Development of Desiccant Humidity Control System Driven by Low-temperature Heat Source with Air-cooled Heat Exchanger Type Adsorber Coated with Thermosensitive Polymer Gel

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K07028
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Energy engineering
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: KUBOTA Mitsuhiro 名古屋大学, 工学研究科, 助教 (60345931)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 感温性高分子ゲル / 水蒸気吸着 / 低温再生 / 空冷式吸着器 / デシカント調湿システム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For development of desiccant humidity control system driven by low-temperature heat source, thermosensitive polymer gels were focused as a novel water vapor adsorbent which is installed in air-cooled heat exchanger type adsorber. In this study, we tried to prepare some thermosensitive polymer gels from different monomers under various polymerization conditions and investigate water vapor adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of the prepared polymer gels.
It is found that the prepared polymer gels showed thermosensitivity for water vapor adsorption, but thermosensitivity in dry conditions was weaker than that in liquid water. The prepared polymer gels had an equal or higher effective water adsorptivity compared to conventional adsorbents in the operation conditions of humidity control system. However, water adsorption and desorption rates of the polymer gels were slower than conventional adsorbents, and therefore enhancement of water vapor adsorption was required for the practical system.

Free Research Field

エネルギー工学，吸着工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は，低温熱の利用促進を可能とする低温再生対応デシカント調湿システムの構築を目指し，親水性と疎水性がスイッチする感温性高分子ゲルを新規水蒸気吸着材として応用するための基礎検討を行ったものである。従来，感温性高分子ゲルは水相中での利用を想定した検討が多いなか，水蒸気吸着という気相中での利用を目指し，感温性高分子ゲルの水蒸気吸着平衡特性ならびに感温性を明らかにした点に学術的意義がある。また，実プロセスへの展開を視野に入れ，感温性高分子ゲルの水蒸気吸・脱着速度を定量的に測定・評価した点にも学術的意義がある。