Water vapor desorption and adsorbent regeneration for air conditioning unit using pulsed corona plasma

The dehumidifying action of a dehumidifier or air conditioner was employed to achieve a comfortable and desirable indoor comfort. Water vapor adsorbed on an adsorbent substance needs to be regenerated when the water vapor exceeds the adsorption capacity. The conventional process for adsorbent regeneration or moisture desorption uses the heat by means of the electric heater. In the present study, the water vapor desorption from the adsorbent material was investigated using a pulsed corona plasma for possible replacement of the electric heater. The water vapor desorption for a given power (defined as desorption efficiency) using the pulsed corona plasma was found to be superior over conventional thermal desorption. The gradient of desorption (desorption rate) was found to be significantly higher for plasma desorption, so that faster desorption can be achieved without excessive gas heating. In addition, the plasma desorption was not affected by the initial moisture content in an indoor environment, which leads to more economical, controllable, and flexible air conditioning system.