Special Issue Article Open Access

Performance Evaluation of Intermittent Solid Adsorption Refrigeration System Running On Solar Energy

Abstract

International environment protection initiatives have led to the intensification of research efforts on development of ozone and global warming safe refrigeration technology. In recent years, increasing attention is being given to the use of waste heat and solar energy in energizing refrigerating systems. Solar powered refrigeration and air conditioning have been very attractive during the last twenty years, since the availability of sunshine and the need for refrigeration both reach maximum levels in the same season. This paper is dedicated to the development of the thermally driven single effect, valveless adsorption refrigerator which uses activated carbon and methanol as adsorption pair driven by solar energy which is extremely portable. Where activated carbon and methanol is best suitable pair for the adsorption refrigeration process. Also refrigerant (methanol) has zero ozone depletion potential and very low global warming potential. Thus the refrigerator is eco-friendly. As there are no valves involved cost will be reduced. There are no moving parts involved in the system. Our goal is to develop an affordable, robust refrigerator that uses passive solar energy to maintain temperatures of water from 5°C to 10°C. COP of system is between 0.12 to 0.15. The refrigeration thus produced could be utilized for cooling water required for different domestic and industrial purposes. The mechanism, if extended, can produce further low temperatures also. Previous work on solar refrigerator has demonstrated the feasibility of the system. Work till date on such type of refrigerator shows various different pairs can be used as adsorbate-adsorbent for carrying out cooling effect but still so much scope is there for research. Because COP of such systems and temperature achieved by them is far away from the need of current era of refrigeration.

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