Performance studies on the desiccant packed bed with varying particle size distribution along the bed

The transient heat and mass transfer in a desiccant packed bed containing varying particle diameter distribution along the axial direction has been investigated using the pseudo gas controlled approach that considers the heat conduction in the bed. The numerical results of the present model and the experimental data from literature show good agreement with a maximum root of mean square of errors of 3% and 2% for exit air temperature and humidity ratio, respectively. The improvement in the total mass adsorbed and/or reduction in pressure drop has been investigated for various cases of packed bed namely, uniform particle diameter, linear, parabolic and cubic ascending and descending distributions. It has been found that there is a 25.7% reduction in pressure drop with negligible reduction in the total mass adsorbed for a desiccant bed with cubic type particle size distribution when compared to the bed with uniform particle diameter of 1.0 mm. A threshold flow velocity exists below which the total mass adsorbed is independent of particle diameter distribution type.