Experimental study on a novel waste heat recovery system based on desiccant coated exchanger in data center

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20241251

Abstract

Abstract:

This paper presents a novel experimental and analytical waste heat recovery and dehumidification system on the recovery of waste heat from data centers. The proposed system uses desiccant-coated heat exchangers to harvest waste heat and utilize it for the dehumidification of fresh air, thus enabling local consumption of the recovered waste heat. The study focuses on a liquid-cooled data center at a research institute in Shanghai as the experimental subject. The performance of the waste heat recovery and dehumidification system was evaluated through a series of tests. Results show that the system is capable of recovering waste heat at 50℃ from the liquid-cooled data center to continuously dehumidify fresh air. The average coefficient of performance (COP) for dehumidification reaches 8.85. Furthermore, at an airflow rate of 4500 m³/h and a dehumidification duration time of 6 minutes, the average waste heat recovery efficiency achieves 41.94%.

Key words: data center waste heat recovery, desiccant-coated heat exchanger, adsorption, regeneration, experimental validation

摘要：

提出一种新型数据中心余热回收系统实验与分析，利用除湿换热器回收数据中心余热进行新风除湿，实现数据中心余热就地消纳。以上海某研究所冷板式液冷数据机房为研究对象，试制余热回收除湿系统进行除湿性能及余热回收性能的测试。实验结果表明，采用除湿换热器回收冷板式液冷数据机房的50℃余热对新风进行连续除湿，平均除湿性能系数（COP）最高可达8.85，在6 min、4500 m³/h工况下平均余热回收效率可达41.94%。

关键词: 数据中心余热回收, 除湿换热器, 吸附, 再生, 实验验证

CLC Number:

TK 01⁺9

Guorui HUANG, Yao ZHAO, Mingxi XIE, Erjian CHEN, Yanjun DAI. Experimental study on a novel waste heat recovery system based on desiccant coated exchanger in data center[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(S1): 409-417.

黄国瑞, 赵耀, 谢明熹, 陈尔健, 代彦军. 一种新型数据中心余热回收系统实验与分析[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(S1): 409-417.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig.1 Schematic diagram of waste heat recovery system in data center

Fig.2 Physical diagram of dehumidification subsystem

Table 1 Dimensions of desiccant-coated heat exchanger

参数	数值
换热器尺寸/mm	1050×681×74, 650×681×74
干燥剂种类	柱层层析硅胶
翅片厚度/mm	0.15
翅片间距/mm	2.00
铜管外径/mm	10.5
铜管内径/mm	9.87
管排横向间距/mm	21.30
管排纵向间距/mm	24.60
管排数	3

Fig.3 Operation mode diagram of waste heat recovery subsystem

Table 2 States of water valve and pump under different states of DCHE A

部件	DCHE A
部件	除湿	预再生	再生	预除湿
电动水阀1	0	1	0	1
电动水阀2	0	0	1	0
电动水阀3	1	0	0	0
电动水阀4	0	1	0	1
电动水阀5	0	1	0	1
电动水阀6	0	0	1	0
电动水阀7	1	0	0	0
循环水泵A	1	0	1	0
循环水泵B	0	1	0	1

Table 3 Sensor parameters

测量参数	传感器	量程	精度
空气温度	温湿度传感器LFH10A	-20~60℃	±0.3℃
空气相对湿度	温湿度传感器LFH10A	20%~80%	±3%RH
风速	叶轮式风速仪Testo 410i	0.4~30.0 m/s	±0.1 m/s
功率	青智ZW3415B	0~10 kW	±0.5%
热水水温	PT100温度传感器	-50~200℃	±0.1℃
热水流量	电磁流量计	1.2~5.0 m³/h	—

Fig.4 Dynamic dehumidification characteristic curves of waste heat recovery subsystem under different working conditions

Table 4 Average and maximum dehumidification under different working conditions

工况	测试风量/(m³/h)	除湿时长/s	预再生时长/s	热水温度/℃	热水流量/(m³/h)	最大除湿量/(g/kg)	平均除湿量/(g/kg)
1	2700	240	60	50	2	4.34	2.79
2	2700	360	60	50	2	3.67	2.07
3	2700	480	60	50	2	3.75	2.14
4	3600	240	60	50	2	3.91	2.73
5	3600	360	60	50	2	3.71	2.12
6	3600	480	60	50	2	4.17	2.58
7	4500	240	60	50	2	3.56	2.55
8	4500	360	60	50	2	3.84	2.94
9	4500	480	60	50	2	3.63	2.31
10	4500	240	60	50	3	3.23	2.14
11	4500	360	60	50	3	3.58	2.25
12	4500	480	60	50	3	3.44	1.99

Fig.5 Temperature difference of hot water of waste heat recovery subsystem under different working conditions

Table 5 COPd and ηre of waste heat recovery subsystem under different working conditions

工况	参数	$C O P d, a v e$	$C O P d, m a x$	$η r e, a v e$ /%	$η r e, m a x$ /%
1	4 min, 2700 m³/h, 2 t/h	8.85	13.88	25.98	40.08
2	6 min, 2700 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.50	11.70	21.30	41.94
3	8 min, 2700 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.75	11.96	21.23	41.32
4	4 min, 3600 m³/h, 2 t/h	8.49	12.24	32.25	53.28
5	6 min, 3600 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.56	11.61	26.12	46.03
6	8 min, 3600 m³/h, 2 t/h	7.92	12.97	31.24	52.56
7	4 min, 4500 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.74	9.47	34.00	48.65
8	6 min, 4500 m³/h, 2 t/h	7.80	11.24	41.94	61.98
9	8 min, 4500 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.11	9.69	32.10	54.06
10	4 min, 4500 m³/h, 3 t/h	5.57	8.48	22.81	34.76
11	6 min, 4500 m³/h, 3 t/h	5.85	9.40	24.72	43.60
12	8 min, 4500 $m 3 / h$ , 3 t/h	5.16	9.06	23.25	48.11

Table 5 COPd and ηre of waste heat recovery subsystem under different working conditions

工况	参数	$C O P d, a v e$	$C O P d, m a x$	$η r e, a v e$ /%	$η r e, m a x$ /%
1	4 min, 2700 m³/h, 2 t/h	8.85	13.88	25.98	40.08
2	6 min, 2700 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.50	11.70	21.30	41.94
3	8 min, 2700 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.75	11.96	21.23	41.32
4	4 min, 3600 m³/h, 2 t/h	8.49	12.24	32.25	53.28
5	6 min, 3600 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.56	11.61	26.12	46.03
6	8 min, 3600 m³/h, 2 t/h	7.92	12.97	31.24	52.56
7	4 min, 4500 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.74	9.47	34.00	48.65
8	6 min, 4500 m³/h, 2 t/h	7.80	11.24	41.94	61.98
9	8 min, 4500 m³/h, 2 t/h	6.11	9.69	32.10	54.06
10	4 min, 4500 m³/h, 3 t/h	5.57	8.48	22.81	34.76
11	6 min, 4500 m³/h, 3 t/h	5.85	9.40	24.72	43.60
12	8 min, 4500 $m 3 / h$ , 3 t/h	5.16	9.06	23.25	48.11

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