Comparative performance evaluation of multi-objective optimized desiccant wheels coated with MIL-100 (Fe) and silica gel composite

Metal-organic frameworks have been introduced as promising alternative materials to improve the performance of conventional desiccant wheels (DWs) in desiccant cooling systems. However, simultaneously achieving high dehumidification and energy performance of DWs coated with advanced desiccant materials is challenging owing to the trade-off between these indices. In this study, based on multi-objective optimization, the dehumidification and energy performance improvement of a DW coated with MIL-100 (Fe) (MCDW) over a conventional DW coated with silica gel (SGDW) and silica composite (SCDW) were evaluated. Based on the data measured in this study, a metamodel was developed using an artificial neural network to predict the performance of the MCDW. Furthermore, Morris sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the decision variables. The optimal solutions were determined using multi-objective optimization and a Euclidean distance-based approach. Finally, a comparative performance evaluation between the optimized MCDW and SCDW was conducted under baseline conditions. As a result, the optimized MCDW showed higher dehumidification and energy performance than the optimized SCDW and SGDW.