ABSTRACT
This article presents results of an experimental investigation on the controllability of hot air production using a pair of chemical heat pumps (CHP). The objective of this study is to determine how a CHP-assisted batch dryer can be operated effectively. The CHP uses the well-known CaO/H2O/Ca(OH)2 hydration/dehydration reaction, which is reversible. The hot air temperature can be controlled by adjusting the reactor temperature, and pressure, as well as thermal power supplied to it. It is shown that hot air can be produced in both the heat storage and heat release steps of the CHP.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In our development of the concept of the chemical heat pump-assisted dryer, we benefited immensely from the prior research on CHPs by all the previous reaction engineering works. In particular, we thank Professor M. Hasatani, the late Professor N. Arai, Professor Matsuda of Nagoya University, and Professor Matsuno of Kyushu Institute of Technology. Their previous extensive work on CHPs led the way for us to propose and develop this new concept as an application. We wish to dedicate our paper to Professor Hasatani on the eve of his 64th birthday.