Numerical Study on the Combined Heat and Mass Recovery Adsorption Cooling Cycle

Abstract

AbstractA numerical simulation of the performance of a fin‐tube‐type adsorption bed with silica gel/water working pairs was conducted. Three models of the heat recovery cycle, the mass recovery cycle, and a combined heat and mass recovery cycle were closely examined. The main goals were to determine 1) the conditions under which these advanced cycles were most effective and 2) the optimum recovery time. Mass recovery enhanced both the coefficient of performance (COP) and specific cooling power (SCP) by up to 24 and 37.5 %, respectively, at 60 °C, and the enhancements of the COP and SCP were 5.0 and 16.0 %, respectively, at 90 °C. Heat recovery increased the COP by 12.56 %, but reduced the SCP by 10.84 % at 60 °C, whereas, at 90 °C, the COP increased by 11.83 % and SCP decreased by 5.96 %. The mass recovery is more influential at a low heating temperature than that at a high heating temperature. Therefore, in the combined heat and mass recovery cycles, the main contribution to the enhancement of the COP comes from mass recovery at lower water temperature. However, at a high heating temperature, the COP increases mainly due to heat recovery.