The study of solar absorption air-conditioning systems

Abstract

An air-conditioning system utilizing solar energy would generally be more efficient, cost wise, if it was used to provide both heating and cooling requirements in the building it serves. Various solar powered heating systems have been tested extensively, but solar powered air conditioning systems have received very little attention. Solar powered absorption cooling systems can serve both heating and cooling requirements in the building it serves. Many researchers have studied the solar absorption air conditioning system in order to make it economically and technically viable. But still, much more research in this area is needed. This paper will help many researchers working in this area and provide them with fundamental knowledge on absorption systems, and a detailed review on the past efforts in the field of solar absorption cooling systems with the absorption pair of lithium-bromide and water. This knowledge will help them to start the parametric study in order to investigate the influence of key parameters on the overall system performance.

Energy and exergy analyses of an integrated solar heat pump system

“…The earth's surface receives a daily solar dose of 10 8 kWh, which is equivalent to 500,000 billion oil barrels. This value is one thousand times any oil reserve known to human [6]. This availability makes solar energy less costly with no pollution.…”

The Potential for Solar Heat in the Cape Food and Beverage Industry

“…Cooling can also be supplemented with solar heat via the use of absorption refrigeration systems (Winston, et al 1999, ETSU and ENVIROS 1999, Soto-Gomez, et al 1999, Kalogirou 2004, Mittal, Kasana and Thakur 2005, Syed, et al 2005 The most common types of absorption systems are those used in air-conditioning applications and of these the lithium bromide-water type is the most predominant. This type of absorption system can only supply cooling down to 5°C (ETSU and ENVIROS 1999).…”

Development of a renewable energy-based cooling system for a mobile ground station

“…Nevertheless, passive cooling technology was found to suit only the air-conditioning applications. It can only offer temperatures ranging between 15° C and 25° C [6], whereas freezing temperatures down to −55° C are needed to keep the LNA's temperature as low as possible. Thus, the cooling process had to resort to the active cooling techniques.…”

“…In reviewing active cooling technologies for a mobile ground station, attention was focused on those techniques that are clean and human and environment friendly; solar-powered cooling systems were found to be the best candidates in this regard [6], [7]. The first group of cooling systems uses solar panels as the source of energy, whereas the second group uses solar collectors.…”

“…In the context of this research project, thermally driven cooling systems were discarded because of instability issues that could be attributed to the use of liquid refrigerants. Furthermore, such systems do not suit the freezing temperatures [6] required for LNA cooling. The instability and turbulence in the cooling system may occur because of the change in the mobile truck's motion and velocity.…”