High Efficiency Dehumidification System
Abstract
The current industry standard method to control relative humidity (RH) and biological growth involves sub-cooling air to condense moisture out of the air, then reheating the same air that was just sub-cooled to reduce the RH of the air before it enters the space. However, the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems at many Federal Facilities are not equipped with (or do not use) the required reheat function, so high indoor RH and the growth of mold are often inevitable occurrences. The High Efficiency Dehumidification System (HEDS) is a patent-protected, proprietary energy recovery method designed to save more than 50 percent of the dehumidification-related cooling and heating plant energy in RH controlled environments. This work validated the performance of a new HVAC dehumidification technology and investigated performance claims, installation costs, and maintenance impacts through the installation of two test units at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), OK and Fort Bragg, NC. Based on the results of the ESTCP tests from Fort Bragg, NC and Tinker AFB, OK, HEDS significantly exceeded the energy savings targets, providing HVAC system savings related to the cooling, dehumidification and reheat process of 50 percent to well over 70 percent. HEDS appears to be a viable, low maintenance, effective alternative to current RH control technologies, and can be a significant contributor to meeting energy savings Policies, Mandates, and Executive Orders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1061215
Entities
People
- Chu Dahtzen
- Scot M. Duncan