CFD simulation and optimization of heat and moisture transfer processes of novel MOF-based desiccant moisture pump

Metal-organic frameworks (MOF) based solid desiccant moisture pump (MOF-SDMP) is a new dehumidification device that enables water vapor transfer through the inverse gradient of vapor concentration. MOF-SDMP is refrigerant-free and compact with no moveable parts. It can achieve efficient localized moisture control in air-conditioning systems. In this paper, the optimization of a novel MOF-SDMP has been carried out. A CFD simulation was used to analyze the coupled heat and moisture transfer performance of a MOF-SDMP. Most existing models for calculating the hygrothermal performance of desiccant-coated dehumidifiers use empirical correlations to calculate the heat and mass transfer coefficients, which are not feasible for new desiccants and new system design and its optimization. In this research, a new CFD model establishes the relationship among moist air, MOF desiccant, and heat sink and then couples the subdomains of fluid flow, heat transfer, and moisture transport. Experimental measurements were carried out to validate the numerical model under different operation conditions. Parametric optimizations of the MOF-SDMP were carried out to enhance its hygrothermal performance. This dimensional analysis provides some guidelines for MOF-SDMP design with the most suitable geometry. The preliminary results show that the optimized configuration will improve the moisture removal capacity by 1.59 times compared to the original design.