A new center will research ways to reduce the energy required to dehumidify air. The Global Center for Desiccant Technology, housed in the Mechanical Engineering Department, will develop a test facility for research and education, said director B. Keith Hodge.
Desiccants chemically remove moisture from the air.
This method, which is gas-driven, is much cheaper than conventional vapor compression systems. In the desiccant system, chemicals extract water vapor from the air. Water vapor is adsorbed by the desiccant and through a re-charging process is discharged into the atmosphere. And this system uses natural gas, which burns very efficiently. Work at the center will be funded by industrial partners.