Comparative analysis of a solar‐driven novel salt‐based absorption chiller with the implementation of nanoparticles

Abstract

The present study exemplifies the comprehensive thermal analysis to compare and contrast ammonia-lithium nitrate (NH3-LiNO3) and ammonia-sodiumthiocynate (NH3-NaSCN) absorption systems with and without incorporation of nanoparticles. A well-mixed solution of copper oxide/water (CuO/H2O) nanofluid is considered inside a flat-plate collector linked to an absorption chiller to produce 15-kW refrigeration at −5°C evaporator temperature. Enhancements in heat transfer coefficient, thermal efficiency, and useful heat gain of the collector are evaluated, and the effect of these achievements on the performance of both absorption chillers have been determined for different source temperatures. A maximum 121.7% enhancement is found in the heat transfer coefficient with the application of the nanofluid at 2% nanoparticle concentration. The maximum coefficient of performance observed for the NH3-NaSCN chiller is 0.12% higher than that for the NH3-LiNO3 chiller at 0°C evaporator temperature. Contradictory to this, the average system coefficient of performance of the NH3-LiNO3 absorption system has been found 5.51% higher than that of the NH3-NaSCN system at the same evaporator temperature. Moreover, the application of the nanofluid enhanced the performance of the NH3-NaSCN and NH3-LiNO3 systems by 2.70% and 1.50%, respectively, for lower generator temperature and becomes almost the same at higher temperatures, which altogether recommends the flat-plate collector–coupled NH3-LiNO3 absorption system be integrated with a nanofluid.