiency is proposed via hybridizing the heat pump with a membrane distillation (MD) unit for simultaneous space cooling and water treatment. MD is well-acknowledged for utilizing low-quality waste heat for water treatment, which makes it feasible for coupling with a heat pump to make use of both the hot and cold reservoirs of the pump. Accordingly, the objective of the current effort was to investigate via experiments the efficacy of a thermoelectric heat pump coupled with a sweep-gas MD system (T-SGMD) by measuring the cooling capacity, condensate production and power consumption. The results from this study can be extended to other heat pumps. Three key highlights emanated from this study. Firstly, condensate production per unit energy consumed can be doubled with the T-SGMD system relative to thermoelectric dehumidification alone. Secondly, cool air recycle affected the condensate flux the most without a drastic loss of cooling compared to other tested parameters during the operation of the T-SGMD. Lastly, the T-SGMD system was able to provide an increase in condensate produced per unit energy without a loss in cooling capacity per unit energy input. These advantages of coupling heat pumps with MD, leveraging on the current advancements in MD, is promising for a hybridized system for decentralized water treatment, dehumidification and space cooling. |
| first_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:10:24Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/143800 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:10:24Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1438002020-09-24T05:36:32Z Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling Tan, Yong Zen Han, Le Chew, Nick Guan Pin Chow, Wai Hoong Wang, Rong Chew, Jia Wei School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS) Singapore Membrane Technology Centre Engineering::Chemical engineering Sweep-gas Membrane Distillation (SGMD) Hybrid Membrane Process The current concept for cooling the indoors is far from ideal with respect to the total energy consumed and waste discharged. A novel concept for improving the energy efficiency is proposed via hybridizing the heat pump with a membrane distillation (MD) unit for simultaneous space cooling and water treatment. MD is well-acknowledged for utilizing low-quality waste heat for water treatment, which makes it feasible for coupling with a heat pump to make use of both the hot and cold reservoirs of the pump. Accordingly, the objective of the current effort was to investigate via experiments the efficacy of a thermoelectric heat pump coupled with a sweep-gas MD system (T-SGMD) by measuring the cooling capacity, condensate production and power consumption. The results from this study can be extended to other heat pumps. Three key highlights emanated from this study. Firstly, condensate production per unit energy consumed can be doubled with the T-SGMD system relative to thermoelectric dehumidification alone. Secondly, cool air recycle affected the condensate flux the most without a drastic loss of cooling compared to other tested parameters during the operation of the T-SGMD. Lastly, the T-SGMD system was able to provide an increase in condensate produced per unit energy without a loss in cooling capacity per unit energy input. These advantages of coupling heat pumps with MD, leveraging on the current advancements in MD, is promising for a hybridized system for decentralized water treatment, dehumidification and space cooling. 2020-09-24T05:36:32Z 2020-09-24T05:36:32Z 2018 Journal Article Tan, Y. Z., Han, L., Chew, N. G. P., Chow, W. H., Wang, R., & Chew, J. W. (2018). Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling. Applied Energy, 231, 1079-1088. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.09.196 0306-2619 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/143800 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.09.196 231 1079 1088 en Applied Energy © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Engineering::Chemical engineering Sweep-gas Membrane Distillation (SGMD) Hybrid Membrane Process Tan, Yong Zen Han, Le Chew, Nick Guan Pin Chow, Wai Hoong Wang, Rong Chew, Jia Wei Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling |
| title | Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling |
| title_full | Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling |
| title_fullStr | Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling |
| title_short | Membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy-efficient water treatment and space cooling |
| title_sort | membrane distillation hybridized with a thermoelectric heat pump for energy efficient water treatment and space cooling |
| topic | Engineering::Chemical engineering Sweep-gas Membrane Distillation (SGMD) Hybrid Membrane Process |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/143800 |
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