Changing cooling in Hong Kong through dehumidifying in addition to chilling. Issue 2 (3rd April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hui, Joseph Y; Chan, Mark H C
• Is Part Of: Transactions. Volume 24:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 63
• Page End: 69
• Publication Date: 2017-04-03
• Subjects: Air conditioning -- thermodynamic heat pump -- cooling and dehumidifying process -- Hui turbine -- Firefly Air; Engineering -- Periodicals; Engineering -- China -- Hong Kong -- Periodicals; Engineering; China -- Hong Kong; Periodicals; 620
• DOI: 10.1080/1023697X.2017.1313135
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1023-697X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Much of the residential housing in Hong Kong is cooled by compressive air conditioning wall units using hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as refrigerants. The recent Kigali Agreement in Rwanda has proposed the rapid phasing out of HFCs, a global warming gas that is 1400 times more heat trapping than carbon dioxide. Such air conditioning is ineffective in hot and humid Hong Kong. Condensing humidity also causes irritating dripping onto pedestrians. This paper proposes compressing hot and humid air directly using a recently invented Hui turbine, instead of the displacement pressurisation of the refrigerant. Compressed air is cooled in a condenser with humidity condensing out, releasing a substantial amount of heat of condensation. The cooled pressurised air is expanded in the Hui turbine, producing chill and recovering work. This innovative air conditioning method which does not use a refrigerant is called Firefly Air. This paper looks at the thermodynamic heat pump cycle of this cooling and dehumidifying process, comparing it with the usual Rankine cycle heat pump process which employs a refrigerant. Chill production is more than doubled and the resulting chilled air has greatly reduced humidity, while irritating dripping is avoided.