A comprehensive numerical investigation of the effects of inlet operating conditions on the performance of 3-fluid liquid-to-air membrane energy exchangers

3-fluid liquid-to-air membrane energy exchangers (LAMEEs) are economic dehumidification systems. Cooling tubes are put into dehumidifier liquid channels to regulate the internal temperature of the dehumidifier liquid. 3D computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate a 3-fluid LAMEE, and extra transfer of both heat and mass formulas, along with the essential equations that govern viscous fluid flow, are compiled using external computer programs known as UDS (User Defined Scalar). This study thoroughly investigates the impact of water inflow variables on system efficiency. The refrigeration fluid that runs inside the cooling tubes is water. The temperature distribution of the three fluids is investigated and the role of the refrigeration tubes based on their positions is evaluated on the desiccant solution cooling. Six tests are conducted to achieve the best arrangement of the inlet water conditions based on the geometrical location. At an intake water mass flow rate of 4.67 g/s, the latent and sensible effectiveness rise from 51% to 78% and 60% to 130%, respectively, when the input water temperature drops from 24.6 °C to 10.1 °C. © 2024 The author(s).