Influence of the installation configuration of heat exchangers on the operation of a heat pump assisted dryer

• Autor(a) principal: Jordan, Rodrigo Aparecido
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Quequeto, Wellytton Darci, Motomia, Anamari Viegas de Araujo, Siqueira, Valdiney Cambuy, Martins, Elton Aparecido Siqueira, Sanches, Ítalo Sabião, Sanches, Édipo Sabião, Antunes, Bruno Machado
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Research, Society and Development
• Texto Completo: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/23929
• topic: Baixa temperatura; Equilíbrio higroscópico; Psicrometria.; Baja temperatura; Equilibrio higroscópico; Psicrometría.; Low temperature; Hygroscopic balance; Psychrometrics.

A prototype of a dryer with a small capacity heat pump was developed and assembled in the laboratory, for drying thermosensitive products, with a refrigeration system coupled to a thermally insulated chamber, fixed to a single structure. Two options for mounting the heat exchange system inside the drying chamber were tested. In the first option (configuration 1), a configuration with a single heat exchanger was used, which alternated the function of evaporator and condenser, in cooling and heating cycles, through the use of a four-way valve. In the second option (configuration 2), a configuration with two heat exchangers was used, where the air passed first through the evaporator and then through the condenser. The settings were evaluated according to the psychrometric operating conditions: temperature, relative humidity and equilibrium air humidity. Configuration 2 was more effective in conditioning the drying air, with more favorable psychrometric conditions, resulting in lower average equilibrium moisture values.