OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - A partnership between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and industry, made possible by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program, sought to combine desiccant technology with air conditioning to improve humidity control and increase energy efficiency. Manufacturers that worked with ORNL are now commercializing these desiccant air conditioning systems.
"The idea behind this effort was to have industry and individuals with good ideas work with ORNL to stimulate research and development to integrate desiccant systems with conventional vapor compression technology," said Jim Sand, a researcher in ORNL's Engineering Science & Technology Division.