The applicability of a hollow fiber membrane evaporative cooler in hot–dry regions was investigated by experimental studies. To better understand the actual operating environment of the hollow fiber membrane evaporative cooler, the outdoor air design conditions for summer air conditioning in five cities were simulated by an enthalpy difference laboratory. Subsequently, the effects of water and air flow rates on outlet air parameters and performance parameters were investigated by setting-up a hollow fiber membrane evaporative cooling experimental rig. It was found that the hollow fiber membrane evaporative cooler has good application prospects in hot–dry regions such as Lanzhou, Xi’an, Yinchuan, Urumqi, and Karamay. Among them, the hollow fiber membrane evaporative cooler has higher applicability in regions with higher air temperatures and lower humidity such as Urumqi and Karamay. The results indicate that the air outlet temperature and relative humidity ranged from 26.5 °C to 30.8 °C and 63.5% to 82.8%, respectively. The outlet air temperature and relative humidity of the HFMEC can meet the thermal comfort requirements of hot–dry regions in the summer at an appropriate air flow rate. The maximum air temperature drop, wet-bulb efficiency, cooling capacity, and COP were 7.5 °C, 62.9%, 396.4 W, and 4.81, respectively. In addition, the effect of the air flow rate on the performance parameters was more significant than that of the water flow rate.

Hollow fiber membrane dehumidification is an effective and economical method of air dehumidification. The hollow fiber membrane module is the critical component of the dehumidification system, which is formed by an arrangement of several hollow fiber membranes. The air stream crosses over the fiber bundles when air dehumidification is performed. The fibers vibrate with the airflow. To investigate the characteristics of the fluid-induced vibration of the hollow fiber membrane, the two-way fluid-structure interaction model under the air-induced condition was established and verified by experiments. The effect of length and air velocity on the vibration and modal of a single hollow fiber membrane was studied, as well as the flow characteristics using the numerical simulation method. The results indicated that the hollow fiber membrane was mainly vibrated by fluid impact in the direction of the airflow. When the air velocity was 1.5 m/s~6 m/s and the membrane length was 100~400 mm, the natural frequency of the membrane was negatively correlated with length and positively correlated with air velocity. Natural frequencies were more sensitive to changes in length than changes in air velocity. The maximum equivalent stress and total deformation increased with air velocity and length. The maximum equivalent stress was concentrated at both ends, and the maximum deformation occurred in the middle. The research results provided a basis for the structural design of hollow fiber membranes under flow-induced vibration conditions.