Constructal design and optimization of a direct contact humidification–dehumidification desalination unit

This study shows that the main design features of a direct contact humidification–dehumidification (HD) desalination process can be determined based on the method of the constructal design. A direct contact HD unit has three main sections: the humidifier, the dehumidifier and the heat source. To analyze and optimize such unit, two flow models for air circulation are considered: natural and forced circulations. The objective is increasing the...