DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A HEAT PUMP DRYING SYSTEM USING REPURPOSED AIR CONDITIONING COMPONENTS

Abstract

Heat pump drying presents an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional drying methods. As discarded air conditioners and refrigerators increasingly contribute to electronic waste, this research explores the potential of repurposing components from old air conditioning systems to construct a heat pump drying system. The study involved three no-load trial sets. Key findings emphasize the importance of releasing excess heat to the environment via a sub-condenser for maintaining system stability and operational safety, as observed in Trial 3.1. Additionally, in Trial 3.2, without an electric heater, the inlet drying airflow temperature ranged only from 37 °C to 44 °C. Following this, in Trial 3.3, with the heater at 50% capacity, the temperature reached 50 °C to 56 °C. Overall, this research highlights the feasibility of repurposing air conditioning systems to develop efficient and cost-effective heat pump drying systems.