Abstract
A simple effect one stage ammonia-water absorption cooling system fueled by solar energy is analyzed. The considered system is composed by a parabolic trough collector concentrating solar energy into a tubular receiver for heating water. This is stored in a fully mixed thermal storage tank and used in the vapor generator of the absorption cooling system. Time dependent cooling load is considered for the air conditioning of a residential two-storey house. A parametric study is performed to analyze the operation stability of the cooling system with respect to solar collector and storage tank dimensions. The results emphasized that there is a specific storage tank dimension associated to a specific solar collector dimension that could ensure the longest continuous startup operation of the cooling system when constant mass flow rates inside the system are assumed.
Highlights
Absorption systems are widely studied as they are an eco-friendly alternative to conventional compression chillers
The results showed that the highest solar coefficient of performance (COP) was attained by the third system
The results showed that the minimum collector area should be 23.3 m2 per ton of refrigeration and the optimum water storage capacity should be 1000 to 1500 L in order to operate seven hours daily only on solar energy
Summary
Absorption systems are widely studied as they are an eco-friendly alternative to conventional compression chillers. The energy input is waste heat or a renewable heat source, such as non-conventional solar or geothermal heat. Another benefit is that absorption units operate with environmental friendly working fluids. Koroneos et al [2] emphasized in their study that among all installed worldwide solar thermal assisted cooling systems, 69% are absorption cycle-based. Most of the published works on solar cooling systems are concentrated on absorption cycle systems operating with LiBr-H2 O solution and flat plate solar collectors. As Duffie and Beckman [3] emphasized, the temperature limitations of flat plate collectors imposed the use of LiBr-H2 O based systems
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