Desiccant is a substance that absorbs moisture from the air; also known as a desiccant, it is classified into three types according to its form: solid, liquid, and gas. It is mainly used for air dehumidification.
An ideal desiccant should possess high water absorption, rapid adsorption kinetics, low desorption energy requirements, and good cycle stability. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as porous adsorbents, have become a special type of desiccant due to their superior performance.
Solid desiccant dehumidifies through adsorption; commonly used materials include silica gel and calcium chloride. These require periodic regeneration and are suitable for small-scale applications. Liquid desiccant uses lithium chloride or lithium bromide solutions, achieving significant dehumidification, but the system is complex. Gaseous desiccant achieves dilution and dehumidification through mixing with compressed air and has been applied in fields such as air conditioning in textile factories.
