The Cromer cycle is primarily used in air conditioning and drying applications. The cold surface portion of the cycle is most often a result of a reversed Carnot or refrigeration cycle. For the Cromer cycle to operate, a desiccant must be exposed to two air streams, one with higher humidity from a cold surface, and one with lower humidity to dry it. This is most easily accomplished by moving the desiccant. Any cycling mechanism can be used, such as pumping a liquid desiccant, however an easy mechanical application is a rotating wheel, loaded with desiccant, through which the different air streams pass. This is shown in Figure 1 where a desiccant wheel has been applied to a standard air conditioning set-up.
The psychrometric process of the air passing through the system with four state points is shown on the psychrometric chart of Figure 2 as 1, 2, 3 and 4. The state points of the air are also depicted in Figure 1. In this application, the air returning from the space, typically around 50% relative humidity (RH), is presented to the desiccant wheel and dries the desiccant. The air picks up moisture and cools in process 1 to 2. The moist air is now presented to the cooling surface (cooling coil of the air conditioner), which cools it below its dew point and dries the air in process 2 to 3. This represents the work done by the cold coil. In the meantime, the dried desiccant from below is rotated to the upper air stream. The saturated air leaving the coil, typically 93–98% RH, is presented to the desiccant at 3, where the air is dried further in process 3 to 4, where it is presented to the space as supply air. The desiccant, now loaded with moisture, rotates to the return air, where the cycle repeats.
Typical cooling and drying by the cold coil without the Cromer cycle is depicted on the psychrometric chart and is also shown in Figure 2. State point 1 is the air that returns from the space to the system (return air). For a typical air conditioning system, this air at state point 1 enters the cooling coil and leaves at about state point 4 after cooling and drying. State point 4 represents the temperature and moisture content of the air that leaves the typical unit, about  and 95–98% RH.