Case study of a solar cooling system using hybrid PV and CST technologies

Abstract

Solar energy presents a promising solution among the renewable energy resources, with diversified aspects of conversion, its energy still needs the adequate management to fit our needs either in its thermal or electrical form. In this paper a hybrid solution have been studied to power a solar cooling system, using the combination of both photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar thermal (CST) technologies. The study analysis was based on existing infrastructures on which a data monitoring and analysis have been made. The PV system provided 15 kW of energy while the CST was powering a 16-kW double effect absorption chiller. The approached solution was to consider an electrical chiller in addition to an existing absorption chiller which they will provide the needed cooling energy during day and night. The load of the cooling system will be mainly covered by the PV output while the CST technology is principally in storage mode during the day time in order to be used later at night time. The simulation managing both sources showed a significant energy fit to the cooling load reaching a peak of around 10 kW in summer days. The output results made evident that the proposed configuration presents a relevant solution for having a solar cooling system able to work during day and night time.