Design and analysis of a novel solar compression-ejector cooling system with eco-friendly refrigerants using hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector

Abstract

• A novel solar cooling system is designed and analyzed. • The solar cooling efficiency increased by 33.1 %. • The COP of the refrigeration cycle is improved by 8.23 %. • R290 has the best performance in the system. World faces cold crunch and solar energy exploitation plays a vital role in facing this problem. This study aims at improving the performance of combined solar ejector vapor compression refrigeration cycles ( EVRC ) with two evaporators using a photovoltaic thermal ( PVT ) collector. The PVT collector supplies the system's required power, such as compressor and water circulator pump. The outgoing water is further used to cool the condenser and subcool the condenser outlet refrigerant to improve the system efficiency. This work also investigates the utilization of the environmentally friendly refrigerants of R1234yf, R600a, and R290 to reduce the global warming issue by replacing the typical R134a refrigerant. The results showed that the optimal water flow rate for the highest system efficiency and the lowest exergy destruction is 0.05 kg/s. With the passage of water (with optimal flow rate), the collector's electrical efficiency, total solar cooling efficiency, and refrigeration cycle performance coefficient ( COP ) can be increased by 11%, 33.1%, and 8.23%, respectively, compared to the non-cooling state. The R290 refrigerant also performs best in terms of maximum efficiency and lowest system exergy destruction, among other refrigerants, with COP and solar cooling efficiency of 3 and 0.52, respectively, which is 4.8% and 4.6% higher in comparison with the R134a.