Thermoelectric Installation for Dehumidification and Heating of Air in Livestock Premises

Abstract

General supply and exhaust ventilation is used to combat high humidity in livestock premises. The possibilities of this method in maintaining the air parameters within the required limits are limited. Dehumidifiers based on various physical principles help solving the problem of high humidity. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in substantiation of a rational functional and technological scheme for the installation of dehumidification and heating of air based on Peltier elements in the premises of agricultural production, based on the results of its physical modeling, developing, and testing of a working sample. (Materials and methods) Authors used methods of system analysis and synthesis of existing knowledge in the research field on the development of energy-efficient dehumidifier and air heater based on the theory of heat and mass transfer and thermoelectricity. The article presents a functional and technological scheme of the dehumidifier and air heater based on thermo-electric Peltier elements. Authors developed a prototype sample and performed physical modeling of heat transfer processes from thermoelectric assembly to heat carriers. The article presents a method for calculating the heat and power design parameters of heat exchange devices on the cold and hot sides of the thermoelectric assembly. (Results and discussion) It was found that the heat energy withdrawn by the hot circuit and directed to heating the dried air exceeds the energy consumed from the electrical network by 20-30 percent. (Conclusions) This design solution reduces the energy consumption of a thermoelectric dehumidifier compared to traditionally used equipment. Thermoelectric dehumidifiers are environmentally safe and are intended for small-scale agricultural areas with an air capacity of up to 500 cubic meters per hour.